‘It’ll actually gum up your entire machine’: Expert shares the one common product you should never use when doing laundry
An Austin, Texas dry cleaner has some laundry advice that could save you thousands of dollars. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to like it.
Rick’s Cleaners (@rickscleaners) recently took to its TikTok account to warn consumers against using liquid fabric softener.
The helpful tidbit ignited a firestorm in the comments. Judging by the reactions, fans of the popular product aren’t giving it up anytime soon.
In a post that has 121,000 views as of this writing, a worker from Rick’s Cleaners says he learned the dirty truth about liquid fabric softener in dry cleaning school.
“It’ll actually gum up your entire machine,” he says. “And over time it will break down a lot faster than it would otherwise.”
Thus, he warns, “Skip that fabric softener.”
The pros and cons of fabric softener
Fabric softener is used to reduce static, add fragrance, and (obviously) make clothes softer. For loyalists, it’s a necessary step to ensuring their clothes feel and smell the way they prefer.
While its effect may be pleasing, it’s not technically necessary to use liquid fabric softener when you do laundry. It doesn’t make your clothes any cleaner and it won’t remove stains. In fact, it can actually stain your clothing.
Fabric softener can also reduce towels’ absorbency.
The product can remain in your washing machine long after the spin cycle is completed. Fabric softener can cause a buildup of residue that, as Rick’s Cleaners points out, gums up your washer’s machinations.
A post in the Cleaning Tips subreddit adds that “it can create huge mold and mildew problems in front loaders.”
They say that there are products on the market that don’t include the ingredients that gum up the works. But in the Redditor’s opinion, these aren’t worth it because they’re essentially just fragrance.
Instead, they urge people to use a natural alternative: vinegar.
The end of a laundry era?
Rick’s Cleaners’ advice sparked serious debate. The most passionate comments came from fans of liquid fabric softener.
Some reported using the product without issue.
“Tell that to my 1994 Frigidaire washer that’s been used almost every other day since it was new,” one wrote.
Another person shared that they use fabric softener—just not in their own machine. Instead, they said they only use it at the laundromat.
Someone on the other side of the debate called liquid fabric softener a “nightmare.” They said it doesn’t just ruin washing machines.
“USDA even tells you that it will destroy a septic tank overtime,” they said.
“Plus, there’s the fact it’s coating your clothes in toxins!” someone else chimed in.
@rickscleaners Did you know that you actually shouldn't use liquid fabric softener?
♬ original sound – Rick’s Cleaners
While the debate raged on, a third offered a simple solution for fans of liquid fabric softener who don’t want to hasten their washing machine’s demise: Clean the appliance periodically to keep the residue from building up.
Rick’s Cleaners didn’t immediately respond to a direct message seeking comment.
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