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10 Best Fabric Softeners UK 2022 | Method, Ecover and More
You just can’t beat the feeling of climbing into freshly washed and softened sheets, or clothes especially after a bad day. Just a splash of fabric softener in your fabric softener drawer can transform your attire, linens and towels and leave them as fresh as a spring meadow, but how do you know which products are worth your cash and which are going to leave you and your fabrics feeling flat?
Whether you’re looking for softeners for babies, eczema-prone or sensitive skin, natural brands or those with perfumes to turn heads, we got you. We’ll arm you with information to shop confidently, and also provide some ideas with our top 10 buys, including options from Amazon, eBay, and Tesco. From Downy, to Ecover, to Method, there’s a bottle of softener to suit you and your family and get you feeling and smelling fabulous.
- Last updated: 17-08-2022
Table of Contents
How to Choose a Fabric Softener in the UK
Key Points to Consider
- Select a Natural or Chemical Formula Depending on the Fragrance Intensity You Want
- Go for Hypoallergenic Options for Babies and Sensitive Skin
1. Choose Between a Natural or Chemical Formula Based on Your Preferred Intensity of the Fragrance
Natural Softeners Are Gentle on the Skin, Environmentally-Friendly and Ideal for Those Who Are Sensitive to Strong Scents
There’s definitely been a boom in the demand for natural alternatives of late, and this has extended beyond personal products to include household items too. Natural fabric conditioners, as the name suggests, are based on materials derived from plants, which are just as effective at softening as their chemical counterparts.
Since you're here, why not explore these eco-friendly laundry detergents?
Because the ingredients are natural, they are biodegradable and non-toxic too, so when they flow out of your pipes and eventually end up in the sea they won’t be as harmful to marine life. Many of these brands are cruelty-free and/or don’t use any animal ingredients, so they are a great choice for those wanting to not only limit their environmental impact but those who are vegan too.
On the whole, softeners containing naturally derived perfumes or essential oils for scent are subtle in fragrance and gentle on easily irritated skin. However they may not be suitable for those who are looking for a softener that brings a powerful, long lasting perfume, and usually they are a bit more expensive than commercial chemical products, so might not benefit those on a tighter budget.
Chemical-Based Softeners Make Your Clothes Super Soft and Have a Stronger, Longer-Lasting Fragrance
Traditional chemical softeners predominantly work by adding a waxy coating to your clothes and fabrics, which is designed to be waterproof to survive the laundry process. This means that everything comes out touchably soft, but it can also mean that sometimes this variety of softener ends up reducing the absorbency of towels, and the effectiveness of sweat resistant fitness gear.
It is recommended that if you do plump for this type of softener, you don’t use it every time you wash your towels or gym wear, so bear this in mind if you don’t have the time to do several separate loads of washing each week.
On the plus side, there’s no denying that traditional fabric conditioners are top of their game in terms of scent, with a number of brands creating products that smell as decadent as any perfume. They’re also produced by big companies that can afford to sell them for a much lower price, making them a luxury that even those without much cash to spare can enjoy.
To make sure that your laundry always comes out squeaky clean, these washing machine cleaners will do the trick.
2. If You Have Sensitive Skin or Have Baby Clothes to Wash, Opt For a Hypoallergenic Fabric Softener
Natural or chemical, shoppers with sensitive skin, eczema, or those looking for a baby-friendly softener will need to take extra care. The best way to do this is to check if the product claims to be hypoallergenic or formulated to minimise irritations and allergies. Be wary of the term “dermatologically tested”, as this simply means a doctor specialising in the skin has reviewed it, and not that it has passed any particular tests.
Whilst those with very sensitive skin are probably used to trying out a few different products before they find one that does not agitate them, opting for hypoallergenic softeners is a good way to get started.
For those with sensitive skin, check out our best laundry detergents for sensitive skin!
Compare the Best Fabric Softeners
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
- Ecover - Fabric Softener for £10.00
- Comfort Pure - White Fabric Softener for £6.00
- Method - Ocean Violet Fabric Softener for £3.33
- Presto! Amazon Brand - White Fabric Softener for £11.77
- Comfort Creations - Fabric Conditioner for £1.95
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of fabric softeners available and understand how our ranking was determined.
| Image | 1  Ecover | 2  Comfort Pure | 3  Method | 4  Presto! Amazon Brand | 5  Comfort Creations | 6  Ecover | 7  Downy | 8  Attitude Little Ones | 9  Bio-D | 10  Lenor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Fabric Softener | White Fabric Softener | Ocean Violet Fabric Softener | White Fabric Softener | Honeysuckle & Sandalwood Fabric Conditioner | Zero Non Bio Sensitive Fabric Softener | Ultra Liquid Fabric Conditioner | Fragrance-Free Fabric Softener | Fragrance-Free Fabric Conditioner | Perfume Fabric Conditioner |
| Features | Ecover Fabric Softener Refill Apple Blossom & Almond | A Gentle, Hypoallergenic Softener With the Classic Scent of Fresh Laundry | Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Eco-Friendly and All Natural | Affordable Multi-Pack of Gentle Softener Suitable for Both Those With Sensitive Skin and Babies | Exotic, Strong-Smelling Softener That Reduces Static and Wrinkles | Free From Fragrance, Colours and Parabens and Suitable for Sensitive Skins | Concentrated Softener to Combat Stretching, Fading, Fuzz, and Static | Hypoallergenic, Fragrance-Free Softener for Sensitive Skins, Skin Conditions and Babies | An All-Natural Product Made From Biodegradable, Sustainable Materials | A Rich and Sweet-Smelling Softener With Hints of Passionfruit and Amber |
| Price | £10.00 | £6.00 | £3.33 | £11.77 | £1.95 | £2.66 | £9.92 | £9.07 | £8.08 | £38.95 |
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural | Chemical | Natural | Chemical | Chemical | Natural | Chemical | Natural | Natural | Chemical |
| Hypoallergenic | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Number of Washes | 100 | 166 | 45 | 360 | 198 | 50 | - | 40 | 110 | 240 |
| Price per Load | 9p | 6p | 10p | 2p | 6p | 12p | - | 19p | 14p | 13p |
| Fragrance | Apple, almond blossom | Cotton | Ocean violet | Cotton, white flowers | Honeysuckle, sandalwood, vanilla | Fragrance-free | April fresh | Fragrance-free | Fragrance-free | Passion fruit, amber |
| Link |
10 Fabric Softeners in the UK
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
1
Ecover Fabric Softener
Apple Blossom
£10.00
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
| Number of Washes | 100 |
| Price per Load | 9p |
| Fragrance | Apple, almond blossom |
2
Comfort Pure White Fabric Softener
£6.00
| Natural or Chemical Based | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
| Number of Washes | 166 |
| Price per Load | 6p |
| Fragrance | Cotton |
3
MethodOcean Violet Fabric Softener
£3.33
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Number of Washes | 45 |
| Price per Load | 10p |
| Fragrance | Ocean violet |
4
Presto! Amazon Brand White Fabric Softener
£11.77
| Natural or Chemical Based | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Number of Washes | 360 |
| Price per Load | 2p |
| Fragrance | Cotton, white flowers |
5
Comfort CreationsHoneysuckle & Sandalwood Fabric Conditioner
£1.95
| Natural or Chemical Based | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Number of Washes | 198 |
| Price per Load | 6p |
| Fragrance | Honeysuckle, sandalwood, vanilla |
6
EcoverZero Non Bio Sensitive Fabric Softener
£2.66
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
| Number of Washes | 50 |
| Price per Load | 12p |
| Fragrance | Fragrance-free |
7
DownyUltra Liquid Fabric Conditioner
£9.92
| Natural or Chemical Based | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Number of Washes | - |
| Price per Load | - |
| Fragrance | April fresh |
8
Attitude Little Ones Fragrance-Free Fabric Softener
£9.07
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
| Number of Washes | 40 |
| Price per Load | 19p |
| Fragrance | Fragrance-free |
9
Bio-D Fragrance-Free Fabric Conditioner
£8.08
| Natural or Chemical Based | Natural |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
| Number of Washes | 110 |
| Price per Load | 14p |
| Fragrance | Fragrance-free |
10
Lenor Perfume Fabric Conditioner
Kiss Parfum Des Secrets
£38.95
| Natural or Chemical Based | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Number of Washes | 240 |
| Price per Load | 13p |
| Fragrance | Passion fruit, amber |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Does Fabric Softener Go?
Place your fabric softener in the smallest compartment of your washing machine's detergent drawer. It can be identified by a star or a flower. Simply measure the amount you want to use on the cap and pour it into the compartment once you've loaded your clothes and before selecting a wash program.
What Is the Symbol for Fabric Softener?
The symbol for fabric softener in your detergent drawer may differ from one machine to another, but it is usually an asterisk, a star, or a flower.
Is Fabric Softener the Same as Fabric Conditioner?
Yes, both of these are simply different ways of naming fabric conditioners as it does both - softens and conditions your garments. So, you can use both these terms interchangeably.
Additional Links
Written and researched by Natasha Dziubajlo
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