Do you still need fabric softener with laundry strips?

3 minuten read time

Heb je nog wasverzachter nodig bij wasstrips?

Author: Erika Candelario

No, in most cases you don't need fabric softener with laundry strips. Good laundry strips, like those from POWR, already contain softening enzymes that smooth your fibres and keep your laundry soft and fresh. A separate bottle is therefore unnecessary.

Why laundry strips already soften your laundry

Many laundry strips, including those from POWR, contain an enzyme such as cellulase. That enzyme smooths the tiny, protruding fibres on your textiles during washing. The result: clothes that feel softer, without you having to do anything extra.

That softening effect works just as well for towels and bedding as for your everyday clothes. Your whole laundry basket benefits, from your favourite T-shirt to your duvet cover.

When can you still add fabric softener?

Do you like an extra strong scent or just that little bit more softness? Then you can still add a small amount of fabric softener. It doesn't add much, though: tests by Testaankoop show that the scent of 70% of fabric softeners has already faded within ten days.

For baby clothes or sensitive skin, it's better to avoid conventional fabric softener. The chemical ingredients and fragrances can trigger skin irritation or allergic reactions. Best not to risk it.

Choosing fabric softener anyway? Then pour it into the compartment of your washing machine intended for it. Never add it together with the laundry strip: the strip belongs in the drum or the detergent compartment, while the softener is only released during the rinse cycle.

What's in a laundry strip that takes over the role of fabric softener?

Did you know?

A laundry strip is an ultra-concentrated sheet of detergent that dissolves completely in the water. The enzymes work directly on the fibres during the wash and then simply rinse away, without leaving a film behind.

Conventional fabric softener does exactly the opposite: it clings to your fibres as a thin greasy film. That film feels soft, but it builds up wash after wash in your clothes and in your washing machine.

For towels, that film is even a problem. According to the Dutch Consumentenbond, fabric softener can reduce the absorbency of textiles by as much as 30%. Soft towels that no longer dry properly are of little use.

Plastic-free washing without extra products

The POWR laundry strips are developed as a complete solution: detergent and softening in one strip. You no longer need a separate bottle of fabric softener, which saves plastic, weight and space in your laundry room.

One compact box replaces heavy bottles that are mostly water. Handy, right?

Ready to experience it yourself? Discover the POWR laundry strips and make every wash a small step towards plastic-free washing.

Discover the POWR laundry strips →

FAQ

Nee, in de meeste gevallen niet. Wasstrips zoals die van POWR bevatten al verzachtende enzymen die je vezels gladstrijken tijdens het wassen. Je was komt dus zacht en fris uit de machine, zonder aparte fles wasverzachter.
Ja. Veel wasstrips bevatten een enzym zoals cellulase dat de kleine vezeltjes op je textiel gladstrijkt. Zo voelt je kleding zachter aan, en dat werkt net zo goed voor handdoeken en beddengoed als voor je dagelijkse was.
Dat kan, maar het is zelden nodig. Wil je toch extra geur of zachtheid, giet dan een kleine hoeveelheid wasverzachter in het daarvoor bestemde vakje van je wasmachine, nooit samen met de wasstrip. Voor babykleding of een gevoelige huid vermijd je klassieke wasverzachter beter vanwege de chemische ingrediënten.
Ja, voor handdoeken is wasverzachter geen goed idee. Het laagje dat op de vezels achterblijft kan het absorberend vermogen met wel 30% verminderen. Je handdoeken voelen dan zacht aan, maar drogen minder goed. Met wasstrips speelt dat probleem niet, omdat ze volledig oplossen en geen laagje achterlaten.
Wasstrips hebben weinig nadelen, maar bij hardnekkige vlekken werkt een korte voorbehandeling het best. Leg de strip ook onder of tussen je was, zo lost hij gegarandeerd volledig op. Verder was je er net zo schoon mee, maar dan plasticvrij en zonder extra producten.

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