New report finds some fabric softeners are no better than water

The feeling of clean towels and clothing after getting tossed in the washing machine with fabric softener is a luxury like no other.

However, a new performance review has discovered some popular commercial products perform no better than water or Epsom salts.

Australian consumer watchdog CHOICE has put the brands to the test and have some uncovered some interesting facts.

Of the 25 fabric softeners tested, Cuddly Concentrate Sensitive Hypoallergenic performed no better than water after receiving the lowest score at 42 per cent.

Coles Fabric Conditioner Concentrate and Cuddly Concentrate Aromatherapy were barely better than a home recipe that included salts.

Fluffy’s Concentrate, Concentrate Divine Blends and Cuddly Concentrate Antibacterial also performed at the same level as a home recipe.

The highest performing product was Soften Concentrated Fabric Softener which scored 79 per cent.

However, despite the high score the softener is not suitable for “use on children's sleepwear or other garments labelled as flame resistant, as they may reduce flame resistance”.

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CHOICE content producer Ashley Iredale explained the group tested fabric softeners for softness and absorption performance.

“You can tell from our results the softer the product, the less it will absorb,” he said.

“Those softeners that claim to be ‘sensitive’ tend to reduce the amount of dye and fragrance, but they've still got chemicals in them that can cause irritation to some people.”

“Most worryingly, fabric softeners also carry a warning not to use them on children's sleepwear or other flame-resistant fabrics, as they can reduce that flame resistance.”

“Despite this, smiling happy babies feature heavily in fabric softener packaging and promotion.”

Scroll through the gallery above to see the individual product reviews.

To find your home essentials, including towels, head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings.