Why you should not use fabric softener on bamboo clothing

Short answer: Fabric softener leaves a thin film of softening agents on the fibres. The film makes fabric soft to the touch but poor at moving moisture, and moisture transport is the whole reason bamboo viscose works so well against the skin.

The film blocks the fibre

The softening agents settle on the outside of the fibre and stop moisture getting in. Without that access, the fabric cannot move sweat away from the skin, and it feels clammy instead of dry. The film builds up a little with each wash. Read more under washing and care.

It affects everything

The effect is the same in underwear, socks, towels and bed linen. Towels lose their absorbency and push water around instead of taking it up. Socks lose their odour advantage because moisture stays put. It is not one type of clothing that suffers, but everything washed with softener. See bamboo towels.

Bamboo is already soft

Fabric softener is used to soften stiff fabric. Bamboo viscose is soft from the start, so there is nothing to gain, only properties to lose. If the fabric feels a little stiff after line drying, give it a good shake before you hang it up. See bamboo underwear for women.

Odour that sticks

The softener film also traps odour. That is why clothes washed with softener can start to smell soon after you put them on. Sweat cannot leave the fibre again, and the odour stays wash after wash. Without softener, odour releases more easily into the water.

If you have already used it

Two to three washes without softener remove most of the film, and the effect comes back. Wash at your normal temperature with an ordinary detergent in the right dose. You do not need to do anything special, just leave the softener out. After a few rounds the fabric absorbs again.

Check your machine

Many machines have a drawer where old softener sits. Empty and rinse it so no residue ends up in the wash. Running an empty hot wash now and then also removes residue from the drum and door seal. That helps both your bamboo clothing and the rest of the laundry.

The alternative for static

If static is the reason you use softener, a humidifier is a better solution. Static mostly builds up in dry winter air. Tumble drying on high heat makes it worse, so air drying helps. Bed linen crackles less when the bedroom air is less dry. See bamboo bed linen.

Vinegar is not needed

Some people put vinegar in the softener drawer as an alternative. That is not necessary for bamboo viscose, and over time it can wear on the rubber parts of the machine. A regular detergent in the right amount, plus an extra rinse if you have sensitive skin, is usually all it takes.

Scent without softener

If you miss the scent, a sachet in the wardrobe can give clothes a fresh smell without touching the fibres. The most important thing for a fresh smell, though, is that clothes are completely dry before being put away and that the machine is clean. Then they smell of nothing.