Why was fabric softener invented?
Fabric softeners were invented when the detergent industry moved away from using “soap” and started using synthetic detergents, AKA surfactants, as the cleaning, foaming and emulsifying ingredients in laundry detergents. True soap forms familar soap-scum in hard water. A little of this was always left on clothes washed with soap and gave clothes just a touch of softness and flexibility (lubricity) but also could build-up over time causing dinginess. Surfactants generally rinse out of clothes very well and do not leave much of a residue. They left the clothes so clean that they felt harsh and stiff. Thus the need for fabric softeners. Fabric softeners also bring in another benefit – static reduction – which became very important as synthetic fibers and clothes driers began to be used more widely.
