Comparison of Rinse Cycle Softener & Dryer Sheet Softener

Cost

• On a per load basis, dryer sheets are generally more expensive than liquid fabric softener. In addition, liquid softener can be used in smaller amounts for smaller loads or even watered down some to make it last longer if absolutely necessary. The same cannot be done with sheets to eke out a few more loads.

Softness

• Liquid fabric softener surpasses fabric softener sheets in making clothes soft. The liquid is better able to penetrate the fabric and coat the fibers, making the garment feel much softer. Dryer sheets, however, still improve softness and are a better option than no fabric softener at all.

Static

• Both rinse cycle, or liquid, fabric softener and dryer sheet fabric softener reduce static. Compared to each other, liquid fabric softener does a better job of reducing static because, as with increasing softness, the liquid actually penetrates the fabric rather than coating it.

Convenience

• Dryer sheets are generally more convenient and less messy than liquid fabric softener, especially if the washer does not automatically dispense the liquid softener. Without an automatic dispenser, you should time the addition of the liquid softener exactly. Even with an automatic dispenser, the liquid must be measured and poured without spilling or dripping. Simply throwing a dryer sheet into the dryer with the clothes is easier.

Environment

• Neither option is truly environmentally friendly, but rinse cycle fabric softener is less hazardous than dryer sheets. Both contain chloroform, ethanol, limonene and other chemicals that are hazardous to humans and the environment. The chemicals in liquid fabric softener stay in the water and the clothes, however, while chemicals in dryer sheets are released into the air as the sheets are heated in the dryer.