they feel so 'chemical-y' and their texture goes from soft to uncomfy idfk?
It's the reverse for me. New clothes feel uncomfortable, sometimes. Then, the more I wear it, they keep getting comfortable.
Maybe, look up tye ingredients of your detergent? Also, consider using treated-soft water for washing clothes. Hard water (water with minerals) can damage the fabric.
Natural fibers trend to get softer and thus more comfortable. I'm not sure this is true of synthetics. What kind of materials are your clothes, OP?
- Use like half the recommend amount of laundry detergent. Unless your clothes are filthy, it's plenty, it'll save you money, and it's better for the environment.
- Add 1/4 cup white vinegar as if it were liquid fabric softener (the food grade stuff, not the house cleaning stuff). This aids the detergent and acts as a mild fabric softener. It rinces completely in the wash and doesn't leave an odor.
- Use dryer balls - 2 ot 3 balls of felted wool about the size of a tennis ball - in place of dryer sheets. They do almost as well at killing static and softening clothes without the chemical residue.
And, finally...
- Wash your clothes less often. Generally speaking, unless they're visibly dirty or smell, they don't need to be washed. This doesn't apply to socks or undergarments - those should typically be washed, or at least rinced out, with every wear.
Edit: clarification, with thanks to antimidas who pointed it out!
Skill issue. My clothes get comfier and comfier as they go through the wash
New clothes have a machining oil residue from the manufacturing process. This gets cleaned off when you wash them. But when you first wear them you're well oiled!
Most of my home wear clothes are years old with a couple of holes in them but they are very cosy.
I use white vinegar as a pretty low impact, residue free softening agent which also cleans the washing machine at the same time.
Do you have fairly hard water at home? That can make clothes stiffer.
Powders and detergent can leave a bit on at the end of a cycle, so if you have sensitive skin that can make everything feel scratchier