they feel so 'chemical-y' and their texture goes from soft to uncomfy idfk?

  • nutbutter@discuss.tchncs.de
    ·
    1 year ago

    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.

    • blackbrook@mander.xyz
      ·
      1 year ago

      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?

  • s20@lemmy.ml
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago
    • 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!

  • Wisp [fae/faer, any]
    ·
    1 year ago

    Skill issue. My clothes get comfier and comfier as they go through the wash

  • Antimutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    ·
    1 year ago

    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!

  • p000l@lemmy.sdf.org
    ·
    1 year ago

    Most of my home wear clothes are years old with a couple of holes in them but they are very cosy.

  • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.uk
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I use white vinegar as a pretty low impact, residue free softening agent which also cleans the washing machine at the same time.

  • keepcarrot [she/her]
    ·
    1 year ago

    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