The short answer: We advise against using fabric softener with cotton bedding – especially with Flannel and Melange Flannel. How significant the disadvantage is, however, depends on the fabric: With Mako Sateen, it is mainly a matter of appearance; with TENCEL, moisture regulation; and with brushed qualities, the fluff itself. The overview below shows it quality by quality.
Using fabric softener is routine for many households: detergent in one compartment, fabric softener in the other. But it is worth taking a second look at towels and bedding. Because fabric softener on bedding creates a short-term soft feel – but you pay for it with exactly the properties that make for a good night's sleep: absorbency, breathability, and, with fluffy qualities, the volume of the fibers. In this post, we explain objectively what happens during the wash cycle, when fabric softener is really problematic, and what reliably makes laundry soft instead.
What fabric softener actually does to the fabric
Fabric softener contains cationic surfactants – substances that lay on the cotton fiber like a fine layer of grease. This film smooths the protruding fiber ends and ensures that the fabric feels supple immediately after drying. It does not have a cleaning effect; it is a coating, not a treatment of the fiber itself.
This very film is the problem. Cotton is so comfortable in bed precisely because it absorbs and releases moisture – an adult loses several hundred milliliters of fluid through the skin and breathing every night. A hydrophobic layer slows down this exchange. The bedding absorbs sweat more slowly, feels clammy more quickly, and dries less effectively between nights. If you are already prone to night sweats, you lose the material's actual strength here. Find out more in our post on the right bedroom climate.
In addition: The residues build up over many washes. They trap odors instead of releasing them, and over time promote a musty basic smell that can hardly be removed with normal washing.
Why we particularly advise against it for Flannel and Melange Flannel
With voluminous qualities, the disadvantage is even greater. Our Flannel bedding owes its appeal to its brushed surface: 160 g/m², densely woven and brushed, so that thousands of fine fiber ends form a warming layer of air. Fabric softener lays exactly these fiber ends flat. The fluff decreases, the insulating layer of air becomes thinner – the bedding warms noticeably less. The same applies to our Melange Flannel, which also draws its special softness from the volume of the fiber and not from a coating. If you want to judge the difference yourself, it is best to take a set that is soft without any additives: our biberna Melange Flannel Bedding (Art. 0840500) made from 100% cotton, fully finished in Germany, from €49.95.
With TENCEL, the situation is similar: The fiber impresses precisely with its high moisture absorption, which deprives bacteria and mites of their means of survival. If it is coated, it loses exactly this advantage. And with Mako Sateen, there is no need for fabric softener: The combed cotton in sateen weave is naturally smooth and cool – a film on it makes the surface dull rather than supple.
Fabric softener by quality: the overview
Not all bedding reacts the same. This table summarizes what fabric softener does to the common qualities – and what makes them soft instead.
| Quality |
What fabric softener does |
Our recommendation |
What helps instead |
| Flannel & Fine Flannel |
Lays the brushed fiber ends flat, the warming layer of air becomes thinner |
Avoid consistently |
Dryer on gentle cycle, shake out vigorously |
| Melange Flannel |
Takes the volume from the fluff – exactly what the quality stands for |
Avoid consistently |
Dryer, otherwise shake out after spinning |
| Mako Sateen |
The film makes the smooth sateen surface dull instead of supple |
Not necessary |
Iron slightly damp, then the sateen shines again |
| Renforcé |
Slows down moisture absorption, laundry feels clammy |
Better avoid |
Correct detergent dosage according to water hardness |
| TENCEL |
Coats the fiber and cancels the moisture regulation |
Avoid consistently |
Wash cycle at 40 °C, let laundry dry loosely |
| Microfiber |
Little effect, as the fiber hardly absorbs moisture |
Unnecessary |
Low spin speed, remove laundry early |
When fabric softener is additionally critical
For allergy sufferers as well as for sensitive or neurodermatitis-prone skin, another point comes into play: Fabric softener is heavily perfumed, and the fragrances deliberately remain on the fabric. With eight hours of skin contact per night, this is a relevant burden. Those who react sensitively will fare much better with a fragrance-free all-purpose detergent and no fabric softener at all – see also our guide on Bedding for allergy sufferers and our Allergy sufferer bedding.
What really makes it soft instead
The good news: Soft bedding is achieved without additives – through the right washing technique.
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Do not overdose, but dose correctly. Too little detergent in hard water leaves lime in the fiber – this is the most common cause of harsh laundry. Follow the water hardness and load.
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Do not overfill the machine. The laundry needs space to move. Rule of thumb: one hand's breadth between the laundry and the drum cover.
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High spin cycle plus vigorous shaking out. Shaking it out vigorously once before drying loosens the fabric significantly.
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Use a dryer where it is allowed. For Flannel, Melange Flannel, and terry cloth, the dryer is the best softener of all – the mechanical movement stands the fiber ends up again. Details on this in the post Drying bedding: Dryer or clothesline?.
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A dash of household vinegar instead of fabric softener. Poured into the fabric softener compartment, it neutralizes detergent residues and lime without leaving a film. Use sparingly and be cautious with machines with sensitive seals.
And generally speaking: Good bedding gets softer with every wash because the cotton fiber adapts. This is a quality feature, not a defect – read more in our Bedding overview and the guide Washing and caring for bedding correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fabric softener at least occasionally?
Occasionally it does not cause lasting damage because the residues are washed out again with the next washes. However, regular use accumulates the effect – for Flannel and Melange Flannel, we recommend consistently avoiding it.
My bedding feels harsh after washing – what is the reason?
Mostly lime and detergent residues in the fiber, not a lack of fabric softener. Check the dosage according to the water hardness, load the machine less full, and shake out the laundry vigorously before drying.
Are there materials for which fabric softener is not problematic?
With pure synthetic fibers, the disadvantage is smaller because they hardly absorb moisture anyway. It is not necessary there either – and with all natural fibers, the disadvantages clearly outweigh the benefits.
Will I get the fluff back if I have used fabric softener for years?
In many cases, yes. Wash the bedding two to three times without fabric softener, add some household vinegar to the fabric softener compartment, and then dry it in the dryer. The residues will dissolve, and the fiber ends will stand up again.
