Can Laundry Softener Really Save The Day If Your Washing Machine Is Full Of Suds?

While laundry softener is typically used to keep your clothes soft and smelling good, it's also the talk of the town when it comes to its potential sud-zapping capabilities — but is there even any truth behind this glorified online claim? Well, as it turns out, the answer is yes; laundry softener can indeed save the day if your washing machine is bubbling full of suds, and it's backed by both expert and anecdotal claims of success. Although it may seem like an odd thing to add to the mix when you're dealing with a sudsy-soup, it actually does a surprisingly good job at breaking down those bubbles and getting your appliance back to its former glory. After all, any excess suds can negatively impact both your machine and your clothes by clogging up the system and not allowing dirt and grime to drain properly.

If you're struggling to keep your rowdy washing machine under control, this just might be your golden ticket out of your foamy nightmares. Of course, this trick will save you plenty of time and money you may have otherwise spent trying to figure out your mess, making this solution a complete no-brainer. All it takes is one simple addition to your wash cycle and the problem will be fixed almost instantly. 

The reason laundry softener works so well to reduce that annoying frothiness is that it prevents the detergent from working properly on a chemical level, thus reducing how many suds are in your washing machine, as it will no longer be able to "bubble up," so to speak (via Yeser Chemicals). It's for this reason that we separate them during a wash cycle, otherwise neither of the products would work at their peak performance. While inefficient laundry detergent isn't usually desirable, it's precisely what you want in an excessively sudsy situation, and as a result of using it, you should find that the amount of bubbles in your washing machine significantly reduces.

In addition to fabric softener, there is also some anecdotal advice from users online that recommends using vinegar to achieve the same results. However, there is little scientific evidence to back up this claim. If you do want to try it out for yourself, your best bet would be to start with a little and work your way up. All you'd need to do is use it in the same way as you would use your softener, which we will explain below.

In order to use this trick for yourself, you'll need to combine some fabric softener and water — about a capful of softener and a gallon of water. However, you can also test how it works using just a softener if you wish, as many people on TikTok have seen success with this method and have been able to remove their foamy mess from their appliances. Whichever approach you choose, just add it into your washing machine detergent drawer during the wash cycle. If the suds don't seem to be disappearing, you can always try adding a touch more softener to see if it makes a more substantial impact. Slowly, you should begin to see the amount of suds decreasing — which is exactly what you want.

To avoid this laundry room dilemma from occurring again in the future, you should ensure that you try to use less detergent, which can easily build up over the long term with continued excess use. The same message rings true for fabric softener, which, although it may not cause suds, can build up and have a negative impact. Instead, it's best to make sure you're using the appropriate amount for each wash cycle; this way, you'll be able to ward off any laundry mistakes you'd have to correct later.