Today’s dual product reviews are from the same company, Mountain Green.  As an expansion of both last Thursday’s review of the eco-friendly Laundry Dropps and Tuesday’s tip about conventional versus eco-friendly dryer sheets, we felt it only appropriate to review fabric softener.  Mountain Green is a supplier of both liquid fabric softeners and fabric softening dryer sheets.

Mountain Green dryer sheets and fabric softeners remove static cling naturally, contain no Tallow or other animal products, help your towels maintain absorbency, are hypoallergenic and perfect for sensitive skin, biodegradable and non-toxic, never tested on animals, and the unique wet cloths helps softener absorb more evenly.  Mountain Green also maintains that:

"All Mountain Green products are skin sensitive and are compatible with HE washing machines. Also, Mountain Green products are free of harsh chemicals, phosphates, phosphorous, enzymes, PEG, polycarboxylates, benzene, cocamide DEA, chlorine, SLS parabens and artificial dyes." (See below for complete breakdown of product ingredients.)

In our testing we used the Free & Clear Liquid Fabric Softener and the Free & Clear Fabric Softening Dryer Sheets.  To test these two products we, again, washed multiple loads of laundry in order to compare results.  One load was treated with the liquid fabric softener during the rinse cycle and one load was treated using the dryer sheets.

Free & Clear Liquid Fabric Softener

This all natural fabric softener is great for those with sensitive skin since it is free of scents and harmful chemicals.  It is fairly easy to use, but it is important to watch the clock.  The directions say to add ½ of a capful to a full load of laundry during the rinse cycle; this does mean you have to go back and add it mid-cycle, unless you have a fancy washer or device that will dispense the fabric softener for you.

Unlike many conventional liquid fabric softeners that can leave clothes feeling oily, Mountain Green’s liquid fabric softener leaves your clothes soft and smooth without the oil.  The fabric softener is made of recycled and biodegradable materials without oil or animal testing.  Packaged in a recyclable number 2 plastic jug, this product is easy to use and recycle.  However, the company has taken its packaging one step further.  You only need to buy the jug once: after you have used all the fabric softener don’t throw the jug away.  Mountain Green sells "refill" pouches of the softener in 20 oz pouches that require 85% less energy to create than another bottle!

Free & Clear Fabric Softening Dryer Sheets

Perhaps easier to use than the liquid fabric softener is the Free & Clear Fabric Softening Dryer Sheets. They are a one step deal: pull one out of the container, throw it in the dryer with your clothes, turn the dryer on, and walk away.  With the dryer sheets there is no need to return mid-cycle to add anything.

While most conventional dryer sheets get the job done of removing static and leaving your clothes soft, many deposit a slick, oily residue on clothing that can cause skin irritations or just be bothersome.  With the Mountain Green Dryer Sheets that is not the case. Since no oils are added to the sheets to begin with, you don’t end up with oils on your clothes.  The dryer sheets are packaged in a number two plastic recyclable canister.  Unfortunately, Mountain Green does not have refills for the dryer sheets.  However, since the dryer sheets are made of a woven, micro-fiber cloth, they do not disintegrate after a tumble through the dryer and make great dusting cloths.

Both the liquid fabric softener and the dryer sheets come in Free & Clear and Lavender scents; however the Baby dryer sheets and fabric softener only come in Free & Clear.

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