Overview. Tide Plus a Touch of Downy Liquid Laundry Detergent offers the brilliant clean you know and love. Cozy up to a fresher clean**** with added scent pearls that leave behind a long-lasting, comforting scent. Tide Plus a Touch of Downy is available in two formulas for use in regular and HE washing machines.

Tide with Downy comes with a Downy softener, in addition to the detergent, stain remover, and a color protector. The Fabric Protect technology takes gentle care of your clothes.

Tide + Downy liquid detergent offers Tide's powerful cleaning and freshness plus the color protection of Downy. Loaded with softening ingredients that add a smooth layer of comfort to the fibers in your fabrics. Works in laundry loads for both HE and non-HE washing machines.

Fabric Conditioner is Downy's version of fabric softener. If you've ever picked up a bottle of Downy, you might have noticed that it's called Fabric Conditioner, not fabric softener.

While fabric softener can lend to a soft, wrinkle-free finish, ongoing usage may negatively impact the feel of your fabrics over time. “They can potentially alter the state of the garment, making it less fluffy and more flat,” notes Balanzat.

Fabric Conditioner is Downy's version of fabric softener. It's pretty much the exact same thing with different branding. According to their website, Downy's Fabric Conditioner keeps clothes soft and fresh but also keeps colors from fading and reduces fuzz.

Don't (Always) Use Fabric Softener When You Wash Your Towels

• Avoid Using Fabric Softeners on Certain Fabrics.
• Skip the Fabric Softener on Baby Items.
• Don't Pour Fabric Softener Directly on Your Clothes.
• Don't Use Fabric Softener at All if You Prefer Something More Natural.

The water level rises. The softener begins to dissolve and distribute in the rinse water Ultra downy softeners infuse your fabrics with softness. So they feel smooth to the touch.

To put it simply, fabric softener isn't a cleaning solution and must be paired with detergent to get your fabrics properly washed. Fabric softener will leave your clothes feeling and smelling just right, but that doesn't mean that it removes dirt and grime.

It's Not Ideal for Moisture-Wicking Fabrics Fabric softener shouldn't be used on towels, sportswear, athleisure apparel, or other garments known for wicking moisture. “The fabric softener can break down the fibers in these materials,” warns Laurie Fulford, a laundry expert with SudShare.

“Overuse of fabric softeners over time starts to build a film and deposits [that] start to slow down drain time. It can actually start to fill the drain lines and then you get other dirt, debris, grime and things from the clothes that we pick up from the environment [that] start to cling even more,” Copeland explains.

The most worrisome preservatives in fabric softeners include the potent skin allergen methylisothiazolinone, and glutaral, known to trigger asthma and skin allergies. Glutaral, or glutaraldehyde, is also toxic to marine life. Among artificial colors, D&C violet 2 has been linked to cancer.