I have ZERO issues with downy, mixed about 5:1, in my sammy FL. what is YOUR issue with liquid softeners??

@ mapletex, I also don't like using liquid FS in my machine. After my last bottle of Downy Free & Sensitive ran out a couple of months ago, I have not bothered to replace it and have gone without. I've cut my detergent usage dramatically and my clothes are soft out of the dryer without needing FS.

Doesn't Downy make a crystal type of product? I swear I thought I saw something at the store the other day. If so, you may want to give that a try.

You might try looking in some grocery or drug stores for the Purex with softener. Since most people seem to buy that type item at either Wal Mart or Target.

From what I was told when I called Purex, they couldn't market it as a fabric softener. The old formula was just sucrose and bentonite and was made in Mexico. The new formula removed sucrose, and replaced it with various silica compositions. I was also disappointed with this move. You can compare both old/new formula ingredients at this link: http://www.purex.com/products/softeners/purex-complete-crystals then click the link under the "buy now online" button titled "+ Fragrances, Sizes & Ingredients".

Popular Science magazine credits the sucrose as the reason why the bentonite in Purex Crystals was able to soften:

"Purex's fabric softener is the only one you can toss in with soap at the start. Detergent washes oil-based softeners away as if they were dirt, but these sucrose-based crystals soak into fabrics and stick." http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/gallery/2011-02/goods-march-2011?image=9

The Downy Unstopables, the other in-drum toss in, are just fragrance enhancers, and have no fabric softeners. These are most useful for things you can't launder too frequently and want to smell nice for a long time, or for towels.

The reason why I liked the original Purex Crystals so much was that my GE Front Loader never emptied the liquid fabric softener compartment completely, leaving over half of the solution in the tray. However, my new LG FL empties it completely, with the exception of thick, "natural", fabric softener liquids, such as Vaska, in which small trace amounts are clinging to the side of the FS compartment.

I am going to try Dropps fabric softeners. Amazon link: http://amzn.com/B0070TVXBY, they are just bentonite, colorant, and natural fragrance oils.

at least the sammy I have empties every compartment. :) I'm not totally happy with the unit, but that's one thing I can't complain about.

dave1812: I have tried multiple liquid fabric softeners, diluted of course, in my Frigidaire FL, and found they left spots on the clothes. Also, the dispenser doesn't empty totally.

Isn't sucrose sugar?