Getting clean, fresh-smelling laundry with every cycle involves using the best washing machines and clothes dryers, hard-working detergents and effective stain removers. Extra laundry additives, like fabric softeners, are the icing on the cake as they condition and leave clean clothing and household items smooth, soft and static-free. While they may not be essential in every cycle, there are times when adding a dose of liquid softener or tossing in a dryer sheet is just what your load needs. In the Good Housekeeping Home Care & Cleaning Lab, we're laundry experts, testing both the appliances and the products you use with them to get clothing stain-free and smelling fresh. For fabric softeners, both sheets and liquids, we assess not only how much softness they impart to our test towels, but also if they build up over time, reduce absorbency or discolor fabrics in any way. We evaluate how well they reduce static cling, impart a lasting scent and more. Based on our testing, these are the top liquid and dryer sheet fabric softeners we recommend.