Downey April Fresh? Not anymore!

[DisMN]

An update to the Downy dilemma. LOL

I started using the Target brand Up and Up fresh linen scent fabric softener and have been thrilled at how close it is to the old Downy.

HOWEVER......in the last month or so Target has changed their scent to mimic the new nasty Downy stink! Unreal!!!

Same label on the bottle of course so no indication that the scent has changed but it's now very chemically cat pee smelly. I hope I can find another substitute. This is frustrating.

 

[Mermaid02]

Funny- I just noticed this week! I smell all my detergent and fabric softener before I put it in my cart and the Downy was NASTY! I felt like a piece of my childhood was dead!

 

[Halbleib1]

An update to the Downy dilemma. LOL

I started using the Target brand Up and Up fresh linen scent fabric softener and have been thrilled at how close it is to the old Downy.

HOWEVER......in the last month or so Target has changed their scent to mimic the new nasty Downy stink! Unreal!!!

Same label on the bottle of course so no indication that the scent has changed but it's now very chemically cat pee smelly. I hope I can find another substitute. This is frustrating.

Probably because it is Downy just packaged under a generic name. Generics are generally made by the same brand name companys but just in different packaging. One example of this is Great Value bread at Walmart- it is Stroehmann bread made exactly the same it even goes down the same exact line. As it gets to the end of the line it is packaged in a different bag is all. Most brand name products you are just paying for the name. This is true with clothes as well. They just sew a different label on but otherwise it is the same exact item. My mother in law use to work in a garment factory as well as a sneaker factory. They made clothes for JC Penny, Sears, Kmart etc. they were the same exact garment, made exactly the same. Generics are cheaper because they do not use fancy packaging nor do they have the big advertising costs like brand name products have.

 

[DisMN]

Probably because it is Downy just packaged under a generic name. Generics are generally made by the same brand name companys but just in different packaging. One example of this is Great Value bread at Walmart- it is Stroehmann bread made exactly the same it even goes down the same exact line. As it gets to the end of the line it is packaged in a different bag is all. Most brand name products you are just paying for the name. This is true with clothes as well. They just sew a different label on but otherwise it is the same exact item. My mother in law use to work in a garment factory as well as a sneaker factory. They made clothes for JC Penny, Sears, Kmart etc. they were the same exact garment, made exactly the same. Generics are cheaper because they do not use fancy packaging nor do they have the big advertising costs like brand name products have.

Interesting you should mention this because that's the first thing I thought when I smelled the *new* Up and Up but get this, the label actually says:

"This product is not manufactured or distributed by Proctor and Gamble, owner of registered trademark Downy."

But it sure smells almost exactly like the new icky Downy. I wonder if they still could be the manufacturer in some way, even though they claim not to be.

 

[ceecee]

I quit using softener, I use vinegar with my sheets and towels. I don't like any scent on my clothes.

 

[Suz D]

I bought some last summer at Sam's and it smelled awful. I saw that the bottle said "New and Improved". I went back to Sam's and found two bottles that didn't say "New and Improved" and bought both of them, only to get them home and find out that they had already stopped labeling the bottles "New and Improved" and the two bottles that I bought were the New and Unimproved also! Stink!!

I have found that if I use less it doesn't smell as bad and still does the job. I use about 1/2 the amount that I used of the old stuff. The positive is that it's more economical because I use less, but the negative is that it still doesn't smell "right". Why do they "fix" things that aren't broken?

 

[figment52]

An update to the Downy dilemma. LOL

I started using the Target brand Up and Up fresh linen scent fabric softener and have been thrilled at how close it is to the old Downy.

HOWEVER......in the last month or so Target has changed their scent to mimic the new nasty Downy stink! Unreal!!!

Same label on the bottle of course so no indication that the scent has changed but it's now very chemically cat pee smelly. I hope I can find another substitute. This is frustrating.

Try using vinegar. I use 1/4 c of white vinegar per load. There is no lingering smell on the fabric and it controls static just like the fabric softeners did.

 

[DaBoo]

Thought the same thing. I called them and they sent me a coupon for a free any size bottle of Downey Fabric Softner. I just used it to get the purple bottle. I miss the original April Fresh. "If it aint broke dont fix it". I hate it when I find a product I really like and they go and "new and improved" it.

 

[TheRatPack]

Maybe that's what is wrong with my clothes lately. I coudn't for the life of me figure out why my clothes started to smell really really strong of chemical floral yuck. I cleaned my washer a few times and still it stunk.....now I know. I use Tide with Downy and also use the liquid Downy. I ran out of the liquid and the smell wasn't as bad in my laundry but it still has a slight stink to it, must be the Tide with it mixed in. Now I started using that expensive sprinkle Downy....and it actually smells pretty good, but not masking that other smell from the Tide.

Hmm, definitely have to pick up a different scent of Tide and see if it changes anything.

 

[KittenLittle]

An update to the Downy dilemma. LOL

I started using the Target brand Up and Up fresh linen scent fabric softener and have been thrilled at how close it is to the old Downy.

HOWEVER......in the last month or so Target has changed their scent to mimic the new nasty Downy stink! Unreal!!!

Same label on the bottle of course so no indication that the scent has changed but it's now very chemically cat pee smelly. I hope I can find another substitute. This is frustrating.

So funny! That is the exact same analogy I have been using to describe the scent of the Tide I have been buying,lately! I think my aging senses are just going crazy-Tide and Downy smell like cat pee to me! I don't like the aroma of Gain He,either-just does not smell like the original that I loved.Why do they change the things we love and try to be loyal to?

 

[bpesch]

If it is indeed a change to the scent, you still need to call them. They count on customer feedback on these type of issues. And you may get some coupons in the process! Of course if you don't like it, I guess that wouldn't be a good thing.

 

[3mickeymom]

I so miss my Downy! I emailed them with my complaint but I guess they just don't care. There are lots of us who miss our Downy. So if you find a similiar scent please let us all know.

 

[rockyroad]

Honestly, I noticed a smell from the bottle that was like strong Downy mixed with rubbing alcohol, but I thought my clothes still smelled the same. I figured it was because they had made it more concentrated. I have tried them all, and my fav is Suavital in the blue bottle...I would say I get about double the loads it says on the bottle, as I use prob. half the amount in my front loader and everything smells great...My sister was a diehard Downy and Gain softener user and it converted her! I get it when I find it bogo at walgreens.

I tried Suavital after somone on here wrote about it.
I really like it.
But I have to watch carefully to make sure I get the Suavital Ultra.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I mainly use vinager except on my towels and whites then I use Final Touch.