Laundry detergent/softener help

[PRINCESS VIJA]

DH mentioned that our clean towels fresh out of the dryer don't have a smell. He recently used towels at the gym and they had a very fragrant smell and he would like that at home.

Admittedly we use generic detergent and dryer sheets, so.... what are your favorite brands that create a fragrant smell out of the dryer, and how do you do it... i.e. do you use dryer sheets, or liquid fabric softener?

 

[mickeyboat]

We use liquid Wisk and liquid April fresh Downy. Our laundry smells great! eta - I also find that if I make sure to switch the load from the washer to the dryer right after the cycle ends (and don't let it sit in the washer for a while), things smell a lot better coming out of the dryer.

 

[SaraJayne]

If you don't use softener on the towels, they absorb better.

We skip the softener on towels and just use detergent.

 

[Christine]

Tide has a new product out that you add in with the laundry. They are these little heavily scented granules. I use them on my daughter's stinky clothes and my husband's workout clothes. They leave a nice smell without putting an additive into the fabric. I think Gain makes a product too. I just forget what it's called.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Are you using frangrance-free sensitive skin products?

I am picky about clean...
I use the Tide fragrance free High Efficiency detergent (baby blue cap)
And I use the Downy Lavender (purple) softener in the wash.

The lavender is wonderful, and does not seem to be too strong, or to set off any allergies. Many other scents, I just NEVER use. Ewwwww...

I would not ever want to use the dryer sheets...
They do leave a film actually ON the fabrics.
Not sure how they would affect the towels...
But, personally, I would never choose to use the sheets.

 

[Coconut36]

Tide has a new product out that you add in with the laundry. They are these little heavily scented granules. I use them on my daughter's stinky clothes and my husband's workout clothes. They leave a nice smell without putting an additive into the fabric. I think Gain makes a product too. I just forget what it's called.

Tide? I have not seen them with the granules/crystals.

Purex has the crystals you put in the wash load..I use those regularly and Gain and Downy have scent boosters as well.

I am not a big fan of liquid fabric softeners as I have found it has caused oily spots on our clothes and build up. I only use the crystals or Gain or Downy boosters now.

 

[Christine]

Tide? I have not seen them with the granules/crystals.

Purex has the crystals you put in the wash load..I use those regularly and Gain and Downy have scent boosters as well.

Yeah, I was wrong. It's Downy Unstoppables. I confused it with Tide because Tide is so often attaching a sample of the Downy to their bottles of detergent I just thought it was a Tide product.

 

[jen0610]

Downy has their Unstoppables, which is are very small flat disc shaped chips that you put into the washer.

Purex has their Complete Crystals, which are crystals what you put into the washer.

I have tried both and prefer the Purex Crystals. It just seems like I don't have to use as much to get the cloths to come out holding onto the fresh scent.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

Bounce or gain dryer sheets smell good for a long time and tide detergent keeps the scent longer than others. I will wash something and get it out of the dresser 3 or 4 days later and you can still smell the tide.

I tried a sample of the unstoppables and like them but they are expensive IMO and it's cheaper to use good detergent or dryer sheets.

 

[Coconut36]

Yeah, I was wrong. It's Downy Unstoppables. I confused it with Tide because Tide is so often attaching a sample of the Downy to their bottles of detergent I just thought it was a Tide product.

Ah bummer..Tide has the Febreze in their product and I thought maybe they had one out too that might contain Febreze and was hoping to try it.

Also for the OP you could look into essential oils in the dryer. Putting a few drops on an old sock or washcloth and running it with the load can distribute a scent and is natural.

 

[MIGrandma]

The BEST smelling towels are dried outside on the clothesline in the sunshine and breeze. Yeah, they are a bit rough (I do use liquid Downy fabric softener) but the smell is awesome!

I recently switched from using Tide liquid to Shaklee liquid detergent. The bottle lasts F-O-R-E-V-E-R. The one I'm currently using was opened January 17 and still has about a quarter left, so I think it will easily last 4 full months. Most loads I only use one pump, work clothes get 2 pumps. I won't go back to Tide.

 

[KristaTX]

The BEST smelling towels are dried outside on the clothesline in the sunshine and breeze. Yeah, they are a bit rough (I do use liquid Downy fabric softener) but the smell is awesome!

Maybe it's something in the air here, but besides the roughness, I think laundry dried outside smells like sweaty little boys.

 

[sms]

Gain ~ Hawaiian aloha scent (detergent & softener)

 

[Christine]

Maybe it's something in the air here, but besides the roughness, I think laundry dried outside smells like sweaty little boys.

Mine does too but I don't think we have the cleanest air here!

 

[BearcatsFan]

I use Purex laundry soap (it is Natural Elements "Linen & Lillies" scent) and Snuggle Blue Sparkle softener sheets. Always get comments on how our clothes/towels smell so good.

 

[bigmerle1966]

If you don't use softener on the towels, they absorb better.

We skip the softener on towels and just use detergent.

I only use dryer sheets because of that. Apparently the liquid softener has some sort of water repellent in it.

Yeah, I was wrong. It's Downy Unstoppables. I confused it with Tide because Tide is so often attaching a sample of the Downy to their bottles of detergent I just thought it was a Tide product.

They're both P&G products.

I know my BFF uses one of the Downy sheets in her laundry, we just use whatever is on sale, and her DS LOVES the way the clothes smell. He's a tad vocal about how good they smell.

 

[Wishing on a star]

My son has some serious allergies..
If I dried his towels and sheets out on a line, with all of this pollen, it might just kill him!!!

PS: It is the dryer sheets that 'coat' and leave a film on the fabrics, much worse than a liquid softener.

 

[Disneyhenry]

I use Downey for the liquid, if I need to use dryer sheets I will use Bounce. But I always wash in HOT water to help get bad smells out.

 

[MSLRAC]

Gain ~ Hawaiian aloha scent (detergent & softener)

I love Gain but it's original scent for us.

 

[Tozzie]

Snuggle, the original scent. I love the way my clothes smell.