Best Laundry Detergent? Recommendations Please!
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Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:38 pm

right now i'm using 'Purex' and it's crap

I want something with a nice scent....any recommendations? A scent that lasts too. The purex....my clothes smell like mold it's disgusting.

free skin care · Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:22 pm

It is pretty basic, but I love liquid tide and bounce fabric softener sheets. My grandmother always used tide and it reminds me of her. I always wanted to try those designer detergents that smell like lavender or whatever, but I have way to many things to wash to use that. I have tried caldrea's linen spray and I love it. (http://www.caldrea.com/) I will more than likely give in to temptation and buy some of their detergent for my towels and sheets. I LOVE their sweet pea scent and I am currently using their rose pink peppercorn linen spray.

liz

Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:31 pm

thanks! i'm gonna look around tommorow.

i want something..STRONG though. my bf's clothes have a really powerful fresh scent to them. i asked him but he doens't do his own laundry Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:16 pm

I can only use Surf tablets and that's it, we traed switching and I cam out in a nasty rash....there is no way I'm risking washing my underwear in anything else ever again Shock

Whenever we go on holiday, I have to keep all my underwear back from the dry cleaning and hand wash it myself in feminine hygiene wash. God knows what housekeeping think when they come to clean the room and theres knickers everywhere drip drying!!!! I very much envy all you non sensitive skins.

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:46 am

Have you tried putting satchays (sp?) in the closets/cabinets where you store your clothes? Basically, they're little bags containing potpouri in the scent of your choice and if you put them in your drawer/closet/cabinet/whatever, they help keep your clothes smelling fresh...that's just a little trick that my great grandmother has handed down to the women in my family. You can buy ready-made satchays it craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels, or you can even make them yourself. They sell bags of potpouri at Walmart in the craft section, and you can just put some in an old, clean pair of pantyhose and tie one end off in a knot.

For the record, they say that "Gain" laundry soap has the longest lasting scent....

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:33 am

I've always used Cheer and been happy with it...

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:38 am

I've been using Seventh Generation laundry detergent. It is phosphate free & 100% plant based & biodegradable. I saw an ad on TV for Coldwater Tide, and I am tempted to try it. The only problem is that it is still full of chemicals & petroleum based. I wish they would have made it 100% enviro-friendly.

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:40 am

Oooh..sorry. I just noticed that you wanted a detergent that smells. My mom uses GAIN & when she is doing laundry, you can smell it at the end of the street. I don't know what kind of chemicals they put in it, but the scent lasts in your clothes for weeks. I can't use it b/c it makes my eyes itchy, but it does smell soooo nice & clean.

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:15 am

Another thought is to get nice smelling dryer sheets...love how the Bounce scent lightly lingers post-laundry

free skin care · Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:53 pm

Believe it or not, the Victoria's Secret laundry detergent actually smells really good and is gentle. I use it for my lingerie and hand-washables and the scent is super-strong and lasts and lasts (but it doesn't at all smell like conventional laundry detergent.) It's pretty concentrated, so a large container for laundry loads would probably last a long while. I spend about $14 or so for a small-ish bottle and a capful goes a long way. I only have to buy a new thing of it every year or so.

Linen sprays are a lot of fun, especially in an iron (I'm using the L'Occitane lavender right now, but it's not scented enough for me.) I agree with Carekate on the sachets. Especially for pajama and underwear drawers!

I like Cheer for laundry and Bounce or Snuggle softeners, but I don't really find that they have a lasting smell, and I don't know if I'd really want them to! Smile

Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:59 pm

thanks everyone!!

i currently have a natural one....but eh..

gonna check out the gain and tide!!

Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:15 pm

GAIN IS MY HERO Razz

and Snuggles dryer sheet are the better then Downey dryer sheets. My trick is I throw Downey fabric softner in w/ my Gain in the wash cycle, forget the rinse cycle its too risky for staining. Another thing everyone should use is Clorox for colors in combination with the Gain and Downey. Clorox gets the smoke smell out of my sheets b/c my boyfriend is a heavy smoker. Very Happy

Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:21 pm

also umm..after i wash the wet clothes have a scent. but when i put it in the dryer it goes away? even with a dryer sheet.

Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:30 pm

I don't know how I came across this thread, but good smelling clothes have always been something I've been really obsessed with, so I can probably add an opinion or two. Wink

Gain is highly scented... I have used it before.
I think the best thing that I have used so far is just any old detergent that isn't too scented (currently I am using a "Free and Clear" one, it doesn't have added dye or fragrance) then I use Downy's liquid fabric softener in Lavender Vanilla. I wish it were MORE scented, but the scent it does leave is great. They have several scents.
I'm tempted to try higher end detergents/fabric softeners if they would leave my clothes smelling stronger, but I haven't heard of anyone saying they were much better than regular brands.
I like L'Occitane Lavender spray/linen water, but like rusalka said, I would love it if it was more scented!
Smile

stacy

free skin care · Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:04 am

china wrote:

My trick is I throw Downey fabric softner in w/ my Gain in the wash cycle, forget the rinse cycle its too risky for staining.

To this end, Tide and Cheer (or is it "All"?) have recently introduced detergents that already have a touch of Downey mixed in, so you don't have to bother with the hassle of remembering to add it to the rinse cycle (for those who still do it the old fashioned way!). I've tried both of them and have to say that I prefer the one from Cheer or All, or whichever the darn brand is -- it's the one in the lime green bottle! Smells fab and leaves clothes softer than if you skip adding fabric softener altogether....

free skin care · Sat Aug 27, 2005 8:18 am

So many to choose from!!! Shock

But unfortunately I can't use 95% of what's out there! Mad

Like others I'm allergic to many detergents and umm...you don't want to have a reaction "down there" Shock

!!! OUCH!

I like Cheer's "Free and Clear" powder formula. But sadly enough finding it has become a major problem! Seems like they only sell the liquid version around here. I can't use that one..allergy city!!! Mad

In the meantime I am using Purex's "Free and Clear" version, which I don't really care for but hey no reaction. Hope this helps and you ladies and gents who can use anything are so lucky!!!! Smile

**edited to add that I use Bounce Dryer Sheets..forget which one, but it does leave my clothes/sheets and towels smelling great!

free skin care · Sat Aug 27, 2005 3:57 pm

I'd love something lavender scented to use in the dryer for sheets and towels I haven't seen one.

free skin care · Sat Aug 27, 2005 9:39 pm

Sharky,
Speaking of lavendar, I ran out of my usual Bounce dryer sheets today. At the grocery store I decided to try Bounce's new Lavendar and Vanilla..boy did they smell great!! Threw in a dryer sheet in a load tonight and patiently waited to have nice smelling towels. Smile

Uugh, I was disappointed. The fragrance was barely noticeable. Confused

Maybe I should use more than one dryer sheet Question

How many sheets do you guys throw in with a typical load?? I've only been using one. Guess you can call me frugal. Wink

btw. Bounce also has 2 other fragrances (forget the names) and it also comes in liquid.

free skin care · Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:00 pm

I learned this when I took an aromatherapy class. Instead of using drier sheets, take a clean washcloth & put a few drops of lavender essential oil on it & toss it in your drier. Your clothes will come out smelling divine, and without all of the other chemicals on them. Patchouli is very nice too, but very heady, so just 2 or 3 drops will do a large load.
Wink

free skin care · Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:00 am

pbsadhaka wrote:

I learned this when I took an aromatherapy class. Instead of using drier sheets, take a clean washcloth & put a few drops of lavender essential oil on it & toss it in your drier. Your clothes will come out smelling divine, and without all of the other chemicals on them. Patchouli is very nice too, but very heady, so just 2 or 3 drops will do a large load.
Wink

Now that is a *great* idea!! Dumb question though...a wet or dry wash cloth?? Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:31 am

I don't think it really matters, but I always use a dry washcloth. I use an old one & always use the same one, because the pathouli oil stains the washcloth (light yellow spots), but it never seems to get on the rest of the clothes. Maybe because they're wet & the washcloth is dry? Confused

I dunno. It just always seems to work out OK. Smile

free skin care · Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:26 am

What a great idea to add esential oils to a wash cloth!!! Very Happy

I must try this, I have a blend of oils, rose I believe, I'll give that a whirl!! Hope it doesn't stain!!

Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:43 am

Can some1 help me out. After Im done washing my clothes I can smell the detergent. When I am done drying them I don't smell anything. I also use dryer sheets. I also use concentrated detergent. Can someone help me. I want to smell like my detergent!

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:13 am

headachexv wrote:

Can some1 help me out. After Im done washing my clothes I can smell the detergent. When I am done drying them I don't smell anything. I also use dryer sheets. I also use concentrated detergent. Can someone help me. I want to smell like my detergent!

Try this and see if you get the results you want:

Tide Clean Breeze w/bleach alternative
1 cup white vinegar (add 1/2 cup or more to wash and 1/2 cup to rinse cycle)
Hot or Cold water wash/rinse

I started substituting vinegar for Clorox & Clorox 2 because I moved to a place that had hard/well water. My clothes got cleaner, whites got whiter, everything was soft and fluffy, and the fragrance from the detergent stayed in the clothes-but there's no vinegar smell. The vinegar also makes the detergent more 'sudsy' which is a problem with hard water, as well.

(FYI: fabric sheets coat the fibers on towels, etc., and might make them smell good, initially, but they make the towels less - not more - absorbent, which is why I stopped using them)

hth

free skin care · Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:40 pm

Thanks for the vinegar tip. I love Gain detergent - I use this with bleach for the wash cycle for whites and sheets and then Snuggle (regular scent) for rinse.

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