# Scented Laundry Detergent - YUCK!



## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Many years back we switched to a scent free detergent cause of my son's skin problems. But just yesterday I was at a retreat and went jogging. Rather than bring back sweaty dirty clothes, I decided to use the washer and dryer at the place I was at. And their scented detergent. Wow, my clothes smell so obnoxious now that I must wash them again! Truthfully, I would rather smell BO or cow poop on my clothes that the scent used in that detergent!


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## TenBusyBees (Jun 15, 2011)

It depends on the detergent. 

Fabric softner on the other hand smells WAY to strong and obnoxious.


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## MoonShadows (Jan 11, 2014)

LOL...We have been making our own unscented laundry soap for the past few years. A few weeks ago we ran out and were so busy we had to buy a jug at the supermarket. I can relate! The next morning I took a shower and used a towel we washed the day before in the store brand. The "perfume" was overwhelming and sickening. We made a batch of our own and rewashed everything we had washed using the store bought soap. Lesson learned!


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

I usually make my own laundry detergent. At times, when I've run out and need to do clothes, I'll rely on a bottle of Gain laundry detergent I have. I looooove the smell of line dried clothing washed in Gain. If I could get the Gain scent and add it to my homemade laundry detergent, I'd do it in a heartbeat!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I use Tide and have for many years, but I use vinegar instead of fabric softener. Usually! I bought some fabric softener to use on the cats bedding so the hair would come off easier in the dryer. I couldn't stand the smell on the bedding! I could smell it across the house! It made me sick. I had to rewash it and use vinegar as a rinse.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

The worst part is that the constant exposure to these "scents" jade users; who would guess consumers buy more and more and try different forms. (I don't know how anyone can stand those cheap stinks in the first place, it never really does smell like lavender, does it?) And having artificial chemicals affect your sense of smell, an important part of your sense of taste, seems not beneficial either. And they have to be absorbed through the skin too.

It's sad really, a lot of folks are raised without exposure to natural good smells like flowers, herbs, citrus and spices.


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

In defense of some users (not myself as I use Gain because I like the smell, period), I do know some who use scented laundry detergent because their water has a bad, sulfurous smell to it that gets imparted to the clothing. Its better to mask that stink than it is to just endure it. My daughter, who lives at Ft. Stewart has this problem because the water there simply reeks. Not everyone has the benefit of water that smells like flowers, herbs, citrus or spice. It doesn't do a lot of good to hand the clothes outside for that fresh air scent either, as the air carries that same stink to it.


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## goat-mima (Feb 4, 2014)

I put Gain scent booster in my laundry detergent. I to love that smell! Ive also made goat milk soap with that scent....MMMMM!


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

goat-mima said:


> I put Gain scent booster in my laundry detergent. I to love that smell! Ive also made goat milk soap with that scent....MMMMM!


The biggest problem I have with using the scent booster is that, like liquid fabric softener, it is very bad for your septic system. (It turns to a gel and plugs up your filter, etc.), so I don't want to use it. I wish they'd make a fragrance oil in the scent of Gain! I'd be their #1 customer!
:nanner:


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## goat-mima (Feb 4, 2014)

I never had a septic problem (lucky maybe??). They actually say your suppose to use liquids not powders for septic systems. They do make a Gain fragrance!! I use it my soaps. http://www.justscent.com/fragranceoilsg.html . Makes my soaps smell WONDERFUL!!:grin:


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

http://laundry.about.com/od/fabricr...-Booster-About-Com-Laundry-Product-Review.htm


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

goat-mima said:


> I never had a septic problem (lucky maybe??). They actually say your suppose to use liquids not powders for septic systems. They do make a Gain fragrance!! I use it my soaps. http://www.justscent.com/fragranceoilsg.html . Makes my soaps smell WONDERFUL!!:grin:


Oh. My. Gosh! Bless you!!! :sing: :thumb:


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

If you have a Sentsy burner or a wax burner you can put Gain pellets in it! Use the stuff you toss in the washer. It'll melt and your house will smell like Gain. 


I love the smell of Tide. Nothing else. Just Tide. But then I'm weird with smells. DH and I both love Dial Gold Antibacterial body soap. Unfortunately they're reformulating the recipe and we can't find it any more. There's just something about it that just smells.....clean.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

I will admit that many detergents are not that bad in their use of fragrance. But a few are way over the top obnoxious - that is the one I happened to use. 

The absolute best (for me) is unscented with fresh air. This is how my hunting clothes smell after I hang them out in the fresh air after washing.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

Ohhh, I share your dislike for the smelly detergents! I've been using Mrs Meyers for some time because the stuff in the grocery gags me. I buy it from Amazon so I don't even have to go down that aisle in the grocery. I don't even like taking walks through town in the evenings, because sure as you're born, somebody's dryer will be venting some awful, over the top flowery stink. :hair

I love the Lemon Verbena scent. Very light and fresh. Then I line dry my wash, if it's warm enough for me to stand it. I'm about to take a load out now.

I'd love to make my own detergent, but my machine requires HE detergents, and I'm not willing to take the chance. Repairs are way too spendy, and would eat up every dime I'd save in making my own, and then some.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I buy Mrs Meyers lemon verbena scent liquid hand soap so guests have a clear option (eeww, who wants to use bar soap when they visit the ranch:huh:...), still it has artificial fragrance, no lemon verbena. It has other natural citrus-like oils - real lemon verbena costs the earth, close to rose. Going to try rosemary next.


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

I cannot stand the smell of detergent or fabric softener and I am so thankful my daughters finally started making their own. If I have to use store bought, I use All Free Clear. I line dry my clothes and love the smell of unscented(except by nature) clothing.


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

I haven't gotten ambitious enough to make my own laundry soap yet, but it is on the list of things I want to try. I agree that the smell in the laundry soap from the grocery store is overwhelming. 

A few years ago we had an appliance repairman here at the house to fix the dishwasher and while we were chatting he mentioned that in most washing machines you only need about 2 TBL of commercial liquid laundry detergent for an extra large load to get your clothes clean.

I was skeptical, I live on the farm and at the time my boys were all little and got their things very dirty! but I decided to try it on the play clothes and work clothes (usually I used an entire capful for each load) and he was right! The clothes were just as clean, and the obnoxious perfume smell was gone too. All I do now is to pretreat stains on our good clothes when needed, this has saved me so much money you wouldn't believe it!


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

You've inspired me to use less liquid - I put Arm & Hammer for Sensitive Skin in a squeeze bottle to pretreat stains and I think I've been going overboard. The old books say not to wash clothes too long or the dirt re-distributes. Seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it?


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## Cookie2 (Feb 21, 2014)

Hmmm, did you know that ALL detergent has a scent? The stuff that if "unscented" is actually scented to mask or counter the natural scent of detergent ingredients.

Homemade laundry soaps are fine but modern automated machines need lubricants that are added to store-bought laundry detergents. You can shorten the life of your automatic washing machine if only laundry soap is used.

I agree with the above ... I use the lightest or most agreeable scented product I can find. I hate walking down the laundry aisle, too. I find it to be worse when I am already reacting to other allergens.


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

MichaelZ said:


> Many years back we switched to a scent free detergent cause of my son's skin problems. But just yesterday I was at a retreat and went jogging. Rather than bring back sweaty dirty clothes, I decided to use the washer and dryer at the place I was at. And their scented detergent. Wow, my clothes smell so obnoxious now that I must wash them again! Truthfully, I would rather smell BO or cow poop on my clothes that the scent used in that detergent!


 
See, jogging can be bad for you! :gaptooth::facepalm:


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