How can I make my tumble dried washing smell of something nice?

[SweetApril]

Now it's getting towards winter I'm missing the lovely smell of my line-dried washing. When I dry it in the tumble drier it comes out smelling of nothing at all. I use Ecover as I don't like the lingering perfume of strongly-scented washing liquids but the smell of that is so delicate that the drier kills it stone dead. Do Bounce sheets have a strong lingering smell or might they do the job? I thought of using a few drops of essential oil on a flannel or something but then wondered if it might stain the clothes. Any tips gratefully received!

[girlsyearapart]

MIL uses bounce sheets they smell lovely.

[LauraIngallsWilder]

What about lavender oil - Ive got some I never use

I might try it

[Itsjustafleshwound]

I use the dryer sheets from Sainsburys and they seem to work well.

What sort of tumbledrier do you have? If it is a condenser one, I think the clothes take on the smell from your washing machine, so perhaps cleaning and airing the machine might be a way to avoid using the sheets - but I stand to be corrected ...

[frakula]

If you use an old nanny or a towel to accelerate the drying then you can add a few drops of your lavender to that.

[frakula]

Er, nappy not nanny

[LauraIngallsWilder]

LOL at using an old nanny to accelerate drying

Poor nannny

[SweetApril]

Thanks, everyone.

OK, well, I didn't have a spare nanny so I tried the lavendar oil on a damp flannel and the flannel smelt lovely when it came out but the washing still smelt of nothing!! Let me know if you have more success LauraIngallsWilder.

I've got a vented drier so that shouldn't be a problem. Might have to use the sheets then but I'm still open to suggestions especially with a different way of getting the essential oil to work. I've got some lemon oil and I reckon that would be lovely if I could get the smell to "stick" to the clothes.

[LauraIngallsWilder]

I wonder what Kim and Aggie of how clean is your house would suggest - they seem to like traditional methods

There is a good book by them in our library - I will try to remember to have a look

[SweetApril]

Ooh, great, LauraIngallsW, I'd love to hear what Kim and Aggie have to say on the subject if and when you get around to visiting the libray. Have now also tried lemon oil on a flannel but that was a complete failure, even the flannel didn't smell of anything when it came out.

[lavenderkate]

I wash everything in aerial and if tumble dried it smells lovely. Everyone comments on the smell when they come round on washing day.

I also squirt fabric conditioner on my radiators and wipe down, when they're warm and the smell permeates around the house.

[mckenzie]

I mix a little Comfort Pure with the Ecover fabric softener - mine smells lovely after tumble drying (well, I think so anyway