My washing smells like NOTHING

I hate overpowering smells, but I do find that a few drops of scented oils on a felt tumble dryer ball give a nice and gentle smell.

My top tip if you end up stuck in an Airbnb with manky conditioner smells is to cover the pillow case with a worn t-shirt.

If your washing is constantly coming back smelling like old washing/socks/something fuggy, you've probably got mould in the drum and need to do an empty wash with at least a cup of vinegar in the drum (I use extra). I also clean out the folds of the rubber seal with a piece of kitchen roll with more white vinegar on it. If that doesn't work, drain out your bottom panel where the filter is then repeat the vinegar cycle (for PPs who have this issue rather than OP).

If your washing is constantly smelling of nothing, it's likely hard water or limescale so again the white vinegar will help for a while but long term the issue probably is your water.

Could you be “nose blind”? Where you get “blind” to a certain scent? Maybe try changing the washing powder and see if you can smell it then?

Same here! My DCs complain too - in our house washing is supposed to smell of clothes, not fake flowers!

So this is what I've found. Change up every 6 months or so to keep from going nose blind. At the minute I use sainsburys own powder - Jasmine I think ? and that purple fabric conditioner and beads. smells gorgeous and not too overpowering. I also put the powder in the drum rather than compartment. Someone told me it's better for the machine but I find it makes clothes smell better too

Only if it goes above that first plastic "level" in the conditioner compartment. So you can pour it in but not to above that level. Otherwise yes it will drain into the drum when you close the drawer and be washed out of the clothes along with the detergent, instead of going into the drum near the end of the cycle

Also

NOSE BLIND

people really don’t understand how that works.

It might do to you but OP wants to smell of it
It's like going on a recommend a perfume thread and saying perfume all stinks

Oh no, I've just bought DH a lambswool sweater from Woolover for his birthday 🙈

Ive had this problem in the past too, I usually try switching brands and see if it makes any difference, sometimes it works : The new Fairy Outdoorable Cherry Blossom fragrance is lovely.

We have a new machine, regularly hot wash or use the washing machine cleaner.

use plenty of cheap bio powder (Lidl or Asda) and usually no conditioner. Sometimes a tiny bit of fairy conditioner.

always smells nice

Good, OP! Why do you want it to smell of anything? Fabric conditioner has a vile smell, so that's really best avoided.

Mine’s the same. I’d go to my mum’s and you would get a lovely fresh laundry smell. I can smell it a bit if I use fabric softener but not much.

Weird. Could it be a fabric thing? Do you tend to wear the same fabrics as him or not?

I can go better than you, OP. My husband’s clothes are washed in the same loads as mine. His have a lovely fresh laundry scent, mine do not. I can only assume I woman it away.

Nose blindness

Strong scented washing powder is the worst for asthma & eczema sufferers too.

I love laundry smelling of chemicals😂

I use Ariel pods, lenor detergent and scent beads if they are on offer.

I think the key is not to overfill the washing machine. If I've chucked too much in the drum the smell isn't as strong.

I fear the majority are missing the OP's point!

She wants her washing to smell.

Sorry I am no help as eczema limits what we can use and I have long since been able to stop smelling my own laundry. Always admire other people's though!

It is the nicest smelling one I’ve found and until then nothing would’ve convinced me to move away from the all expensive beads, gels and conditioners!

Its also never caused my baby to react and she seems to react to fresh air 😂 fresh tarmac is actually one of my favourites! Or the smell of the sea!

BTW it's not adverts that make me want nice smelling washing, I like it when I stand near somebody in a queue or something and I can smell the washing powder on their clothes, or when I buy things second hand and they smell all clean and scented, or when SIL does a load of washing for me and it smells lovely. (I have asked SIL to show me exactly what she does and what detergent she uses and no luck!)

Changing brands didn't work so I don't think I was nose blind, although I can notice a scent on some clothes that I've packed away in cupboards, not all of them. Straight out of the machine, sometimes a load would smell faintly of sort of pasta/starch, and socks. I think I wasn't using enough detergent and/or was putting too many clothes in at once, because once I've put those clothes through another wash they have been better. Older machines definitely seem better at this so I do think water amount is a huge culprit.

There is a way to adjust how much water goes into the cycle at all if you feel brave enough to take the top off and adjust it with a screwdriver. I haven't gone this far as the machine is new and I don't want to void the warranty, but if I had an old machine which was already out of warranty, I'd probably try it. Youtube will tell you how to do this.

@McGregor33 haha. It's good I guess?! I've very sensitive skin so I guess maybe most of the stuff I use is minimally fragranced.
Bar of soap, spray of Chanel. Fairy non bio in the wash.
My favourite smells are quite weird actually. I love fresh tarmac and petrol smell 🤣

Ha snap! It really is lovely.

Softener is gross! Makes everything feel weird and greasy.
I love a crisp sheet or a stiff shirt.
You just need to rotate your laundry detergent. (as in swamp brands not put it in the wrong way round...)