Aibu to add oil to my washing?

[Goodbuycat]

4 of 5 DCs have allergies to biological washing powder, as well as OH. I love the smell of clean washing, so was thinking I could put a couple of drops of tea tree and lavender oil in the detergent drawer with the detergent, just make things smell nice, without turning the house into a scratch fest. AIBU in thinking this would work? Or, is it a completely mental idea? Don’t want to knacker the machine!!

[FlowerPot1234]

MoMandaS
Presumably she is using non-bio!

Is she? Then why's the oil needed, non-bio smells lovely too. Especially Ecover.

[dentalplanlisaneedsbraces]

Have you heard of soap berries? We use them in Australia. www.ausnaturalcare.com.au/that-red-house-organic-soapberries-250g?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6sqlkKP11wIVRgoqCh0imgOeEAQYAyABEgL5FPD_BwE

I have an eczema household. I use a natural detergent like soap berries, and a few drops of tea tree oil in the softener compartment.

[specialsubject]

why do you want to replace one perfume with another?

clean washing has no smell. That's the definition of clean, no smell.

[JustAnIdiot]

I use an Eco Egg with a fresh linen scent - it's subtle, but pleasant.

It washes well unless things are filthy, in which case I uses Persil Non Bio.

For stains I pre-treat with Vanish. I don;t routinely use fabric softener anymore.

[Briette]

For me it seems brand/scent specific too. I'm scratching for days if Fairy is used even though it's supposed to be gentle, and most other brands have the same effect, but for some reason Bold liquidtabs don't set my skin off at all so I can still have nice-smelling washing without wanting to crawl out of my own body all night in bed.

[ExConstance]

I used Waitrose own brand fabric conditioner for baby things and sensitive liquid wash over the summer, when everything made me itch. It is fragrance free and would work well with the essential oil. We are a very allergic itchy family and I've now moved on to Fairy at my mother's recommendation and that suits us all just fine. It does have fragrance but it doesn't seem to upset my skin.

[MoMandaS]

Flowerpot because she probably chooses unscented ones to minimise the risk of an allergic reaction.

[ObscuredbyFog]

Try the eco egg, if you buy it from QVC, they have it as a special offer periodically as well as their usual stock, you get a month to try it and if it doesn't suit, you can send it back for a full refund.
The original is fragrance free (I use this one) but because people nowadays are so used to 'scented' laundry they have introduced a few fragrances which I understand are nice but subtle.

Otherwise why not pop a couple of drops of your favourite essential oils on a tissue and place in the airing cupboard, drawers, wardrobes etc? Make sure it doesn't touch your clothing directly, it will impart a fragrance although essential oils' fragrance doesn't last a long time.
Lavender used in this way is particularly good as a moth repellent.

[Lessstressedhemum]

Soap nuts and some EO in the fabric conditioner drawer, or make your own. My DD has bad eczema which is triggered by loads of soap powders, so I make my own.

I cup soda crystals, 1 cup borax substitute, 1 cup ecover laundry bleach, 1 bar pure olive oil soap, grated, and, optionally, 10 drops lavender oil and 10 drops frankincense oil. Mix it all together really, rally well and store in an airtight tub. You only use a couple of tablespoons a load, so it is quite economical. It doesn't foam up, so don't expect bubbles, really.

[theEagleIsLost]

Nowhere does she say she is not using detergent!

Can't any of you read?

Then her washing should smell clean - mine does.

Perhaps a higher temp wash or washing machine clean is needed.

[lborgia]

I first heard years ago that certain essential oils should be avoided for children, especially boys - but others seem surprised. This post has finally prompted me to look it all up...

Tiny samples, and may not come to anything, but interesting in the light of avoiding medical problems by using oils instead of other chemicals..


“Lavender and tea tree oil have phytoestrogens, substances that mimic the hormone estrogen. Soy is a source of phytoestrogens, too.

Bloch’s findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, led to a 2007 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) study that found both oils can act like estrogen. The study prompted the National Institutes of Health to issue an alert about lavender and tea tree oils potentially acting as endocrine disruptors something that interferes with the endocrine system in boys who regularly used products containing them”. I quickly cut this from WebMD, so not thorough quote

[Goodbuycat]

Thank you for all your replies.

I do, indeed use non bio, and I have tried many, many detergents and Persil and Fairy are the only ones not to cause a reaction. I will try the eco methods too, but am concerned that they won’t get the (utterly filthy) sports kit, uniform and other items clean. I was advised to stay away from liquid detergents by a dermatologist, who explained that it is very hard for a machine to completely eradicate the liquid from the machine so clothes can be left with an invisible film, which would make sense to me as even non bio capsules cause a reaction. The scratching can be severe enough to become very bloody but I have to admit that I smell other people’s clothes and am jealous as they smell so lovely. I know that tea tree and lavender are safe for us, and it’s one of my favourite smells. As no one has said they’ve damaged their machines with oil, I’m definitely going to give it a go, but thanks for the tip about putting it in the softener drawer. I would probably have just chucked it in with detergent!!

[grannytomine]

I don't know if this helps but I have a son with very sweaty underarms and they get very pungent. No washing powder solved it. Vinegar made everything smell clean and fresh. No perfume smell just clean.

[Figgypuddingandcustard]

Some washing machines have an extra rinse option. I use ecover liquid and biotex to remove stubborn stains and then the extra rinse option.

[MikeUniformMike]

Ooh, thanks gran. I've got white vinegar and use it for cleaning, but I hadn't thought of using it to deodorize clothes.

[grannytomine]

Mike I have found it great, son's t shirts were getting thrown out as nothing would shift the smell. Vinegar completely got rid of the smell and is great instead of softener.

[lborgia]

Worth adding, don’t freak if your wash comes out smelling of vinegary chips . Once it’s dry, it will be fine!

[RestingGrinchFace]

You could just persoak the clothes in vinegar-this will rkmce the smell and will wash out easily.

[grannytomine]

I soak offending underarms then just add a small amount to the softner drawer, it doesn't smell when it comes out. Mind you my nose might be damaged by the previous underarm smell.

[user789653241]

My ds is allergic to everything. So we need to use no bio, non fragranced washing powder and no fabric softeners. We wash his things separate from mine and dh's. I love the smell of fabric softener.
If you want to use oils, I think it works better if you put it in drawer/covered as pp says, rather than in the wash.

[Scabbersley]

I use normal bio powder and vanish spray for sports kit

Everything else in waitrose sensitive powder. Deffo never softeners or other perfumes. If I want perfume I spray it on myself

Dd2 has been hospitalised for ecxema in the past so this has come about through years of experimentation

[MikeUniformMike]

White vinegar doesn't smell as bad as malt vinegar. You can buy it in £1 shop. It's good for cleaning.
I have something from a charity shop that smells funny. I will try it on that. Thanks.

[Scabbersley]

Oh and thorough rinsing, ignoring the eco settings and using extra water

[lborgia]

Granny - I have the misfortune of a bloodhound sense of smell in a house of stinky boys..which is why I throw a bucket of vinegar into many of my washes (including the ones that I forgot to take out of the machine last weekend and therefore smell even worse).

[TheBitterBoy]

When I was using washable nappies years ago, I used to put a slug of white vinegar and a couple of drops of tea tree oil in the softener drawer and they came out lovely, no damage to the machine.