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Housekeeping

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Original poster

What's the best smelling washing powder/ fabric softener?

50 replies

sighnomore · 04/11/2011 09:45

Hi
My clothes never smell nice whenever I wash them and it is beginning to bug me. I often smell other people's clothes and think how lovely they smell. Ours either have no smell at all or else slightly damp from being dried over the clothes horse.
Which brands should I buy to get that
wonderful smell?
I normally use persil washing liquid, as was getting powder marks with powder, and I stopped using own brand due to no smell.

Can you help?!

OP posts:
onwardandupwards · 04/11/2011 13:30

I use fairy comfort and it smells lovely!

MyMelody · 04/11/2011 13:33

Surf small and mighty with essential oils smells quite nice, but whatever you use after a while of using it you won't notice the smell so much as you will get used to it.

Sparklingbrook · 04/11/2011 13:39

I use Bold 2 in 1 powder. All of them smell nice. Not great for sensitive skins though.

DaisySteiner · 04/11/2011 13:40

Aldi's bio washing gel smells really nice I think and it lingers even when you've dried on an airer. I also live Fairy fabric conditioner, I think it smells like Refresher sweets Smile

BleughCowWonders · 04/11/2011 13:59

Fairy lasts longest, I think. But I also like to use others to ring the changes ...

pollyblue · 04/11/2011 14:51

I like the combination of Persil Non-Bio powder and the yellow Comfort conditioner.

I don't have trouble with white marks from using powder, maybe you were using too much? I find i really only need half the amount Persil recommend - if the washing is really grubby (DD's socks!) I use Ecover Bio powder, tis fab.

hartleyhare · 04/11/2011 16:37

I have to say Fairy and fairy softener smells lovely. If you had powder marks were you filling the washer with too much washing? or not using enough water? I use lots of powder and make sure there is always a space on the top of washing up to the top of the drum the size of a fist. As any less it won't get washed thoroughly. Hope any of this helps Wink

reckoner · 04/11/2011 16:50

I use Fairy non bio and the blue comfort. Clothes smell fresh.

Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 17:45

Thanks for your replies Smile perhaps some trial and error for me with the brands you've suggested. I know I fill the washing machine up too much Blush always rushing I'll try that fist tip!

Is there a good way of during clothes so they don't have that dampy smell? I hang out when possible, tumble dry when I can but a lot of the time it is on the clothes horse and alway smells a bit damp!

OP posts:
Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 17:45

drying not during silly phone!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 04/11/2011 18:02

are you sure your washing machine is clean inside? Especially with cool washes, they tend to accumulate a sludge of detergent, fabsoft and grease. If you put some white cotton towels in, on a MAX HOT wash with no detergents, see if they foam up. If so, it is with old detergent sludge that is being dissolved in the very hot water.

Drying clothes indoors will never get them as fresh as a washing line on a sunny day, or a tumble drier.

Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 18:16

I sometimes run a cycle with no clothes in to clean it, but is there a better way to clean it if it is dirty?

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 04/11/2011 18:34

cotton towels and no powder, very hot, is better than "no clothes"

Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 18:53

Ok great will try that! Smile

OP posts:
countessbabycham · 04/11/2011 19:05

Lenor Infusions Gold Orchid is gorgeous!

I smelt some clothes I'd washed ages ago (thinking my clothes didn't smell as nice as everyone elses),and was shocked to find they smelt SO strongly it just smelt like chemicals.It was horrible.I'd obviously been using too much fabric conditioner trying to get that lovely perfumed smell I smell on others laundry.

I think I have learnt from that that your nose just becomes accustomed to the smell of your own laundry and you only notice the smell of other peoples laundry because its a different smell IYSWIM.Other people probably smell the freshness of your laundry that you can't detect.

Now I use no fabric conditioner most of the time but occasionally I will use a tiny bit of the Lenor one.If you don't overload your machine,you keep your machine clean and dry your washing quickly I'm sure it smells perfectly nice!

cyb · 04/11/2011 19:11

Lenor Heavenly Infusions?

heavenly something or other anyway

It really hangs around on the clothes in the drawer

Udderly · 04/11/2011 19:15

I leave my clothes on the clothes horse overnight and then bung in the dryer to finish off - only for about 10 mins or so. Seems to do the job. Also, make sure you take your clothes out of the washing machine asap.

countessbabycham · 04/11/2011 19:15

Gold Orchid is one of those Heavenly softness (or whatever) ones.They're posh ones but I get when on special offer.

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 04/11/2011 19:18

Lenor Infusions gold orchid and walk in the grass, or something like that, are gorgeous. Waitrose's own red and cotton ones are nice too.

wildstrawberryplace · 04/11/2011 19:28

I like the smell of Persil small and mighty bio - it's strong but it smells like washing should not fruity and icky.

pollyblue · 04/11/2011 19:49

Re the problem getting clothes really dry - what about an electric clothes horse?

I do the same as Udderly if clothes aren't completely dry - few minutes in the dryer (for items that can go in) or half hour on a radiator.

BertieBotts · 04/11/2011 19:56

I don't know but I'm starting to think that clothes only smell nice when dried in a tumble drier :(

I change washing powder every time we run out (as tend to buy what's on offer) and fabric softener too. Usually it smells nice when washed if I get it straight out of the machine as soon as it's finished and on the airer (I have this which I LOVE]] and Ikea do a version too) but then the smell fades really quickly. Whereas if DP takes some clothes to work and washes them in the big machines and dryers there they smell lovely and the smell lasts for several wears. Ditto clothes bought on ebay about half the time.

I used to find on a smaller airer with clothes draped over each other stuff smelled mustier.

dwpanxt · 04/11/2011 20:06

I was mooching about on here wondering if I should post the exact same question so thanks sighnomore

Now that the poorer weather is settling in the chances of getting a wash dried outside is much less and I wanted to get a nice smelling powder/softener combo to make the house smell nice as well as the clothes.

I already use blue lenor and yellow surf but this seems to produce absolutely no smell at all. Confused

Has anyone any experience with Aldi Lidl detergents and softeners / I fancy giving them a go but dont want yet another bottle of 'reserve' stuff to languish under the sink while I go and buy more surf & Lenor.

Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 20:08

Ok so not only Have i learned that I overload the machine and dry my clothes on an airer that is too small, bur slaughter is such a thing as an electric clothes horse!!! I never knew this!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
sighnomore · 04/11/2011 20:08

Slaughter = there is

Damn predictive text!

OP posts:
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