How to make washing smell nice for sensitive skin

[afaloren]

Hello! DH has extremely sensitive skin and eczema so after much experimentation we use those crystal egg things to wash our clothes, which has always worked well. We don’t use fabric softener. The washing doesn’t smell of anything but it always smells neutral, and to me that smells clean.

Recently I’ve noticed a few things come out with a stale smell. These tend to be nightclothes so we are probably sweating more with the hot weather. They don’t smell of BO, just stale as if they’ve sat in the washing machine which they haven’t. Marks are coming out as usual so they are ‘clean’ just don’t smell great.

What can I use that won’t bother DH’s skin? Vinegar and a few drops of essential oils maybe? I’ve seen those scent boosters but don’t know if they would be irritating for skin.

I've always used Fairy detergent and Fabric conditioner from when ds 11 was a baby.

I use surcare. I'm in a hard water area so I put distilled white vinegar in the rinse drawer. Seems to help.

You could dry them in direct sunlight, so they get a bleach effect?

white vinegar in the rinse cycle for the clothes smell.

And do a regular boil wash with vinegar too with no clothes in the drum to rise out the washing machine.

Thanks all, I’ll try the vinegar.

Good tip about the empty boil wash @DPotter I haven’t done that for a while.

Have you cleaned your washing machine lately? Also check you are running the correct programme for the type of load you are washing.

If they are coming out smelling then regardless of how they look they are either not clean or the washing machine isn’t clean.

I have eczema and allergies and use Ecover Zero liquid and fabric softener and that cleans and almost everything, both are really good. I use white vinegar instead of softener on towel and tea towels etc. On whites I add Bio-d laundry bleach which is fantastic.

I did have an issue recently where I left a load over a day in the machine by mistake and the musty smell wouldn’t come out of a couple of items despite rewashing a few times. I put them out in the sun for half a day (as the sun both bleached and sanitises) and that completely resolved it so that’s worth a try.

To clean the machine I clean out the dispenser drawer with water, and in the “hole” with water then wipe out with white vinegar. I also wipe all the seals with white vinegar. I then rub the machine on a 90 degree wash with soda crystals in the drum and detergent dispenser with white vinegar in the fabric conditioner section. You should be doing this about once a month.

I would definitely not use essential oils on someone with sensitive skin, and DEFINITELY DEFINITELY NOT scent boosters! They are highly scented and very sensitising and likely to trigger an allergic reaction. They are also designed to have “permanence” so once they are in your machine and clothes it will be really difficult if not impossible to get them out, if your DH reacts.

Focus anyway on dealing with the source of the smell (musty means bacteria or mould if some sort) rather than trying to cover it with Sensitising fragrances.

@MyLov thank for taking the time to leave a detailed reply I have cleaned my washing machine now and will definitely avoid the scent boosters. I’m trying with the vinegar now and will hang them in the sun if it stops raining!