My washing never smells nice! What do you use?

[MamFran]

I use persil bio liquid and comfort pure fabric conditioner. But I never get that ‘ahh these clothes smell so nice’ feeling.
they don’t smell unpleasant or anything and they are all clean but I want to be able to say oh that smells so nice!
any recommendations on what to use ? My kids don’t have sensitive skin or anything and are older now so feel I don’t have to stick with the gentle stuff

Those sheets are still very much made of "chemicals"...

Is febreeze an antiperspirant in your world?

I was (and still am sometimes lol) terrible for overloading the machine. Smaller loads smell better. Also agree re cleaning machine/cleaning between the sills (I have no idea if that's what its called) and checking the filter.

@FatLarrysBanned Thank you so much for this. I have just ordered the sample pack. Would love the code if you don't mind.

I use daz, the pink Lenore outdoorables softener and Lenore scent boost beads (usually the blue ones) - don’t be stingy with these. My washing smells lovely.

We use pink Surf powder then whatever decent softener is on offer when we need more. I think it's a blue Lenor one at the moment.

I found gels and pods gunked up our machine and things didn't smell as nice as when we used powder. We're in a soft water area but I do a maintenance wash every so often in the machine too (just did one yesterday).

We don't have a dryer so either dry outside or on a heated airer and you do notice a massive difference when things have been outside.

Washing is meant to be clean - smelling nice is an advertisers' ploy to get us to spend money!!!

I agree with @Tarkan , I think powder (preferably bio) smells better than liquid/pods.

I use surf tropical powder, I've tried other types of detergent but always go back to washing powder.

Softner I use yellow or blue comfort, but recently got some of Aldis new premium range - the purple one and green one are really nice.

I sometimes can't smell it but friends who visit always comment on my clothes smelling lush.

I second fairy pods, I don’t even use fabric softener any more since I started using them, I don’t notice a difference. Fabric softener is so expensive these days!

I've recently given Daz powder a try and I'm very impressed.

I think as well that to a certain extent you can become “nose-blind” to the familiar smell of your own washing stuff. I often think our clothes just smell of nothing and wish I could smell that freshly washed smell, but then my sister is complimenting the smell of my DD’s clothes.

Persil non bio big box powder. Washing always smells ok and gets line dried.

I love the smell of Tide. I went to Orlando in the early 90s and fell in love with it.

I use the Lenor scent beads. I’ve had a couple of mums ask me what I use so they obviously do the trick

You need to check your filter and clean it out. Yes, especially if you've never done this and it's "fine". Find it and pull it out, I promise you. Do a hot, empty wash on the machine as well. You can add white vinegar to this, a sachet of "washing machine cleaner" (this is usually just citric acid) or just nothing. If it bubbles up during this hot wash, do another one. That's clearing all the old soap scum from your machine pipes.

In terms of washing detergent, I find the best combo is either Bold 2 in 1 powder and then add white vinegar as fabric softener, or you go full on chemical warfare and do pods (any, but Lenor are particularly good, and there are some cheap ones which are good as well, do trial and error) plus Lenor scent bead things, which are atrociously expensive and you need to use loads, so I only buy them when on offer, and don't add to every wash, only if I'm washing bedding or mostly tops. It feels like a bit of a waste to put them in with socks etc. Buy small packs of pods so you can change the scent regularly as it helps stop you going nose blind to it.

Then you must dry quickly. Don't leave washing in the machine after it's done. Move ASAP to dry outside, or put in tumble dryer.

Don't overfill washing machine. If anything still smells after washing, try "stripping" it - collect all these items up and wash them all together at 60 with no detergent at all or just plain powder. You'll find the same few things need this treatment periodically - I think it's certain fabrics.

Experiment with different washing programs. Some use more, some less water. I think this makes a real difference.

If you have hard water, using a few soda crystals in every wash is meant to help prevent limescale build up which keeps your machine working better.

Well, I don't mind. I am happy to pay money to make my washing smell nice. You don't have to if you are happy with a neutral clean smell. The perfumed washing smell makes me happy.

I love Lenor Unstoppables in the wash and we also usually add Bounce sheets in the dryer.

For towels and bed linen, we add Zoflora.

Your clothes should only smell clean - I prefer to smell of Miss Dior than fabric conditioner. It’s a non product and an eco disaster anyway - why do people feel the need to buy sodding gallons of it? It makes me feel a bit sick when people reek of it. Just be clean - wash with bio powder at a good temperature and line dry if you can.

How strange! I use the same combination as you OP and I LOVE the smell of my washing.

Lenor outdoorables

Persil Professional bio liquid. Bought on Amazon very cheaply per load.

You are my people! The overwhelming smell of laundry detergents make me feel queasy.

I use Smol laundry tablets and they leave clothes clean but smelling of nothing, bliss.

Fabric conditioner is a massive marketing con - you don’t need it, it stinks and is the cause of your machine going mouldy. Use cheap supermarket own powder (why spend money on the water part of a liquid detergent) and dry outside.

Bio powder, wash at 30-40 depending and regularly clean the machine with soda crystals and white vinegar. Line dry where possible.

Never use liquids and hate the smell of fabric conditioner. My laundry always smells neutral, fresh and clean.

Sometimes I have to wash Vinted buys several times to get the conditioner smell off. It's awful.