How do people get their laundry smelling so fresh?

Question

How do people get their laundry smelling so fresh?
I normally wash my clothes with Tide, put it in the dryer and take it out the next day and they have a faint smell of Tide. But when my friends washes a shirt of mine she borrows, and she washes it and returns, it has this strong fresh smell that i LOVE and that is distinctive and long-lasting. I've realized this with a few people, but this is just one example. Does YOUR laundry have a strong fresh scent? HOW DO YOU DO IT???

Answer 1

I just started using liquid fabric softener, & i love it! try that.
i know for us, we had a nastly smell on our clothing because of the water in our area.
but now it still smells lovely! I tried using everything from the cheapo detergent to tide, but that never helped. the softener sheets didn't help, either. so. yea.

Answer 2

OxyClean or Clorox depending upon the fabric and color along with your favorite detergent...use a name brand like Wisk, Woolite or Tide or some other high-quality brand. I alternate detergents each time I wash so I get the benefits of the different formulations...what one detergent leaves behind, the other one will get out. And, I use 20 Mule Team borax...just a touch...in my loads...my friends say its like a recipe, but it just takes a little longer if you keep everything handy.

In addition, I use Downey fabric softener in the wash cycle...I love the way my laundry smells! Choose a namebrand softener you like the smell of...open the cap and sniff it while you are at the store until one makes you happy, LOL!

Also, don't let your wet clothes sit after the wash cycle, get them out and into the dryer or on the line...they get a smell that requires re-washing if you allow them to sit damp.

Dry your clothes just the amount they need and get them out of the dryer while they are still warm. I get complements on my laundry and I love doing it now that I get such great results.

Answer 3

People can not smell themselves, and when you have been smelling this smell for a long time, you can no longer smell it very well. Have you ever noticed that some people that wear perfume put it on really strong and then they complain that they can't smell it? We just become accustomed to our own smells and just do not notice them any more. I did have trouble with my laundry not smelling fresh at all, it smelled like it was still dirty, but it had to do with our water. We got a water softener and it still did not make that much of a difference. So I started to use Arm and Hammer launder detergent and I use Downy with it , my laundry smells the best that it has ever smelled in years. The baking soda detergent is exactly what it takes when you have extremely hard water and lots of iron in your water. You may want to try that. I hope it works for you!

Answer 4

The first thing u should do is make sure your laudry doesnt stay in the washer too long. Keeping them there for a few hours gives it a dingy smell.
second a fabric softener gives the laudry its strong fresh scent because the machine usually puts it in when the rinsing is almost done, So the fragrance doesnt get all washed away. You are then left with soft fresh laundry all the time!

Answer 5

A friend of mine uses French laundry detergent that leaves her stuff smelling rosy. I've heard that some people put a little fragrance or essential oils on an old dryer sheet or washcloth, and toss that in the dryer.

Nothing can beat sun-dried clothes, IMO. But I live in the country in an area with low humidity, so I can do that.

You should ask your friends with good laundry! I bet they'd be happy to share their secrets!

Answer 6

Tide has a line of liquid detergent called "Simple Pleasures". There's a scent called Rose and Violet. It's strong smelling and the smell lasts long after you wash and dry your clothes. Also usign a softner helps the smell last.

Answer 7

Unless you live in an area of high pollution levels, or where local bye laws forbid it, the absolute best way to get really fresh smelling laundry is to dry it outside on a line. I've nowhere to do that now but did have at my last house and my laundry always smelled wonderful!

Answer 8

I store my laundry in the dresser with a sheet or two of fabric softener. I got these sheets that smell like lavender and vanilla...they smell so good for a long time.

Answer 9

I do a couple of things. First off, I use a liquid fabric softener, usually Snuggle. I also use dryer sheets. My clothes that I hang up to dry get the Snuggle, and my clothes that get dried in the dryer get Bounce dryer sheets. Biggest trick I have noticed is dont dry on highest heat setting; use the lowest heat setting you can.

Answer 10

people say the same thing about my laundry lol
i use extra (generic tide) lol it works great and not as expensive..doesnt fade either,,. i use the green bottle mountain fresh or something like that.. i also use snuggle fabric softener (when i remember to add it) and i always use a good smelling dryer sheet.. usually bounce... good luck

Answer 11

I always open all of the liquid detergent containers and smell them to see which one I like best. Then, I smell the outside of the fabric softener boxes to see which one I like. The end result is a soft, lovely smelling article of clothing that I will enjoy all day!