GON Reader Question
Dear Maria,
Laundry no longer smells terrific, as in years gone by, with just Tide or Cheer and maybe Downy. The question: what products, wash cycle, water temp, etc., actually make clothes smell good these
days?
I am sharing a washer in an apartment building with about 10 others. I clean the washer with Affresh every couple of weeks, then run it with just hot water. I have wondered about a cycle with just vinegar?
There is no lingering odor in the washer.
It’s one of those aggravating energy-efficient machines that locks the lid and won’t let me add liquid fabric softener, plus it runs a different number of minutes for each load, for all the variables it “knows.”
So I can’t, or don’t know how, to get liquid fabric softener into the rinse as I don’t know how to time going back to catch the rinse, plus the lid is locked. Is there a dispenser? I don’t know, but is that even the answer to clean-smelling clothes? I have heard some say they put liquid fabric softener
into the wash.
I use liquid Tide and add liquid OxiBoost Odor Eliminator. I am trying all the new detergent sheets which don’t add scent...and do they even work? Which one is best? Should they be dissolved ahead of adding?
I’m also trying April Downy Scent Beads in the wash and they do add scent. I do an “extra rinse” to combat the low water in the wash. Does that diminish the scent added by the beads?
Some fabrics come
out smelling better than others. What’s up with today’s fabrics?
What are people doing? Does anyone ever get “Gee, your laundry smells terrific!” comments?
I don’t know if
the water is hard or soft? The washer is clean. The clothes don’t have any especially nasty smells to wash out, but retain a mild perspiration odor, some fabrics more so than others.
Am I using cold or cool water too much? Seems we always used warm in the past. And we always used water! This machine is skimpy with water. Should I
always use deep wash and extra rinse?
I’m trying adding all this stuff to make laundry smell good when just detergent and fabric softener used to do it. What is going on with today’s washers, fabrics, and laundry products? I used to use just detergent. Now there are all of these additives. What works, what to
do?!
I want to hear, “Gee, your clothes smell terrific!” Are clothes becoming disposable? Use them a few times and replace?! Please help!
Lots of thanks and all best
wishes…
-- Anne Hudson
Maria Responds:
Anne, you are not imagining this and your question gets to the heart of what has really changed.
Just washed laundry didn’t necessarily smell cleaner years ago; it smelled stronger. For a long time,
freshness was defined by noticeable fragrance. Detergents, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets were designed to leave behind distinct, lingering scents. Those smells became our signal that laundry was “fresh.”
Today, many manufacturers have responded by dialing back fragrance and reformulating products to be gentler on skin, fabrics,
and air quality. As a result, laundry is clean, but it doesn’t announce itself the way it once did.
At the same time, washers have changed. High-efficiency machines use far less water, lower temperatures, and longer cycles.
Fabrics have changed, too, especially blends and performance materials that tend to hold onto body oils. All of this affects both cleanliness and scent.
So when laundry doesn’t smell the way it used
to, it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because the cues we once relied on have shifted.
Shared washers can add to the challenge. Because you’re sharing machines, residue from many households can build up over time, even if the washer doesn’t smell bad. You’re smart to clean it
regularly.
Run the washer empty on the hottest setting
Add 1–2 cups of plain white vinegar directly to the drum
This breaks down buildup you can’t see.
Hard water, if that's present, makes detergents less effective and can lead to residue and lingering odors. Vinegar cycles and extra rinses help counteract
that, even if you’re not sure what type of water you have.
Towels, in particular, benefit from a vinegar wash now and then (warm or hot water, vinegar only), followed by a normal wash.
Cold water should still be your default for most loads. It’s gentler on fabrics and works well with today’s detergents. That said, warm water can help when mild perspiration odors linger or with certain synthetic fabrics.
As for detergent sheets, yes, they do work, but they
clean lightly and don’t add scent. There’s no need to dissolve them ahead of time. That being said, they're best for lightly worn clothes and smaller loads.
Once a washer locks, there usually isn’t a practical way to add liquid fabric softener
later in the cycle. Most energy-efficient machines stay locked for safety and efficiency, and unless there’s a built-in dispenser, you can’t get softener into the rinse.
Personally, I would not put liquid fabric softener into the main wash cycle. It’s meant for the rinse, and adding it earlier coats fabrics before they’re
clean, which can trap odors over time.
I don’t use dryer sheets; I use dryer balls, which improve airflow and drying but don’t add fragrance. Dryer sheets today are lighter on scent and often contribute more coating than cleanliness. Here’s the key shift...
Great-smelling laundry now comes from clean fibers first, light scent second. When residue and body oils are truly removed, even a modest scent reads as fresh again. In your situation, that
means:
1. Keep doing regular washer cleanings
2. Use cold water most of the time, warm water when odors linger
3. Don’t overload the washer
4. Use extra rinse when available
I realize this is probably not the answer you were hoping for. Many of us remember when clean laundry had a strong, unmistakable scent, and it’s frustrating when that familiar signal of freshness seems harder to achieve.
The fresh,
neutral-clean smell has quietly become the new gold standard. This means that clothes smell clean; not heavily perfumed.
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