In Search of the Perfect Laundry Detergent/Softener Combination
Before we went to Florida last week, I actually got all my laundry done save for a couple of loads of towels that were still wet because my dryer didn’t keep up with the washer. (My darlin’ MIL took care of that for me once she arrived.) And yes, this is where I lust once again for the cherry red front load set that sings her siren song to me every time I’m in Lowe’s.
I’ve tried very hard to keep the piles of dirty clothes manageable since we’ve gotten home. I must be doing a pretty good job because Boy Two actually congratulated me for keeping his jeans washed and folded. I’ve always wanted to be appreciated but somehow his praises felt like an insult. Either way, let’s just say I’ve established that clean clothes have been on my brain lately.
You would think after 20+ years of washing, I would have come up with a detergent/fabric softener combination that would guarantee wonderful smelling clothes. I’m terrible about buying what is on sale vs. being loyal to a brand but I have finally decided that even if it costs a bit more, I’m willing to spend it to have lingering freshness. The main reason is that Luke sniffs every single shirt and/or pair of pants before he’ll put them on for fear he’ll get something soured. And y’all know how that works.. you never know if you’ve got one until you’ve worn it a couple of hours. I don’t sour clothes on purpose, but there was this certain incident years ago when my man wore a funky shirt in the blazing heat on a construction site and it’s scarred him for life. Hence, all the sniffing. So even if I have to spend a bit more cash, if I can minister to my man through fragrance, so be it.
Here’s the thing, I hit the right product combination about three weeks ago but I don’t remember what I used because – once again – I had bought something on sale. I know it was some kind of Tide and either Downy or Snuggle but for the life of me I can’t figure which. Right now I am using Tide with a hint of Downy and April Fresh Downy. That is not the combo. My clothes don’t stink, they just don’t retain that good smell.
Is any of this making any sense?
So I’m coming to you to ask simply, do your clothes smell fabulous? If they do, will you tell me your secret?
Luke will be forever grateful.
p.s. For you ministry wives playing the Scavenger Hunt, remember to get your posts ready by Monday night so I can get the list of questions prepared. I am having a BLAST reading your answers. So fun!!
I use Gain and have for way over 20 years w/Downy. Our clothes smell so good and my two sons always tell me that all the time.
Gain/Touch of Softness Simply Fresh OR Gain w/ Baking Soda
I also use a Bounce Sheet with a level 3 for the scent.
They smell fresh longer with this combo. :)
Love ya,
Patty
I love Gain with the Downy in the black bottle! But! I’m also cheap, so I mostly use the Sams club version of Tide with the Snuggle in the pink bottle. It does pretty well! Even if clothes are mounded up in a pile for days on end. :)
p.s…thanks for the awesome shoutout!!
I use Gain. Gain detergent and Gain dryer sheets. No need for the fabric softener and our clothes stay fresh smelling for a long time!
The Snuggle Fabric softner (blue sparkle) is the only one I ever use. No matter what detergent I use that’s always the fabric softner I use and our clothes smell so good all day long.
Okay, you will have to tell us the story about being scarred for life because of the soured clothes!! I nearly sprayed my screen with my drink when I read that paragraph.
Haven’t been by in awhile and see you’ve gotten a new blog look. It’s fabulous. Love it. :)
I use Target brand detergent (I don’t think that the detergent makes much of a difference in the smell) and Gain fabric softener. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the smell of Gain! Our clothes and towels retain the Gain smell for almost 2 weeks!! I used to use Gain detergent and Gain fabric softener, but haven’t noticed a difference since I switched to Target brand. Can you tell I’ve done a lot of thinking about this topic?? :)
I use those new sheets that combine everything into one. They are AWESOME!
Lisa, Kaci had a favorite that she always liked. Gain apple-mango-tango in the red bottle and of course fabric softener in the same fragrance. Of course, I buy that now and breathe in the fragrance as I fold towels and remember. It’s funny how much the little things can mean. Love you. Ruby
Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Sweet Ruby,
This made me cry. I love you..
Lisa
I use Tide with lavender scent (it’s in the purple bottle) and downy. Honey my whole house smells great while the washer is going! It’s awesome! It’s a tad bit more exspensive than regular tide, but so worth it!
i know this sounds super crunchy and totally hippie granola-gross, but i make my own laundry detergent. i can make 10 gallons for about $2 and it smells really nice. i splurge and use downy simple pleasures for fabric softener… i used to use the blue box but they don’t have that one anymore so i switched to the black one with pink writing. hope that helps! -jenah
Oh how I love laundry. I just go to laundry aisle and take in the smell. It’s my favorite aisle in the grocery store. :) I think Era is the best with Bounce ‘fresh linen’. Keeps clothes smelling fresh for days on end!
My mom always uses Tide detergent and Downy fabric softener (it has a touch of something, but I can’t remember what!). I LOVE doing laundry at her house. Our clothes smell good for days…
I have to use the HE detergent, due to the – how did you phrase it red washers that make you drool when you pass them in Lowes? Well, I got mine at Home Depot and they are boring white, but the are really terrible at cleaning dirt out of clothes! Maybe it is because they don’t look like Dorothy’s slippers, or maybe because they don’t hold much water, but my advise would be to stick to the standard washer and dryer! And btw, with these fancy front loaders you aren’t supposed to use all the smelly fabric softners only dryer sheets – and we all know how long those last!
HI… As far as perfect combo for laundry det and softener… I have discovered that it doesn’t really matter about the laundry det.. as far as smell goes.. but i have discovered a WONDERFUL way to soften/anti static clothes… It’s a product by BOUNCE.. not sheets, but a dryer bar… the bracket thingy goes into dryer using and adhesive backing… be sure dryer is clean and DRY where u put it… It lasts 2 to 4 months depending on the product you get.. very economical and NOTHING Beats the smell and softness/anti cling. I will NEVER go back to dryer sheets!!
Happy laundry day!
Connie
AKA MommaConnie
AKA a pastor’s wife also
I would say I am one of those shoppers which purchase product on sale as well. The ONE thing I do that I haven’t seen mentioned here is to use 1/2 cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. It removes any and all odors from the wash. This means no sour clothing and no funky odors creeping back once you wear them in the heat of the summer. It doesn’t cover up the smell like Gain or any of the highly scented products, but it simply just removes them completely. I used to have a cat that wasn’t so nice and would at times urinate on items in the house. If you have nevr experienced this, it is the worst odor in the world with super stink strength that NO detergent will cover up. But… I got out the vinegar bottle and viola! No more stinky odors ever again. So, if you want to use a dryer sheet to scent your clothing, that works but if you actually want to REMOVE the odors from your clothing try 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle of your wash. Once your clothing is dry you will not smell any vinegar, I promise! No longer will you have the funky monkey under arm smell lingering and returning on synthetics, etc. You will just have really clean odor free laundry. ;)
I have the best combination. I, too, used to go for cost effective. Until my friend gave me a boatload of clothes that smelled glorious.
It turns out she uses Tide with Downy (there are different scents) for the wash. And Downy fabric softener sheets in the dryer.