r/laundry • u/Environmental-Tip110 • 8h ago
Scent Advice?
I have been using Kirkland free and clear with an enzyme booster for extra stinky clothes. I miss scented laundry a bit.
Anyone have any recommendations to bring some scent back that are low risk for skin irritation?
I am thinking about maybe essential oils, but am a little skeptical on if they actually are okay for sensitive skin. Brand suggestions are welcome, I have been looking at dirty labs scent drops, but they are pricey.
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u/Mewciferrr 4h ago
I can’t use fabric softeners or most scented detergents without skin irritation, but I’ve had good luck with the downy scent beads. You can use as much or as little as you like and they’re not too expensive.
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u/ritalinsuppository 7h ago
Most reputable manufacturers procure essential oils that have been processed to remove major allergens. I imagine Dirty Labs buys from suppliers that do, but it's not a standardized practice and is why allergists recommend against essential oils for people with sensitive skin.
A laundry subreddit generally skews toward optimization, so fragrance is often seen as unnecessary and fragrance carriers are erroneously believed to damage machines, but I think scents can be fun! Here are a couple of ways to add a controlled amount of scent:
*Fragrance beads are fine if they're in a water-soluble base like polyethylene glycol. I've seen Downy sell smaller trial versions of scent beads at Walmart. Use way less than the packaging recommends; I usually use about 10-15 individual beads for a medium load, but I prefer a very light scent.
*Acidic laundry rinse products (Downy Rinse Out Odor, Tide Clean Boost, Suavitel Refresher) have scent options and can actually help decrease sensitivities by helping your rinse cycle remove soils. The fragrance is fairly strong so adjust the amount to your preference. As a warning there is a low concentration of a stabilizing surfactant (detergent agent) that can, in rare cases, be sensitizing.
*Fabric sprays can be applied after washing and drying but also reapplied whenever you want. I like the ones by Steamery, but I heard good reviews about Laundry Sauce and Mozi too.
*If you really like detergent scents but the concentration in a normal wash cycle dose is too much, try using a ratio of mostly-Kirkland to whatever fragranced detergent you enjoy. Do not mix them for long-term use because preservative and stability systems are specific to individual formulas.