How to Get Laundry that Smells Good?

Understand the importance of good laundry smell

The smell of our laundry is a crucial element of our daily hygiene and well-being. Laundry that smells good and fresh gives us the impression of being clean and takes care of us. Conversely, clothes with an unpleasant smell can make us feel uncomfortable.

• The scent of our linen plays a social role by reflecting our hygiene. A pleasant smell inspires trust and respect in others.
• Psychologically, feeling clean and smelling good boosts our self-confidence and our mood.
• It's also a question of comfort: who would like to wear linen whose smell bothers you?
• Finally, on a practical level, scented laundry masks bad odors accumulated throughout the day.

In short, it is essential that our laundry smells good for our daily well-being!

Also read: How to perfume your homemade laundry detergent?

The role of detergent in the scent of laundry

Obviously, the first factor for scented laundry is the choice of detergent.

• Opt for a detergent with a fragrance that you like and matches your tastes. Detergents have very varied scents: flowery, aromatic, fruity, etc.
• Choose concentrated detergents: they contain more perfume and are more effective on bad odors.
• Scrupulously respect the dosage indicated on the container depending on the quantity of laundry. Overdosing will not make your clothes smell any better.
• Vary the brands and scents of detergents so you don't get used to one smell.

We recommend trying different detergents to find the one whose scent you like best and lasts a long time on your clothes.
— Geoffrey, Founder of The Oversized Hoodie®

The other good practice is to add fabric softener when washing. His role ? Soften textile fibers, reduce wrinkling and. bring a delicious scent! We'll come back to that later.

Also read: How to use essential oils in the washing machine?

The washing machine: a key element

Your washing machine also plays an essential role for scented laundry. Here are our tips for maintaining it and using it wisely.

Perfume your washing machine for laundry that smells good

Over time, washing machines tend to develop unappealing musty and damp odors. To fix it:

• Start an empty wash at 90°C with 2 tablespoons of baking soda to disinfect and deodorize.
• Between two washes, leave the door ajar to circulate air and avoid stagnant humidity.
• Wipe the joints with a cloth soaked in pure white vinegar to remove detergent and limescale residue.

Your machine will always be fresh and its bad odors will not contaminate your laundry.

Why does my laundry no longer smell like detergent after washing?

Several factors can explain the loss of laundry scent on your clothes:

• An under-dosage in detergent: scrupulously respect the quantities indicated.
• An excessive quantity of laundry : your machine is overloaded, the water is not circulating well.
• An inadequate wash cycle: the perfume disappears with short cycles.
• Of bad odors already present in the machine.
• The composition of your textiles: certain materials such as cotton retain fragrances less.

checking the dosage, load and cycle type is a good starting point for understanding laundry scent loss.
— Geoffrey, Founder of The Oversized Hoodie®

How to deodorize your washing machine?

Despite good maintenance, unpleasant odors may persist in your washing machine. Some tips for eliminating them:

• Start a wash at 90°C at empty with 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate or soda crystals. Their disinfectant action will annihilate all bad odors.
• Pour one liter of pure white vinegar into the drum and heat to 90°C. Its acidity deeply disinfects and degreases.
• Arrange slices of lemon or a few drops of essential oils (lavender, eucalyptus) around the edge of the porthole. Their refreshing scents will delicately perfume your machine.

With these tips, your washing machine will be fresh and clean again!

Also read: How to get laundry that smells like soupline?

Drying laundry: a step not to be neglected

Drying is crucial to retaining the laundry scent of your laundry. Some tips to optimize this step.

Dry your laundry so that it retains its smell

The ideal is to dry your laundry just after washing, to fix the laundry scent by limiting odor transfer.

• Opt for air drying if possible, to benefit from the natural fragrances. Hang your laundry out in the sun: its rays will enhance the smell of the textile fibers.
• If using a tumble dryer, choose a delicate cycle at low temperature. Intensive cycles tend to dissipate fragrances.

In any case, avoid leaving your laundry damp for too long: humidity encourages the proliferation of bacteria that causes bad odors.

The importance of proper drying for laundry that smells good for a long time

Proper drying allows to fix the scent of your laundry on your clothes for a long time.

• Dry your laundry long enough. Too short drying will not fix the fragrance deep in the fibers.
• Be careful not to overload your dryer: the air must circulate freely between the clothes.
• For laundry difficult to dry such as towels, plan for a longer cycle or drying on a drying rack.

With these precautions, your clothes will smell deliciously, even after several hours of use.

Avoid bad odors when drying

Some precautions to take so that this step does not alter the fragrance of your laundry:

• Clean regularly the filters of your dryer to remove lint and residue that causes bad odors.
• Leave the door ajar after use to dry the interior and prevent mold.
• Add a few drops of essential oils to a cloth and run your dryer for a few minutes: its interior will be fragrant.
• For drying in the open air, choose a ventilated place, protected from pollution, dust and bad ambient odors.

With these few reflexes, your clothes will retain their delicate scent for a long time.

Also read: Why does my laundry not smell like fabric softener?

Softener: an ally for scenting laundry

Fabric softener is a magical product for super soft and deliciously scented laundry. Here are our tips for using it wisely.

Why use fabric softener?

• It softens the fibers of the linen, making it pleasant to wear and limiting creasing during use.
• Above all, it leaves a delicate fragrance on your clothes, which lasts even after several hours.
• Certain softeners have sanitizing and anti-bacterial properties, for clean, fresh laundry for a very long time.

A good fabric softener is the secret to soft laundry that smells divine over time!
— Geoffrey, Founder of The Oversized Hoodie®

Make your own homemade fabric softener for a unique scent

You can easily create your own fabric softener, with the advantage of choosing the fragrances yourself.

• In 1 liter of water, infuse fragrant flowers or dried lavender leaves for a few hours.
• Add 10 drops of essential oils to the scents of your choice.
• Complete with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to soften the laundry.

Filter the mixture and pour into a spray bottle. Your clothes will be soft and scented with a subtle, unique blend!

Natural alternatives to industrial softener

There are many tips for naturally softening your laundry:

• The white vinegar (1 to 2 tablespoons) softens the fibers and leaves a pleasant freshness.
• baking soda (1 tablespoon) softens laundry without fragrance but with an interesting anti-limescale effect.
• A few drops of olive oil or essential oil will delicately perfume the linen.

These ecological and economical alternatives effectively soften your textiles. To test as you wish!

Also read: Why does my laundry always smell like sweat?

Conclusion

Obtaining delicately scented laundry with a good laundry scent requires some good practices. Use quality detergent at the right dosage, maintain your washing machine regularly, dry your laundry quickly and use a suitable softener .

white vinegar, baking soda and essential oils are excellent natural products to enhance fragrances in an eco-friendly way. With these tips, your laundry will be soft, fresh and fragrant for your greatest happiness!

FAQ

How to perfume laundry in the washing machine?

You can add a few drops of essential oils (lavender, eucalyptus) or white vinegar to a cloth and run an empty cycle. Their scents will delicately perfume the washing machine.

Why doesn't my laundry smell like laundry detergent?

This could be due to underdosing, overloading laundry, an unsuitable wash cycle or bad odors in the machine. Check these points to find the scent.

Which detergent smells the most like laundry?

concentrated detergents and those with powerful fragrances (orange blossom, blue orchid.) perfume the laundry more. The best thing is to experiment to find the one that suits you.

How to make laundry smell good?

Use a scented detergent, a fabric softener, and dry your laundry quickly after washing. tumble drying at low temperature will preserve the fragrances.

Why doesn't my laundry smell like fabric softener?

You may not have used enough fabric softener for the amount of laundry. Also check that it is well distributed during rinsing. Otherwise, your fabric softener may be too diluted.

How do I make the laundry smell soft?

Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of white vinegar during the last rinse in place of the fabric softener. Its acidity will soften the fibers and leave a pleasant freshness.

How to make your laundry smell good?

Wash your laundry with a scented detergent, then dry it immediately after washing, preferably in the open air. Add fresh flowers or scented sachets in your cupboards and drawers to perfume your clothes.

How to have laundry that smells good for a long time?

To have laundry that smells good for a long time, wash with concentrated detergent, use a scented and sanitizing softener, dry quickly. Store your laundry in a dry, ventilated place, with scented sachets. Air it frequently.

How do you keep laundry smelling good for a long time?

When rinsing, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in the drum with 1 liter of hot water to fix the fragrances. Hang your clothes outside when the weather is nice to enjoy the natural scents.

How do I make laundry smell good when it comes out of the machine?

Choose highly scented laundry detergent and fabric softener. Preferably run a wash in long cycle to properly impregnate the textile fibers. Avoid overloading the machine and clean it regularly.

My laundry doesn't smell anything: what should I do?

Check that you are using scented detergent and in the right quantity. Soak your laundry in water with a few drops of essential oils. When rinsing, pour 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to fix the fragrances. Air dry if possible.

The laundry smells too strong: any advice?

Do not use too much: scrupulously respect the dosage for the quantity of laundry. Choose a detergent with lighter fragrances. Wash your laundry in cold water to reduce the smell. Rinse well with clean water and add white vinegar during the last rinse.