Try spritzing lavender water on your clothes before throwing them in the washing machine. The scent of lavender is so long-lasting that it will be there even after drying. Make use of dried herbs such as lavender, rosemary, and mint. Put these herbs in a muslin cloth and keep them in the dryer for a lovely scent.
Baking soda can be used as a simple, one ingredient natural alternative to fabric softener. Just pop half a cup into your laundry's rinse cycle. This is one of the most cost-friendly alternatives to fabric softener available, and it also makes a good option for those with sensitive skin.
Try lavender water.
Add lavender water to a spray bottle and give your laundry a quick spritz before throwing it into the washer. Just enough scent will remain after drying to keep it smelling fresh for a long time.
If you want softer clothes without using fabric softener, baking soda is a great alternative! Since it helps to regulate the pH balance of water, it also suspends detergent and mineral residue that causes your clothes to feel rough.
Clothes often smell after they have been dried incorrectly or left in the washing machine for too long, or in other words - when they are left damp.
If your clothes aren't smelling fresh when they come out of your washing machine, it's probably down to a buildup of detergent, dirt or limescale inside your machine. The biggest symptom of this is your laundry smelling damp or musty, even when dry, as well as an unpleasant smell coming from inside your machine.
Now I make my own using a cup and 1/2 of Epsom salt, half a cup of baking soda, and 20 to 30 drops of essential oils. Mix it all together and store it in a sealable jar.
Method. Add a few drops of your favorite fragrance oil to an existing, unscented laundry detergent. Wash your items with the detergent and enjoy the scent of your favorite aroma. Ratio: 5 drops for every 8 oz of liquid detergent.
Tips For Making Homemade Laundry Soap
You can scent your detergent with a variety of essential oils. Orange happens to be my favorite of the moment. Make sure when using essential oils they are 100% pure. Don't fall for cheap grocery store kinds.
Vinegar has also been known to have the same effect on clothes as baking soda. Some people have found that it doesn't work as well and can have a negative effect on some synthetic fabrics. If you would like to attempt it, be sure to test it on small areas of fabrics to see whether or not it will harm your clothes.
Since vinegar is naturally brewed and biodegradable, it's a fantastic alternative to using harsh chemicals. It only has two simple ingredients – acetic acid and water, as opposed to fabric softener, which can contain some ingredients which are potentially harmful to your health and the environment.
Washing Machine
“With continual use, vinegar can literally melt hoses, causing leaks and thereby possibly all kinds of additional damage to the house,” says Grayson. In his experience, front-load washers are especially susceptible to vinegar-related damage. Plus, it may not even be doing much.
Hotels use special cleaners and large capacity washers and dryers to make their sheets and towels extra clean. They also have detergents not available commercially. And we can't forget they iron sheets with an industrial iron. All those factor in to what makes your sheets and towels smell so good!
It is possible use either too much fabric conditioner or not enough. If there is too much fabric conditioner in the drawer, it could overflow. If it spills over the top of the compartment during the washing cycle this could trigger the siphoning process.
Absorb any nasty odors by placing a small bowl of baking soda at the bottom of your wardrobe. Freshen clothes between washes by chucking them in the dryer with a Gain Dryer Sheet for a few minutes or spritzing some Original Febreze with Gain Scent Fabric Refresher on them.