Those artificial, concocted smells are too reminiscent of a chemist's lab for my liking.
Salt and sugar and chilli spice all lose their taste with over use, so you end up using more and more. If you live near a busy road, after a while you stop hearing the traffic. Scent works in a similar way - you get used to a smell, whether it's a nice one or a nasty one, and the only way to regain the fragrance is to dial it up a bit. Which my dog manages to do with the nasty ones, from time to time. Our local SM has half an aisle dedicated to plug in air fresheners - people must be buying them. And if you have that sort of chemical smell up your nose all day, you'll need a really strong version of it in your washing if you're going to feel confident that your clothes smell nice. It's an addiction being fed by the companies who sell the stuff.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I don't like fake smells whether its perfume, clothes conditioner, air freshener or candles but my wife insists on using it, I'd be happy with a natural fragrance over fake any day of the week.
We use the unscented kind designed for baby clothes on most of the washing (but not towels) because things feel a little too stiff and wrinkly otherwise. I sometimes use vinegar or citric acid powder but the husband has fixed views on correct laundry procedures so he usually uses it.
I hate the scented ones, they always smell rancid after a while. I only iron when sewing or for special occasions which makes the de-wrinkling effect useful. We don't have a dryer so everything is either dried on a line outside or on an airer in the hallway with the aid of a dehumidifier.
Cor,who knew so many people hated fabric conditioner! My sons both live in flats. Outdoor drying space, zero, they use those laundry ,"balls" and dry stuff on an airer. Their flats smell musty and like old skool lockers! I want to know,who opens windows,ME,daily,my neighbours NEVER,!!
I'm always opening windows even in winter, at least for a little while. This house can get damp in certain places so it's always a bit of a battle to keep the mold at bay. @Nanny Beach would your sons use a dehumidifier? Our house improved dramatically when we started using one to help dry laundry. Wasn't too terribly expensive either (about £100).
My sons do both have dehumidifiers,I also have one, because we have a huge amount of plants in the conservatory over winter, mine has the clothes drying facility. I have windows open all year,(nothing worse than wet dog,) you lot would have got on well with my late father,he hated all smells,I have always sweated for England,he forbade antiperspirant or deodorant I had to hide mine!
I find it makes things easier to iron, particularly if the weather isn't fit for line drying, which I generally prefer if the weather is good enough (but not so good that everything ends up smelling of barbecue smoke ). Never for towels though.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
@Fire Come on then - why do you ask? Are you thinking everyone else uses them and you don't know why, or are you always using them and don't know why other people don't. I can hazard a guess but just curious to know what you're thinking?
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I use an unscented, sensitive-skin one but maybe I should try out not using it. I'd always assumed that it was necessary here because we have very hard water.
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“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I hate the scented ones, they always smell rancid after a while. I only iron when sewing or for special occasions which makes the de-wrinkling effect useful. We don't have a dryer so everything is either dried on a line outside or on an airer in the hallway with the aid of a dehumidifier.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”