laundry detergent

[badger]

I've been using detergents made of biodegradeable, natural surfactants for a while now. I've found that while they smell nice in the bottle, once I've folded and put away the clothes and sheets they no longer smell nice. They smell more like... play doh for the lack of anything better to describe it. I notice it the most with my sheets.

And I'm not talking about storing them for months, I'm talking a week. I thought it might be the fabric softener, so I stopped using it about a year ago but my sheets still smell...play doh-ey.

Would you know if unscented detergents would keep my sheets smelling less like play doh as there are no essential oils to go off?

If it makes any difference, I have a front-load washer and I use the "he" stamped detergents.

[badger]

since we're talking about brands, can anyone recommend one that either stays fresh, or one that will keep from smelling stale?

I should mention that I've rid my household of big, corporate brands due to my beliefs against animal testing and being as "green" as possible. Something along the lines of "Ecover".

[Blueberry]

Charlie's Soap. Love it.

[badger]

oh, I know there are loads of "green" detergents, but I'm looking for one that will keep my clothes smelling nice after laundering, and/or not smelling stale in a few days.

[bmccasland]

Badger - one small thought, were they actually dry when you put them away. This came to me after I stayed in a hotel over the weekend with an older a/c unit and everything smelled of mildew. Not enough to send me screeming away, but there was a lingering smell... If it's summer, and your clothes or sheets aren't competely dry when they're put away, they could get stale from early stages of mildew.

[badger]

I'm pretty sure they're dry, as I hang dry 90% of my stuff, and I'm lazy and put off folding for a number of days :p

I've had this issue for a number of years since I started using the "green" detergents and fabric softeners.

[GLC1968]

badger - I use all the green products as well. Right now, I'm using Ecover for most everything because I find it does the best cleaning job. I don't notice that any of our stuff smells odd after a few days. I hang dry about half our stuff and use the dryer for the balance (mostly towels & cottons) and I notice no difference in smell.

I DO rinse every load with white vinegar. We stopped using fabric softener when we moved into our current house (over 2 years ago) and instead we throw a 1/4 cup of baking soda in with the clothing and I fill the fabric softener cup with white vinegar (HE front loading machine). Since white vinegar neutralizes scents...maybe that's why I don't get the play-doh smell? I've since stopped bothering with the baking soda, but I still use the white vinegar with every load. Maybe you could try that?

[badger]

badger - I use all the green products as well. Right now, I'm using Ecover for most everything because I find it does the best cleaning job. I don't notice that any of our stuff smells odd after a few days. I hang dry about half our stuff and use the dryer for the balance (mostly towels & cottons) and I notice no difference in smell.

I DO rinse every load with white vinegar. We stopped using fabric softener when we moved into our current house (over 2 years ago) and instead we throw a 1/4 cup of baking soda in with the clothing and I fill the fabric softener cup with white vinegar (HE front loading machine). Since white vinegar neutralizes scents...maybe that's why I don't get the play-doh smell? I've since stopped bothering with the baking soda, but I still use the white vinegar with every load. Maybe you could try that?

Thanks GLC, I'll give the white vinegar a whirl - how much do you put in, about 1/4 cup?

[GLC1968]

Thanks GLC, I'll give the white vinegar a whirl - how much do you put in, about 1/4 cup?

Hmmm, I'm not sure since I just fill the softener cup to the line (in my washer). I'd guess it's between a 1/4 cup and a 1/3 cup though...

[malkin]

Persil. We get it at the Miele shop.

It's pricey, but I only need about a TBSP per load, so a box lasts just short of forever. We used the no additives one for a while, but then the shop gave us a sample of the normal one, and we found that it neither made Brewer itch or me sneeze.

I have both the all fabric bleach-anti-greying formula and the use for bright colors one (it has pink and blue sparkley bits in it).