Fashion

[ROMARY]

Don't get me started'.......

Anyway, around here, we (as a small group, walking around), always know where sports children live, and also newborn babies.

The strong chemical scents ooooze out of their garages, drifting all the way across the street.

There is an underlying 'same chemical' odor that we always detect drifting out from each house.  I'm guessing that the scented part is there to over-ride/cover up that particular chemical. 

As far as buying 'As is' items or thrift store items, I'd probably keep away.

But, I'm very sensitive to those strong detergents scents.  Not everyone is. 

I mentioned a few years or so ago that there were people milling around outside, some sort of family event at a hall, and we could smell the laundry detergent on their clothing from quite a distance away.  

'Oh, well'..........that's life now-a-days.

No need to describe our local laundry-mats that we can smell from a block away....

[CritterKeeper]

Wow! I didn't realize things can still be returned after they are laundered. I thought that was a big no-no and those wouldn't be accepted after that. Learn somethin' new every day! 

[shoptilyadropagain]

I've always wondered how good those Downy Unstoppable Scent Beads work.  Apparently really well.  I've never tried them because it's not something that's important to me.  I just prefer a clean fresh smell to my laundry.

[kate2357]

I am very sensitive to any of the scents used in laundry detergent and fabric softners. I was on a business trip in the-middle-of-nowhere-Alaska, staying at a so-called B & B (only thing available) and they had used something on the sheets and towels and it was so strong, it caused my eyes to swell shut. I ended up sleeping on their faux leather recliner w/ my coat and my coworkers coats. It was for two nights and they still charged me full price. 

I did receive a returned item, not from the Q, I think Macy's or JCP that had been laundered w/ some sort of scented detergent. I could smell it thru the plastic bag. It promptly went into a box in the garage and I had one of my sons return it to the store for me. The CS rep didn't even ask why it was being returned.  

[nova]

I guess I'm in the minority but I like the scent of Downy fabric softener on clothing.  I do understand though that some people just have different reactions to different scents.  While I was working I never wore perfume in the office.  To me that is much more pungent to other people than the smell of freshly laundered clothing and certain fragrances would enter the room before the person!  lol

[Duckncover]

I agree that many laundry additives are even advertised as lasting for weeks, even after washing. I think it is a reasonable request to ask people to refrain from using additives if they are returning something and I don't understand the snarky responses. Then additives are heavy in chemicals, artificial scents or perfume. DH has psoriasis that is under control with medication; he has a terrific derm who has been great in helping him manage it. She has emphasized more than once to avoid all laundry products with dyes and scents in them, as well as shampoos, soaps, etc. I use the free and clear products and he does just fine. We stayed overnight with family a few months ago and he woke up an hour after going to bed with hives and a red rash all over his legs and arms. We figured out since he had bare arms and legs it was only where his skin came into contact with the sheets...and found out his sister used detergent with dye and scents in it...and a scented additive that is advertised on tv frequently. If you want to use it, fine....but not everyone can use it. I know he is not the only one with this sensitivity, so OP is making a reasonable request. 

[kate2357]

---

@Duckncover wrote:

I agree that many laundry additives are even advertised as lasting for weeks, even after washing. I think it is a reasonable request to ask people to refrain from using additives if they are returning something and I don't understand the snarky responses. Then additives are heavy in chemicals, artificial scents or perfume. DH has psoriasis that is under control with medication; he has a terrific derm who has been great in helping him manage it. She has emphasized more than once to avoid all laundry products with dyes and scents in them, as well as shampoos, soaps, etc. I use the free and clear products and he does just fine. We stayed overnight with family a few months ago and he woke up an hour after going to bed with hives and a red rash all over his legs and arms. We figured out since he had bare arms and legs it was only where his skin came into contact with the sheets...and found out his sister used detergent with dye and scents in it...and a scented additive that is advertised on tv frequently. If you want to use it, fine....but not everyone can use it. I know he is not the only one with this sensitivity, so OP is making a reasonable request. 

---

OMG ... your post reminded me of when my lovely dil did laundry for my husband while I was traveling. For some reason, she took it to her house and used detergent that was not free and clear. My poor honey wears long briefs and he got a terrible rash from about his waist to mid thigh and everywhere in between. Who knew laundry could be so dangerous?

He did laugh about it after the dermititis rash went away. But he did say he would never let anyone do his laundry again. (He actually knows how to do his own, so not sure why my dil even volunteered).

[AuntG]

I'm not bothered by mild detergent scents, but Persil pods are just too strong. I'm guessing a extra rinse might help, but my machine does a spin rinse, followed by a full tub rinse and that should be adequate to tame those strong scents.

[eadu4]

@Catstamper While I understand and sympathize with your over sensitivity, the absence of smell is not necessarily "clean"- it's nothing.  And I would further argue that all laundry  including those "FREE" of scents give off a scent, as do washers and dryers passing on odors.

       I'm one of those horrible people that love a soft scent on my sheets and yes I do use scented items because my husband works with many different cleaners for his work and his clothes really do smell like chemicals.  I'm not as sensitive as you and I know there are people out there that despise, hate and say they have thrown up, spent days in bed, couldn't eat for days (yes I had a friend like that) and I understand.   But a LOT of the clothes that come from the Q have a very very strong chemical smell which I would think that would be far more off putting..  Many people have complained about that odor.  And I would think that after an item is returned (usually in a plastic bag) held in a warehouse somewhere, sorted with a bunch of other clothes, put back in another plastic bag and shipped to an outlet it would take on a whole bunch of other odors as well.  

    I am sorry you are that sensitive.  Everyone has odors they don't like, turn them off, make them sick etc.  It would be nice if we all smelled the same and had the same abilities with our noses. 

    Considering that most people try on items before they return them I would think you smell everything from their deoderant to their perfume, to lotions and bath soap on the clothes if they dont wash them before returning. Taking into account your severe sensitivity I'm not sure there's much we as millions of other consumers can do.  Again I sympathize but asking millions of us to buy an odor "free" detergent just to do a possible item we might need to return that you might wind up ordering and getting by chance is probably not going to happen.  

[Katcat1]

The only product I use occasionally is Downey fabric softener and it only lasts a short while and has the smell of clean.  Heavy scented fabrics take away from the perfume you wear.