6/14/2024
P&G Myth-Busting Series: Debunking Laundry Day Hacks
One of our P&G Laundry Experts shares tips to level up your laundry game.
P&G laundry expert, Senior Scientist Sammy W., is sharing her favorite tips to make laundry day easier!
“As a laundry scientist, I like to take good care of my clothes and also take small, practical steps throughout the week so that laundry day isn’t as daunting,” said Sammy. “I keep mesh bags and multiple hampers in my closet to help pre-sort dirty laundry by different color loads. When Sunday laundry day rolls around, my laundry loads are already sorted, and I can easily customize the products I want to use for each load.”
Myth: The best way to get rid of odor from laundry is to add in vinegar!
Bust: False. Downy Rinse & Refresh is a breakthrough clarifying fabric rinse that dissolves and breaks down buildup on clothes and is a more effective way to fight odor. Just ¼ cup is more effective at removing odors than 5 times the amount of vinegar. It also works differently than detergent, giving you 3 times as much odor-fighting power as detergent alone.
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“While you may have heard of using hacks like vinegar in the wash to fight odors, vinegar is not as powerful on tough odors and isn’t designed to withstand the conditions in the laundry process,” said Sammy. “Downy Rinse and Refresh is safe on all fabrics and is specially designed to be used in the washer to help remove odors and leave clothes smelling fresh.”
Myth: Using scent beads is hard and they don’t even last long.
Bust: False. Scent beads have both instant and long-lasting freshness technology for all day freshness right out of the dryer and even for up to 12 weeks of storage.
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“I love fresh-smelling clothes! Scent beads are essentially freshness boosters that are fully dissolvable in the wash and give your fabrics both instant and long-lasting freshness,” shared Sammy. “Whether you love bold scents or airier scents, there are options for everyone looking for the confidence of all-day freshness for your clothes.”
Pro-tip from Sammy: Use Downy Rinse & Refresh with scent beads for both odor removal and long-lasting freshness.
Myth: Fabric softeners are confusing and not really needed.
Bust: False! Just like hair conditioner softens and smooths your hair, using Downy Fabric Softener makes clothes softer by conditioning fabric fibers. By conditioning clothes, Downy also protects them against fading, fuzz, and stretching.
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“Downy isn’t just about softer-feeling clothes; it’s about caring for your fabrics. Downy is released in the rinse phase of the wash process to condition, soften and freshen clothes after they’ve been cleaned by detergent in the wash phase,” said Sammy.
Myth: Dryer balls and dryer sheets work the same way.
Bust: False!
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In this video, Sammy shows us why laundry sticks together after coming out of the dryer. To help make your laundry less clingy, Sammy says to use dryer sheets to fight static and soften clothes better than wool dryer balls.
“Wool dryer balls don’t fight static like dryer sheets do because they don’t contain anti-static ingredients — it’s kind of like throwing balled up wool socks in the dryer,” explained Sammy. “Dryer sheets have anti-static agents and conditioners that reduce static better than wool dryer balls.”
Sammy’s Laundry Routine
We had to know what Sammy’s laundry day routine looks like.
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“I always wash my laundry in cold water and follow this order:
- Tide Hygienic Clean Power Pods at the bottom of the washer before clothes go in.
- Followed by scent beads in the bottom of the washer before clothes go in.
- Add Downy Rinse and Refresh to the fabric softener drawer for extra stinky clothes like workout gear.
- After the washer cycle is over, I toss in a Bounce Dryer Sheet and run the dryer.
I’ll switch up my scent beads depending on my mood, but one of my favorites is the Downy Light White Lavender scent!”
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