I for won do not understand the current trend towards "scent" laundering

[NotHardly]

Was it not a trend for the last 20+ years that "perfuming or over-perfuming sh*t" would cause problems for breathing, asthma , and other related illnesses?
Have they lost their ever loving minds or simply stupid regarding other folks sensibilities? Asking for a friend who hates man/woman over powering perform sh*t?

[yorkster]

2. I even like some perfumes, but can't stand

the strong smell of some dryer sheets and laundry detergent.

It has been a thing forever and I wish it would disappear.
Haven't worn perfume for several years, but always used it very sparingly.

[ProfessorGAC]

25. Especially Gain

Overpowering scent.
I worked on projects with P&G and knew that Gain was regional. The south loved it, even over Tide. The rest of the country was Tide; maybe Cheer for the slightly lower cost.
Now, they've managed to market the Gain scent nationwide that there are mon-laundry products with that scent.
I don't like it at all.
I'm not nuts about fabric softener sheet fragrances either.
Funny thing is, I worked on a project early in my career to optimize the average molecular weight (blend of amine chain lengths) of the active ingredient for, you guessed it, fabric softener sheets! I won't even use them.

[jmbar2]

38. I've always wondered about the environmental aspects of "scent-beads"

If the scent sticks to fabrics post-wash, is it like a forever chemical in the environment?

[ProfessorGAC]

44. Probably Not

Most fragrance compounds are esters, aldehydes & ketone.
Those are all biodegradable.
In fact, having been in flavor & fragrance plants, well over 50% of them are extracted from flowers, fruits & herbs. Those that are synthesized are still those same set of species or some sort of phenolic. Again; biodegradable.
The beads (educated guess) are made of polyethylene glycol (probably 8-10,000 molecular weight) and PEG is readily biodegradable. The ether linkages are pretty easy to break with the bacterial enzymes.
I can't guarantee any of this opinion but with my background I'm pretty darned certain I have this right.

[jmbar2]

46. I respect your scientific knowledge!

We have distinguished folks on DU. Thanks.

[3catwoman3]

64. No matter how obscure and specialized...

…the topic, there is someone on DU who has expertise in it.

[EarthAbides]

53. I was in California

And I loved Gain back in the 90's. When I would get out my winter clothes or my summer clothes after they were put away for a few months, the scent was amazing. But it is not the same, now, I have been trying to get that fresh scent back, but it is no where to be found. Is it the Gain or is it the new appliances available now?

[diane in sf]

3. I absolutely hate that toxic shit.

[ProfessorGAC]

45. What Toxic Shit?

Which fragrance compounds are toxic?
I know of none, and with my background I would know of those that are toxic.
What do you know that I don't? I've never heard of a toxic compound in a fragrance.

[jmbar2]

47. European product safety standards have identified toxic compounds in scents.

This is for contact allergens
https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_102.pdf

Here's another from June 2025 (AI summary)

Key Chemicals of Concern for Respiratory Exposure
-Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Fragrances release VOCs, which can form harmful secondary pollutants like formaldehyde, worsening indoor air quality and triggering respiratory issues, notes the American Lung Association and NYS DOH.
-Aldehydes: Some, like cinnamaldehyde, are restricted in the EU due to potential to cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and cancer.
-Phthalates (e.g., DBP): Endocrine disruptors banned in the EU for broader health concerns, but also contribute to poor air quality.
-Known Sensitizers: Ingredients like benzyl salicylate, citral, and isoeugenol are identified as contact allergens, with some shown in studies to potentially induce respiratory sensitization in sensitive individuals.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412025002818#:~:text=As%20of%202023%2C%2056%20fragrance,IFRA%20and%20RIFM%2C%202023).

[womanofthehills]

54. Phthalates, parabens, synthetic musks, VOCs, terpines, benzene, aldehyde etc

8 Dangerous Ingredients in Perfumes (Watch Out!)
-

https://scienceintheworld.com/mind-body/09846289/2025/05/dangerous-ingredients-perfume/

“How fragrances affect health, and ways to reduce exposure” -


“WHEN WE INHALE the fragrances that surround us in our everyday lives, we might be inhaling hundreds of different chemicals. These scents aren’t closely regulated, and manufacturers aren’t required to disclose everything that’s used to create them.

But we do know that many include volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which can be irritating and disruptive to our airways and have a number of other negative health effects. We also know that when we breathe in fragrances, we’re breathing in particles small enough to cross the lining of our blood vessels and make their way into our bloodstreams.

We find fragrances not just in perfumes and colognes, but air fresheners, soaps and shampoos, deodorants, laundry detergents and dryer sheets, bug sprays and e-cigarettes, and the list goes on.”

“ What are potential long-term health effects of fragrances?

Difficulty breathing
Changes in cardiac function, specifically in the heart’s ability to pump
Disruption to the endocrine system, which regulates hormones
Increases in glucose levels, similar to those in people with type two diabetes, a risk that can be passed from pregnant women to offspring
Based on early research, possible exacerbation of dementia
Certain cancers, with high, prolonged, continuous exposure to some compounds”

[BootinUp]

69. I have a theory about how these stories develop, it goes like this

say you have a compound that does contain a toxic substance and also contains a non-toxic fragrance. Some labs do an analysis and some journalists turn the findings into various stories. Those stories may or may not paint an accurate picture of the findings.

[Mz Pip]

4. I hate scented detergent.

What’s the point? And most of the fragrances are just nasty.

[womanofthehills]

55. All stores now sell FREE of scent laundry detergent

Even Walmart has a scent free section.

What gets me is the scented garbage bags. Sometimes in my small town if I run out. I can’t find unscented and have to keep my trash bags outside to descent in the sun.

[stopdiggin]

5. chill, man. while you are entitled to your personal preference and/or aversion ...

It's also undeniably true that human beings have been 'scenting' their persons, their attire, their surroundings, their ceremonies, food and drink ... Pretty much since - forever.

Yes, there are extremes (aren't there always?) - and no one is wishing an asthma attack or anaphylactic shock on you or anyone else. But, still ... A little light fragrance on a bar of soap, dish washing liquid - laundry detergent - or the little doohickey hanging from the mirror in your car. Is neither new - or particularly subversive. And those that are not particular fans - are (in general) expected to put up with the lifestyle and preferences of others.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[jmbar2]

9. Actually, about 30% of the population ihas adverse health effects or irritation from scented products.

That's why scents are generally banned in clinics, hospitals, theaters, schools, courtrooms, and offices.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4627866/
https://www.portland.gov/officeofequity/disability/fragrance-free-spaces

I was unable to live in my apartment due to excessive use of aromatherapy by a neighbor. I developed health issues that worsened over several years of exposure until it became unbearable. Had to sleep in my car for about a year until I could find a scent-free place to move. I no longer have the symptoms where I live now.

it can literally destroy people's lives.

[stopdiggin]

13. Bullshit. Sorry for your (individual) difficulties

But to frame dish washing liquid (and underarm deodorant) as a global crisis cause major health difficulties .... Not only not buying it - but it literally screams hyperbole.

Like I said - we literally evolved adding 'scent' to our lives - (while gaining both esthetic and practical benefit .. ).
( Now queue the people that are going to explain how fundamentally different using sage - or patchouli - in a healing ceremony - or lemon blossom and lavender in washing one's hair ... The cedar chips in the clothes press and closet - lavender sachet in the sock drawer ... Because 'natural chemicals' verses 'man made' ... Yeah, right ... )

[jmbar2]

18. That was a big leap to dishwashing liquid and deodorant...

Seems kind of hyperbolic.

[stopdiggin]

19. the OP is literal a rant against scented laundry detergent

(and other 'power performs' ?)
it really is no leap at all.

[CTyankee]

24. my guess is that the OP has greater sensitivity to scented stuff than we do.

It's OK to tell us and blow off a bit of steam about it. I guess I might do that too, if I were similarly affected. Or maybe I just don't get out that much.

[Ms. Toad]

33. Not really.

In the community I participate in which is fragrance-free, I can't use Dawn dishwashing liquid to entertain the 0-3 year olds with bubbles because of fragrance. (That brand, specifically, makes a solution which is strong enough to make bubbles around a foot across.). Fragrance (including masking scents) in deodorant are also specifically banned.

[haele]

40. I am allergic to some chemical drying accelerants.

MEK, some PCBs, Epoxy accelerants, cleaning solvents, and some scent " enhancers ". To the point of passing out respiratory and migraine type allergic reactions.
Came from years of constant exposure working in an industrial environment.

Considering how many kids have grown up with constant complex chemical enhancement, it's not surprising there's an increase of allergic reaction to supposedly simple or common components of modern life.

[jmbar2]

42. You've got me thinking...

Length of prior exposure to chemicals could be a factor. I grew up in Houston, and a lot of my adult career was working for the oil & gas industry. I wasn't close to the refineries very often, but they definitely affected Houston's air at times.

A big part of safety training was following regulations on Exposure Limits to various chemicals. There were different levels of exposure limits to be able to safely endure a specific substance without experiencing any adverse health effects.
-Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL)
-Threshold Limit Value (TLV) Max exposure over a lifetime
-Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
-Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
-Time-Weighted Average (TWA)
-Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
-Ceiling Exposure Value (CEV)
https://surehire.com/blog/2023/07/05/7-essential-exposure-limit-terms-that-all-employers-should-understand/#:~:text=A%20TWA%20exposure%20limit%20uses,Term%20Exposure%20Value%20(STEV).

These limits are supposed to be determined by rigorous testing. However, the perfume industry is exempt from this testing. Makes me think that prior chemical exposures might indeed contribute to reactions to chemicals in perfumes, but there is no science on it.

[femmedem]

49. There is plenty of evidence that fragrances lower air quality and pose health risks.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10051690/#:~:text=However%2C%20because%20fragrances%20and%20formula,and%20negatively%20affecting%20human%20health.

Even in baby products! From the linked article:
In a study of 42 fragranced baby products, over six hundred emitted VOCs were detected, of which approximately one-third are potentially hazardous. These VOCs comprised different chemical classes but predominated the fragrance compounds limonene, α-pinene, linalool, β-myrcene β-pinene, and acetaldehyde (additive/fragrance), and the solvents (ethanol, acetone).

And even in products labeled as green or natural:
"...For instance, Potera [48] pointed out that “Scented Products Emit a Bouquet of VOCs”, with over a hundred VOCs found in dozens of “green”, “natural”, or “organic” PCHPs, of which more than twenty of them classified as “toxic” or “hazardous”, but none disclosed on products labels, except for one product. The most frequent VOCs found were terpenes (limonene, α- and β-pinene), ethanol, acetone, and carcinogenic chemicals like acetaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, or methylene chloride. In an experimental determination with cleaning products and air fresheners containing terpenoids and glycol ethers in a ventilated controlled 50 m3 room, the concentrations of d-limonene, dihydromyrcenol, linalool, linalyl acetate, and beta-citronellol emitted were several times higher (~35–180 mg/day during three days) than the air (average air concentration ~30–160 μg/m3) when the products were in use [34]. Glycol ethers are regulated toxic air contaminants, and terpenes can react with ozone to form secondary pollutants."

[stopdiggin]

52. the question isn't whether fragrence(s) are 'detectible' (Duh!)

The question centers around whether these traces are lowering quality of life (or, as is being bruited about in places on this thread - actually endangering) large swaths of the human population. And there is very, very little evidence for that. While a competing great deal of evidence exists that we have been using 'fragrances' - to both esthetic and concrete benefit - for a long, long time.

It kind of boils down to - if you don't like scented dish washing soap (or shampoo) - that's fine, then avoid them. But the idea that it is incumbent on me to stop using them (or they should be banned from the marketplace) - because of your preference ... Doesn't really stand.

[RockCreek]

57. Would you call a peanut allergy a "preference"?

[stopdiggin]

59. no. nor would I have any expectation that other people were going to stop using/consuming them

or that they would (or should) be removed from the marketplace.

But thanks for providing a very concrete and apt analogy - where one thing does not beget the other.

[RockCreek]

67. So you have never been on an airplane when people were asked not to consume any

due to someone with a severe allergy on board?

[femmedem]

68. The difference is, if I eat peanuts in a restaurant, it doesn't affect anyone else.

But if I wear something scented in that same restaurant, it does affect other people with allergies or sensitivities. They can't escape it unless they leave the restaurant. And in some people's cases, even if they leave the restaurant quickly, it's too late: it's already going to trigger an asthma attack or a migraine.

[Ms. Toad]

31. I have literally never been to a clinic, school, hospital, theater, or office

Which bans scents.

I have many friends who are sensitive, so it is something I encounter regularly - so it isn't that I am oblivious to the concept. The only place I go regularly which is fragrance-free is a week-long gathering which takes place on a different college campus each year. None of these schools are fragrance-free before we arrive, and all return to their fragranced state when we leave. One of the jobs is the advance team is to distribute fragrance-free soap to all bathrooms in the portion of the campus we are in using, and to remove the fragranced soaps - it if they can't be removed to post signs that remind members of the community not to use them.

Off the top of my head, I can name 8 states from coast to coast where we've been, so it isn't just that my state doesn't ban fragrances in its schools.

[femmedem]

50. My dentist's office has a sign at the entrance saying it's a fragrance-free office

and requesting that people not use scented products before coming in.

[womanofthehills]

60. When I was in the hospital for surgery fo a broken leg

A nurse came into my room with so much perfume I instantly felt my throat tighten - I called desk and complained and requested a different nurse. No problem - she never came in my room again.

[femmedem]

35. My husband has asthma. The last time we visited a local gallery we had to leave

because of someone's perfume that lingered in any room she passed through. He's had to go to ER three times in the last few months because of his inability to breathe.

And scented products trigger migraines for me.

Laundry products are particularly bad. I bought a secondhand sweater online and haven't been able to wear it because it arrived scented with something that hasn't faded after washing it several times and letting it air out for several months.

[womanofthehills]

56. Wrong - so many people now have sensitivity to even tiny scents

Many people now have multiple chemical sensitivity where a tiny perfume scent in a closed car can send them into an anaphylactic reaction. I am one of them.

For me - when my city unlawfully sprayed outlawed malathion for mosquitoes at night up and down streets for mosquitoes control 3 nights in a row -my whole neighborhood got sick and some of us got multiple chemical sensitivity. Organophosphate pesticides can mess with your bronchials causing cells to die,and reactive airway disease, mess with digestion and screw up your nervous system. I could not leave my house for almost a yr or any scents or smells like car exhaust could cause a reaction. I’f you search social media - thousands of people are on the chemical sensitivity sites.

I had to move way out in the country to recover 90%.

[womanofthehills]

58. Since forever, most scents didn't have VOC's and lots of other toxic chemicals

Just like how our food is now so adulterated and crap so are many cosmetics, perfumes etc. We are so screwed - putting toxic chemicals on our bodies and clothes.

[bamagal62]

6. I buy unscented everything.

Scented things break me out. Plus, I’m a super smeller. So, perfumes/scents overwhelm me.

[womanofthehills]

63. I had bad multiple chemical sensitivity for yrs

Unable to even walk down the detergent aisle at a grocery store. People with MCS have enhanced sense of smell. I think it might be a body warning system. When people with Covid could not smell - it made wonder why people with MCS had the opposite-enhanced smell. Having enhanced smell was weird - I could even tell women who were menstruating. As I improved, my smell turned to normal.

[Bev54]

7. Agree completely, from someone who is allergic to many cheap perfumes and colognes.

It is really difficult sometimes as they wear so much it lingers after they are long gone. I can't even go into some drug stores as they make you walk through the cosmetic section to get to the rest of the store.

[Morbius]

8. It's kind of pricey, too.

I think it's just another way to separate fools from their money. It isn't necessary. Clothes that are clean don't smell bad. Clothes that aren't clean aren't going to smell nice no matter how much one spends on washing additives.

[Ms. Toad]

29. Actually, you have to pay more for unscented products.

I'm in a community that is attentive to scents once a year, so I have to have supplies for the week that are fragrance- and scent-masking-free. Those products are considerably more expensive than what I normally use.

Same with unbleached flour.

They charge you more not to add the extra ingredient or take the extra step.

[Marie Marie]

10. I stand in the laundry aisle and open every type of product I want to buy and smell it.

I do like a scent IF it is fresh smelling, faint, subtle and not overpowering. Some products even have a "meter" with scent strength printed on the box.

[summer_in_TX]

11. We have lots of chemically sensitive people in our community because it wasn't used for farming.

So it never had fertilizers or pesticides applied. Our friend Patsy moved here from Houston after she became ill from the petrochemicals so prevalent in Houston (her husband was in the oil and gas industry). Once she got well enough to do so, she joined our church and became active in it.

A lovely, brilliant human being. We learned so much about what before was routine. Perfumes were out, although essential oils were okay. But I didn't care enough about it to risk it for her. We learned to hang our dry cleaning out to air for days before we wore it anywhere around her, and to use unscented laundry detergent as well as organic household cleaners. We switched to using white vinegar for the most part.

Once we got used to paying attention to chemical odors, I realized that I myself would instantly switch from feeling in tip top shape to not feeling great in the presence of certain chemicals. Patsy has been gone some twenty years, but we have never resumed using anything that could be toxic.

Our church built an enclosed room with a separate air system when we built our new sanctuary so that others would be able to come to services without being exposed to harmful chemicals. Those who come can be safe and see and hear everything through floor to ceiling glass walls.

[jmbar2]

17. Wow - what a wonderful church to construct such a safe space

I lived most of my life in Houston. Maybe that had something to do with my later sensitivities as well.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. I have asthma and when my mother went out someplace special, she always wore perfume

So if I rode in the car with her it affected me a lot.

[James48]

14. I'm very sensitive to scents

I was in a hotel yesterday. I think they use some kind of scented powder on the carpeting. It’s so strong I can TASTE the scent of that kind of perfumed scent.

If it is strong, I gag really bad. Even had to have special care with scented talcum or body powder.

[Intractable]

15. I was allergic to my fifth grade teacher.

It was the perfume.

In my retirement community, at the "shows," there's always someone in the audience with too much perfume.

That's one reason I stopped going. The other reason is that they are never any good!

[CTyankee]

16. Remember sachet? It was put in with your clothes in a drawer. Nice, light scent, not overdone....

[milestogo]

20. Scented garbage bags are the worst.

I don't want my garbage to smell at all.

[jmowreader]

21. "Scent" laundering has a very long history

Back in the day, adding lavender to your rinse water was considered the height of luxury.

[Nittersing]

22. I don't have sensitivities, nor am I a "super-smeller"

but just walking down the detergent aisle, it's overpowering. And now, in our store, you have to wait around for a clerk to come and unlock it.

[Polybius]

23. Has something changed?

I notice no difference. Do Gen Z's use more?

[Irish_Dem]

26. I agree, for people with allergies it can become unbearable and detrimental to their health.

I bought some scented laundry soap and garbage bags by mistake.
And had to give them away.
They were making me ill.

[ProfessorGAC]

27. What Trend Are You Talking About?

There have been unscented variants of household products since early in my career, so we're talking over 40 years.
But, the vast majority of those products have been scented.
Some more than others; even to the point of objectionable.
But, there was no "trend" in industry to eliminate fragrances for health issues.
In fact, there's questionable science behind the claims in your OP.
Most fragrances have an olfactory thresholds far below the level that pose a health risk to all but a tiny fraction of the population.
There's a difference between annoying & irritating, and an even bigger difference between irritating & health risk.
You don't like too much fragrance? I get it. I'm not nuts about most of them myself.
But, your reasons seem misplaced & your making claims that just aren't accurate.

[Mossfern]

34. I don't agree

For me it's not about not liking a particular scent. Most perfumes and scented products give me a horrendous headache. I have the feeling that it's not the "smell" at all, but most likely some sort of chemical fixative that's added to the scent.

I have no issue with essential oils and there are a few toilet waters that I can tolerate.
We use unscented laundry products in our household.

The best perfume there is, is fresh air and sunshine.
I washed diapers when my kids were babies and hung them out on the line to dry.
Folding diapers became one of my most favorite "chores" because of that wonderful fragrance.

It's a very cruel lie when products are labeled with such false advertising that the scent is something like "fresh linen."
Perhaps it's not merely allergies to fragrances, but sensitivities to chemicals used to fix those scents.

I am not sensitive to many scented soaps - as a matter of fact Yardley's Lavender soap is my favorite. It reminds me of my childhood when my mom would put lavender sachets in our dresser drawers.

[Mossfern]

51. Did somebody say something mean?

I didn't catch the reply.


I didn't think there was anything offensive about my post.

[womanofthehills]

66. "Health Effects of Fragrance Exposure "- 34% of US responders

“Health Effects of Fragrance Exposure”
- California Air Resources Board

“

Exposure to fragrance compounds in consumer products has been associated with health issues, including migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, as reported by over 34% of surveyed respondents in the United States (Steinemann, 2016). Fragrance chemicals can lead to acute or chronic health effects. Studies indicate they are present in household dust, thereby posing a risk of secondary exposure through inhalation or ingestion, and are of particular concern for young children. Multiple chemical sensitivity, characterized by a range of acute and chronic symptoms, has been linked to exposure to fragrance chemicals in consumer products.”

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/consumer-products-program/complying-regulations/fragrance-use-consumer-products

[Ziggysmom]

28. Wool dryer balls are awesome and work better for me than dryer sheets with no odor, static

and less wrinkling. To each his own 😊. I do like a natural lavender scent but don’t like Gain or detergent scents.

[Niagara]

37. I use wool dryer balls

What I like about them:


No sneeze inducing scents, drying loads takes way less time in the dryer (as long as the wool balls behave), eco-friendly, natural and chemical free laundry helper.



What I dislike about them:


When they misbehave and get caught into the corners of a fitted bed sheet or get stuck in pants or arm sleeves. Also, When I take a load out of the dryer and the balls come out with the load and roll down the floor and I have to chase it down.


I still have a bit of clothing static to deal with in the winter months with wool dryer balls but it's not terrible. These balls are still way better than laundry softener and sheets.

[Ziggysmom]

48. I experience the same misbehaving with mine. Also my cats love them! They steal them

and hide away and nibble & drool on them LOL

[hvn_nbr_2]

30. Off topic but tangential: scented and flavored dental floss

Why in the world does dental floss have to have mint flavor? I floss to get stuff out of my mouth, not to put flavors into my mouth.

[QED]

32. I had a bad skin reaction to scented dryer sheets.

Since then, I use unscented detergent and fabric softener. I was using white vinegar as a fabric softener - not sure why I stopped using it. It worked fine and is inexpensive. I also use unscented soaps and lotions.

[viva la]

36. Makes me sneeze.

[BootinUp]

39. I sincerely doubt that venting about it will have any lasting impact.

But knock yourself out.

[Blues Heron]

41. It's gross. Thankfully more and more people are going free and clear. Unscented options are the way to go.

The worst is if the person before you used that nasty scented crap and then it gets all over your clothes.

[GoCubsGo]

61. It was way worse when powdered detergents were common.

I couldn't even walk down the laundry aisle in the grocery store without my eyes watering, and without a headache. I don't understand the need to perfume one's laundry, either. I suspect it's part of the whole marketing trend that has everyone convinced that they stink, and that it needs to be covered up. Hence the Lume/Mando and other "whole body" deodorants, etc. trend, among others.

[mamacita75]

62. Scenting everything!

I have wondered by the 33-gallon trash bags are being scented. It is just outdoor trash and yardwork I put in them, and the smell is unpleasant.