Let me begin by saying that I was against the idea of this product. I wash my laundry far too frequently for them to need a freshener that lasts for weeks. But then, summer came and I left a load of laundry in the wash. By morning it was mildewed. Even with rewashing, the smell was still there. Enter Downy Unstopables.
I have severe nasal allergies that, despite my organic remedies, require two, count them, two nasal allergy sprays to control. As a result, I use EOS organic laundry detergent. It's dye and fragrance free. I also don't use bleach. So there was apprehension about using a product that will have me sneezing all day long.
When I approached the product on the shelf at Target, there were red tags everywhere. A 19.5 ounce canister was listed at $8.79, regular price. But if I purchased three I would get one free. So I had to spend $27 to save $9. No deal. But if I knew then what I know now, I would have done just that. Not only would I have been able to sample all of the scents shown above, but I wouldn't have run out so fast.
Not only was the price too high but I there wasn't a way to sample the fragrance before you buy it. There was no "scratch n' sniff" so I had to guess by the name and the color which scent was gentle enough for my laundry, and which scent wouldn't have the men in my home smelling like women.
When I used the product for the first time, I fumbled with it. There was a lid inside the lid. It is clearly intended for freshness but in my home, lids come here to disappear or be eaten by dogs. The instructions were simple, sprinkle as much or as little of the product you prefer into your wash. There are lines inside the clear, colored lid. I had a small load so I filled it to the lowest line. I smelled nothing when it came out of the washer or the dryer. Perhaps my mistake was pouring in the product before putting in the clothes. I had another small load to do, so this time I poured it on top of the load. That was three weeks ago and the fragrance has not faded. My son had a night time accident but didn't tell me until the next day. So I really needed this product that day. This was a large load. I measured to the larger line and didn't fill my standard washer above the indicated mark. I could smell the Lush beads but the laundry still smelled like hard water and faint traces of urine. I washed it again without adding more of the product. I could still smell the Lush, but not as well.
I had another mildew incident. This time there was a load in the washer and a load in the dryer. I washed the first load by measuring the Lush up to the top line. I could still smell the mildew. I didn't bother to measure the product on the second load. I poured a full capful. FINALLY, I got a nice outcome. It was such a nice smell. It didn't aggravate my allergies. But I could sometimes smell the laundry when I entered the room. On a really hot day, when I forgot to wear deodorant (it happens), I could still smell the freshness of the product in my clothes.
I would buy the product again if it weren't for the price. You really do need an entire capful for each load whether large or small. But then again, I could only afford one fragrance. The others may be stronger. Each capful is about 2 ounces. After about 9 washes, the canister is empty. I know that Walmart has an Equate product like this for only $6.59 but I will never shop there. I recommend this product if you use a Free and Clear laundry detergent. That way, you're only adding it to certain loads of laundry like your own, or the linens for example. If you are using this for every load, you're wasting your money. It would be cheaper to buy the fabric softener.
Perhaps the invention of the Downy Unstopables Dryer Bar is on the horizon.
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