How to Make Your Laundry Smell Good (a ton of easy tricks!)

| |

How to make your laundry smell amazing! The secret to great smelling laundry, and tips for making your washing smell better, so you and your clothes smell fresh all the time!

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

Ever wash your clothes, only to wonder why they STILL don’t smell fresh?

Whether it’s that awful musty smell from leaving them in the washer for days, or just all the bad smells and unpleasant odors that go along with daily life, stinky laundry is quite a drag!

After all, you wash them so they smell better, right?

If you’re wondering how to make your laundry smell good (and keep it smelling fresh for longer), check out these amazing-smelling laundry secrets!

You May Also Like:

This post may contain affiliate links. You can view my full disclosure policy here.

How to Make Your Laundry Smell Good

1. Remove existing odors

One of the secrets to great smelling laundry is getting rid of the bad odors first.

After all, we want even our dirty clothes to smell like clean clothes if possible.

Here are some of the best ways to make your laundry smell better NATURALLY!

2. Tackle musty smells

If you left your laundry in the washer for far too long (we’ve all done it!), it’ll most likely still smell musty and stinky after you dry it.

If you have a problem with your clothes not smelling fresh after drying, try this!

Here’s how to get rid of musty odor:

  • Fill your washing machine with water at the hottest setting your clothes will tolerate
  • Add 1 cup of white vinegar to water
  • Let your clothes (or towels) soak in there for 10 minutes
  • Rewash your load as usual with detergent, adding 1 cup of baking soda
  • If you wish, use good smelling fabric softener to add scent

Quick Tip: If you know in advance that you won’t be able to quickly move your clothes into the dryer after washing, add a few drops of lavender essential oil. (It has anti-mold properties that will prevent the musty smell.)

Don’t worry, your laundry won’t have a lavender or vinegar smell!

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

3. Pretreat smelly stains

Maybe your clothing odor is coming from a particular stain (such as one you received while changing a dirty diaper).

In that case, mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a little water, just until a paste forms. Apply this paste to the offending stain to spot treat.

Let it sit for 10 minutes before running the washing machine.

For especially smelly clothes, don’t put them in your hamper to mix in with other clothing. Just wash them immediately, or as soon as possible!

💡 Quick tip: One things that really helps me keep the house clean is a solid plan. Check out this insanely helpful cleaning planner – with daily and weekly checklists, spring + fall checklists, and room by room checklists – to make sure it all gets DONE.

Click here to grab your copy of the Cleaning Planner!

4. Use odor eliminating products

If you’re less concerned with using only natural ingredients and methods, try these odor eliminating products in the washer as your stinky laundry solution.

That way, your clean laundry will have a fresh scent, but not smell like air freshener.

Odor eliminating detergents & boosters:

Now that you’ve removed any bad odors from your clothes, you can add good smells to your laundry!

Make your laundry smell amazing

5. How to keep your clothes smelling like fabric softener

If you want your clothes to always have that ‘just washed’ scent and smell like laundry soap or fabric softener, you need a strong smelling detergent.

The best products to make laundry smell good:

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

6. Use a great smelling fabric softener

In addition to a nice smelling detergent, adding a scented fabric softener strengthens the good scent, reduces static and can make your laundry feel softer against your skin.

Some of the best smelling fabric softeners are:

7. Use an in-wash scent booster

I’ve been loving to use the Snuggle Laundry Scent Boosters and Gain Fireworks Scent Crystals, especially in my loads of towels and sheets.

It’s just a way to add another layer of good smells to your laundry.

I highly recommend them if you want to keep your clothes smelling like fabric softener.


If you prefer more natural products and frugal ways to make your laundry smell good, here’s how to DIY your fabric softener!

8. Make your own dryer sheets

How to make DIY dryer sheets

  • Cut a small piece of cotton from a t-shirt or sheet
  • Wet it and add drop 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil (such as lavender or eucalyptus)
  • Place in the dryer with your load for the last 10 minutes of dry time
  • Reuse over and over!

Important Note: When using essential oils in the dryer, the possibility for fire exists. Please do your own research if you plan to use essential oils in the dryer.

If you’re concerned, make the DIY fabric softener below, and soak your homemade dryer sheets in that solution instead of using oils.

RELATED: Overwhelmed by Laundry? 17 Tricks to Shrink Your Laundry Piles Faster

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

9. How to make DIY liquid fabric softener

To make homemade fabric conditioner, combine the following in a small jar, spray bottle, or similar container:

  • 6 cups water
  • 3 cups vinegar
  • 2 cups good-smelling hair conditioner 

Add ¼ cup to your washing machine for each load

Or if you have hard water:

  • Combine 1 cup baking soda and 2 cups hot water (until baking soda is just moistened)
  • Slowly add in 1 cup white vinegar
  • Add essential oils if desired

Add ¼ cup to your washing machine for each load

10. How to make DIY scented crystals

In a small container, add:

  • 2 cups of epsom salt (or coarse sea salt)
  • 20-30 drops essential oils (stir well!)

Add 2-3 tablespoons to the rinse cycle of your laundry load

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

Now that we’ve looked at a bunch of things to make your laundry smell good, let’s check out some tips to KEEP your clothes smelling amazing.

11. How to keep your clothes smelling good for a long time

  • Use scented sachets in your drawers and closets. They’re also a natural deodorizer!
  • Keep a humidity remover (or open box of baking soda) in your closet
  • Don’t throw wet clothes or even damp clothes in your hamper. Let them air dry first! Your hamper can be a breeding ground for unwanted smells.
  • Spray your clothes with a fabric refresher (or make your own spray with essential oils).
  • Don’t leave your clothes in a pile if you’re planning to rewear them. Hang up so they can air out.
  • Keep your house smelling good, or your clothes will pick up the odors.

How to make clothes smell good fast: If you don’t have time to wash (but want to freshen) your clothes, toss them in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet (like Gain) for 5 minutes.

A big part of making your laundry smell good is to make sure your washing machine itself doesn’t stink.

Here are some tips for keeping it odor free!

12. How to get rid of washing machine smells

A dirty washing machine can cause an unpleasant smell and contribute to that dirty clothes smell.

Here’s how to make your washing machine smell better:

  • Use less detergent and fabric softener in HE (high efficiency) machines. Because less water is used in the wash cycle of these machines, using too much detergent and softener cling to the inside, leading to that awful musty smell. (Remember that detergent is concentrated, so you don’t need as much as you might think!)
  • Use smaller loads. A great way to ensure that the clothes and machine rinse thoroughly is to reduce the size of the load of laundry.
  • For best results, leave the washing machine door open after running a load until the inside is dry. You don’t want to trap moisture. That always leads to bad odors and a funky washing machine smell.
  • Use OxiClean Washing Machine Cleaner with Odor Blasters  monthly to thoroughly clean your washing machine and blast that stink away.

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

As a bonus, here are more easy ways to make your laundry smell good and get your laundry room under control!

Laundry Tips & Tricks:

  • Launder your towels separately from clothing to prevent musty smells. It also helps you avoid getting lint all over your clothes.
  • Don’t overfill the washer with a super-huge load. It’s better to do 2 loads so things can rinse properly.
  • Put water and detergent in first, before adding clothes. 
  • Remove clothing from the washer and dryer quickly after load is done. I like to use a timer to remind myself to go change the load, or finish the job.
  • Use wool dryer balls to dry your clothes faster. It saves on your utility bill, and softens your laundry.
  • Make sure your clothes are completely dry before putting them away. If they are even a little bit damp, put them back in the dryer til completely dry.


Ready to make your washing smell better?

I hope these tips for how to make your laundry smell good will really help you in your laundry-doing endeavors going forward.

These stinky laundry solutions are actually super easy to do, and work whether you like scented products or doing things the natural way.

Keeping your clothes smelling fresh is actually pretty easy when you adjust how you do the laundry a bit.

Your clothing can keep a nice smell when you follow these simple steps, and you can breathe in a refreshing breath next time you open your closet or dresser drawer.

Cheers to amazing smelling laundry!

P.S. Don’t forget to grab the Ultimate Home Cleaning Planner to stay organized!

Be sure to also check out:

How to make your laundry smell good! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution!

Tired of your clothes not smelling fresh? Try these tips to make laundry smell good, and start smelling amazing all the time! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution! These easy tips and tricks have tons of easy laundry hacks, including natural laundry detergent diy and the best smelling laundry detergent and fabric softener. Laundry tips and tricks life hacks, laundry tips and tricks smell and cleaning hacks.

Tired of your clothes not smelling fresh? Try these tips to make laundry smell good, and start smelling amazing all the time! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution! These easy tips and tricks have tons of easy laundry hacks, including natural laundry detergent diy and the best smelling laundry detergent and fabric softener. Laundry tips and tricks life hacks, laundry tips and tricks smell and cleaning hacks. Tired of your clothes not smelling fresh? Try these tips to make laundry smell good, and start smelling amazing all the time! All the secret ways to make your clothes smell amazing naturally, and for longer. Here's your stinky laundry solution! These easy tips and tricks have tons of easy laundry hacks, including natural laundry detergent diy and the best smelling laundry detergent and fabric softener. Laundry tips and tricks life hacks, laundry tips and tricks smell and cleaning hacks.

Similar Posts