Downy Simple Pleasures Vanilla & Lavender
[This review has been corrected, I initially thought the product was Tide detergent, turns out it’s actually Downy fabric softener. I still really like it, though, so the sentiment remains.]
You know how some people’s houses just smell kind of…funny? And if you stay very long, your own clothes pick up the same smell, just like the smoky residue from a bar – but instead of the whiff of ghost-cigarettes, you’ve got this weirdly intimate clinging odor of someone’s home?
I know I’m not the only person that notices these things, so stop looking at me like that.
The way a house smells is important to me, especially with a dog and a baby hanging around the place. I would hate for someone to come visit and think, “Hmm, essences of Labrador…with a top note of dirty diaper.” So I like stinky candles, and little homey tricks for making things smell nice, but I also really, really like this Downy “Simple Pleasures” Vanilla and Lavender fabric softener.
The type of laundry soap you choose definitely makes a significant olfactory contribution to your home. It permeates your linens, your clothes, and if your washer and dryer are centrally located like ours, the whole house picks up the soapy smells when you’re doing laundry. I once bought some cheapo powder brand and everything smelled like Windex until I finally threw it out.
Now I’m going to sound even more anal: I only use the Vanilla and Lavender on bedsheets, Riley’s blankets, bathmats, and towels. It smells wonderful, but it’s a little strong for clothing. I once accidentally washed JB’s uber-macho Carhartt jacket in this stuff and oh my god. The thick fabric must have absorbed a crazy amount of odor, because afterwards it pumped out these enormous palpable waves of Girly-Smell which JB didn’t notice until he was walking around in Home Depot and, mortified, suddenly realized the massive Vanilla Bomb was coming from him.
Anyway, this fabric softener makes my bed, my bathrooms, and to a smaller degree, my entire house smell nice. It’s sweet and slightly herbal and fresh and just extremely delicious. For a hint of the smell without the full effect, I sometimes use the Vanilla/Lavender sheets with my regularly-scented Gain laundry.
I have heard that this kind of soap works nicely for re-washing a super disgusting load of sour wet clothes that you have forgotten about in the machine for days on end, not that I have personally ever done that sort of thing as I am practically Martha Goddamn Stewart around the house and all.
Link: Downy Simple Pleasures on Amazon
Ballpark price: $6.99
Posted: October 10th, 2006 under House & home.
Comments: 22
Comments
Comment from jonniker
Time: October 10, 2006, 1:42 pm
I’m obsessed with Tide detergents. And while I like the lavender and vanilla, my heart belongs to Clean Breeze.
Comment from orangepeacock
Time: October 10, 2006, 3:50 pm
I love the Febreze series they’ve got going…I live in a tiny apartment with three other girls, four fish, and a guinea pig. We’ve got Stank Potential like crazy, but at least washing the sheets and towels in Febrezey goodness seems to mitigate things. That and oppressively strong “Wallflower” oil air fresheners from Bath and Bodyworks in Caramel.
Comment from Swistle
Time: October 10, 2006, 4:10 pm
I remember reading you saying once that you stayed with some other people, adn their laundry detergent was gross, and the whole house was saturated in that smell. That TOTALLY SUNK IN for me: I hadn’t thought of it, and now that I have, I can’t STOP thinking of it. I have this same stuff in the softener sheets, and I also have the “blue” scent (looked it up so as not to sound quite so dumb: Water Lily & Jasmine).
Comment from Patty
Time: October 10, 2006, 5:29 pm
I recently started using the ginormous bottle of Kirkland detergent from Costco. I did buy the fragrance free so there is no odor at all. However, you can buy lavender water at Target and add it to your wash to make anything smell like lovely lavender. Have you tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser? I would love to hear your comments. I am in love with it. It removed the crud from my textured shower floor and completely removed soap scum from our glass shower door. Mr. Clean is my new best friend.
Comment from Stacitee
Time: October 10, 2006, 8:56 pm
I like this new blog as much as your two other blogs. Except that now I want to go run out and buy all these products…
Write a book! I’ll buy it!
Comment from aoife
Time: October 11, 2006, 5:54 am
Oh, my, God. The Carhartt part had me rolling off the chair. Thanks for a morning refresher in the office.
How strong is the lavender smell vs. the vanilla smell? I am the only person on The Whole Planet who gets sick at the smell of actual lavender, but I lurve vanilla.
Comment from claire
Time: October 11, 2006, 6:27 am
i was wondering about the lavender smell vs. vanilla smell, too, because while i love the smell of lavender, i find faux-vanilla scented things to be too sweet smelling and blech (pretty sure i’m the only person in the whole planet who hates vanilla).
Comment from Linda
Time: October 11, 2006, 8:32 am
Comment from Jennifer D.
Time: October 11, 2006, 9:53 am
I’ve been wondering about this brand of laundry detergent, hopefully my husband won’t be allergic because I’m buying it!
Oh, and I know what you mean about the smelly houses, which isn’t always bad, in some cases just different (which makes me paranoid about my own). My Alex comes home and I almost want to give him a bath because he doesn’t smell bad, just doesn’t smell like ‘us’. If that makes sense.
Thanks to these blogs (yours, Awesome! and Mighty Goods) I’m finding all sorts of cool stuff. Thanks!
Comment from E
Time: October 11, 2006, 11:23 am
It must be fate that the day you wrote this I got a sample pack of the lavender vanilla fabric softener. I’m doing a load of clothes in it right now - we’ll see how it reacts with the clean breeze scented detergent.
I just had to say that I know exactly what you are talking about with the scents of people’s houses. One of my family members (who will remain un-named) has a house that stinks. And whenever I walk in I can’t believe they don’t smell it too! I have yet to narrow down the odor, but it’s not pets nor musty/dusty smelling, it’s just yuck (to put it in technical terms.) And I’m totally paranoid that my house has a bad smell now too!
(know of any good air fresheners?)
Comment from Erin
Time: October 11, 2006, 11:27 am
I am so sad that I cant use this detergent because I have a shiny new high efficiency washer, and of COURSE I can only use high efficiency detergent. And it sucks. Because the only scent I have found is Tide original. So I have to use use tons of fabric softener and softener sheets to achieve that same yummy smell!
Comment from adele
Time: October 11, 2006, 1:13 pm
all makes a “small & mighty” detergent, i’m not sure its the same, but i like their fresh rain scent.
Comment from Kirsten
Time: October 11, 2006, 1:15 pm
Just yesterday I was wondering if our house smells to other people …and we’ve just gotten used to it. We have a dog and 3 cats, so I’m constantly spraying Febreeze on everything and lighting smelly candles. Now I have to have that detergent…I’m gonna go broke because of this site!! Thanks 
Comment from b.
Time: October 12, 2006, 9:53 am
MMmmm…I am in love with the whole Simple Pleasures line. My current favorite is “roses & violets” — rosy without being sickening. Even when it’s not laundry day, every time I get close to the laundry area, I inhale deeply to simply enjoy that scent.
Comment from samantha Jo Campen
Time: October 12, 2006, 12:14 pm
If I were to smell it in the store from the bottle, is it about the same as when the clothes are washed? Because I get headaches from things too perfumy or strongly scented. I’d love to use it though. So I’m just wondering if it’s more potent out of the bottle, and adds just a hint of wonderfull smelling joy to the clothes or if it’s about the same. Does this make sense? I just don’t want a migraine and have to re-wash all my clothes 
And Claire, I can’t handle too much vanilla either so don’t worry. You’re not the only one I promise!!
Comment from Linda
Time: October 12, 2006, 12:35 pm
Comment from Eviedee
Time: October 13, 2006, 10:56 pm
MY POOR HUSBAND! I use this stuff on everything! Still, he hasn’t complained….. maybe he doesn’t realize how fabulous he smells.
Comment from KKb
Time: October 23, 2006, 8:02 am
I just wanted to comment that I also do not like artificial vanilla fragrance and can’t stand the smell of lavendar. Once in the store, someone walked by and smelled of lavendar and I actually passed out from it. I also start shaking and get really depressed after being exposed to the fragrance.
Comment from Misty
Time: October 30, 2006, 9:49 am
after reading this post a few weeks ago, I went out this weekend and got some of it. I did a set of towels and our sheets, just to keep it small enought if the boy didnt like it…. I love it, but it doesnt seem very strong. Actually I can barely pick out the two scents… now, I am a total idiot, and yes, it is completely possible for me to mess up doing the laundry…. but hopefully the next load i do will turn out better. unfortunately, they didnt have the dryer sheets to match it… bummer.
Comment from Linda
Time: October 30, 2006, 10:38 am
Comment from sister.susie
Time: January 28, 2007, 10:37 am
I got a sample of the Lavender and Vanilla Tide and am trying it right now on a cotton shower curtain. UGH - way too STRONG and very chemically smelling. I love the smell of vanilla, but fake scents interfere with my breathing. There are way too many chemicals added to everything . I hope it doesn’t take too long to disipate. (Did you ever get a whiff of that super-popular perfume that smells like Raid bug spray from the 60’s? gross.)I like the smell of simple and clean - not stinky fake smells trying to cover up odors.
Comment from dxzwnfaeej
Time: July 3, 2007, 12:34 pm
Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! kfxocvjpoh
Write a comment