New Year, New Wardrobe – Taking the Best Care of My New Threads

I partnered with Downy on this post!

12 months of a whole lot has just passed us by. There’s a LOT I want to move on from, so part of my annual new year’s ritual is to CLEAN AND PURGE. That means no dishes in the sink or dishwasher, no trash in the trashcans, fresh new sheets on the bed and I also go through my closet and make a pile of the clothes that haven’t held up and need to go. Well this year ladies, this pile was HUGE. I couldn’t believe it. How could all these shirts and sweaters and pants all get so faded, stretched or pilled?

I try not to be wasteful, so I didn’t want to give up on all these clothes that I spent good money on (even though I didn’t get a lot out of them). I knew I had to make a change this year. I’m too grown and too intelligent to invest money in things that won’t last. And whether it’s dense, cozy knits, luxe new sheets, poly-blends or my beloved washable silk bathrobe — if I spent money on it, I need to get good wear out of it.

That means I have to find ways to keep my precious clothes from stretching, fading and smelling gross.  That’s when I finally decided to figure out what this “Fabric Conditioner” was all about. We’ve all seen Downy, the cute bottle with the pink cap, right? But do you KNOW what it does? I didn’t. Also I was using it wrong.

Here’s what I learned!

I tend to always think I know what I’m doing and I don’t always read instructions (story of my life, bane of my husband’s existence, don’t let him read this). And I was out here just choosing fabric conditioner willy nilly, using either the liquid or the beads but never both for some reason. I used Downy Liquid Fabric Conditioner to keep my clothes soft. Or I’d use Downy Fresh Protect Beads as a whimsical sprinkle to make my sheets and towels smell springtime fresh. But I didn’t realize they were better together, and I also didn’t realize they were perfect for my clothes! Check it out.

Downy Liquid Fabric Conditioner (with the pink cap) protects your laundry against stretching, pilling, fading and fuzz. You sprinkle Downy Fresh Protect Beads as a scent boost and for 24-hour odor neutralization — like deodorant for your clothes. So now, I use it as a pre-emptive strike against cooking smells and layers of sweaty clothes and all of the odiferous encounters I have in a given day! Basically, laundry detergent is for cleaning and removing stains. Downy does what detergent doesn’t – it protects your garments ahead of the game, so they stay looking, feeling and smelling righteous.

Oh, and it’s super easy to figure out. First you add your detergent (obvs). Then pour fabric conditioner into your dispenser. Then sprinkle a capful of beads into the washing machine itself. Add clothes. You don’t have to wait for the rinse cycle to add Downy or anything crazy like that. Why did I think this was somehow complicated for so many years? Don’t judge me, y’all.

Since Downy Ultra and Downy Fresh Protect Beads can be used separately or together, I wanted a better understanding as to why, how and what else I needed to know to get my entire laundry life together. So I reached out to Julie, R&D for Downy to get her insider tips and answers to my tough fabric conditioner questions.

Afrobella: Break it down for me and my readers, Julie — what is the benefit of using both Downy Fresh Protect AND Ultra Downy? And how do they work?

 Julie:   Ultra Downy will protect your clothes against fuzzing, fading and stretching. Fresh Protect’s motion-activated beads, on the other hand, provide 24 hour odor neutralization by attaching to odor in fabrics and releasing a burst of freshness as you move throughout the day. When the two are used together, you will get the benefits of both: protection from stretching, fade and fuzz and the 24-hour odor neutralization to keep clothes smelling and looking their best.

Afrobella: Are there any fabrics or clothing that you shouldn’t use Downy Fresh Protect on?

Julie:  Downy Fresh Protect Beads  are safe for all machine washable colors, fabrics and loads – even your workout gear!

 

Since I got the memo on why, how and when to use Downy (basically every time I do laundry), it’s been a game changer. The scent of Downy Fresh Protect isn’t super strong to clash with my perfume, it just makes sure that my clothes stay smelling fresh. So even if I go out for my favorite pungent foods like Hot Pot Cajun Spicy Noodles, I know my clothes won’t totally reek the next day, thanks to Downy Fresh Protect. It’s an investment in the quality of my clothes, and now that I know better for my laundry, I’m doing better laundry! I’d recommend it to a friend as a great way to start the new year off fresh.

 

Share your best laundry tips with me, bellas! Have you tried Downy before? Give it a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below.