A Guide To Living Fragrance-Free For A Better You

Being fragrance-free involves making personal decisions and establishing policies to make spaces accessible for everyone. It means refraining from wearing perfume, using fragranced laundry detergent or dryer sheets, and applying personal care products that contain fragrances, such as lotion, deodorant, and hair products. It may take some experimenting to find fragrance-free products that work for you. It also means ensuring that spaces are cleaned using only chemical- and fragrance-free cleaning products, and asking people coming into the space to refrain from wearing fragranced products.

How to clear clothes of fragranced products

To clear clothes of fragranced products, it's recommended that you soak them in water and white vinegar or put a cup of white vinegar in the washer through several loads. It may take a while to get the fragrance out of your clothing, washer and dryer if you have used fragranced products. It's also a good idea to run the washing machine through a few cycles with nothing but baking soda or white vinegar in the water. The dryer will take a few cycles to clear out as well. Wipe the dryer down with white vinegar.

If you take your clothes to a dry cleaner, take them out of the plastic bag and air them out a few days before wearing.

Being fragrance-free involves making personal decisions and establishing policies to make spaces accessible for everyone. People who are fragrance-free refrain from wearing perfume, using fragranced laundry detergent/dryer sheets, and applying personal care products that contain fragrances, such as lotion, deodorant, and hair products.

How to clean your washing machine and dryer

To be fragrance-free, you should refrain from wearing perfume, using fragranced laundry detergent or dryer sheets, and applying any personal care products that contain fragrances, such as lotion, deodorant, and hair products.

To clean your washing machine and dryer, you should run the washing machine through a few cycles with nothing but baking soda or white vinegar in the water. You can also use a fragrance-free laundry soaker, which contains sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate peroxide, sodium citrate, sodium sulphate, tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), sodium coco sulphate, and helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil. You can also try a hot water soak with polysorbate 20, as it is a solvent for many common fragrance chemicals.

For the dryer, it will take a few cycles to clear out. Wipe the dryer down with white vinegar. If you have a front-loader washer, you should also be aware that the seals and gaskets are prone to mould and mildew, especially if you live in a hot, humid climate or keep your appliances in the basement.

How to choose fragrance-free personal care products

Being fragrance-free involves making personal decisions and establishing policies to make spaces accessible for everyone. People who are fragrance-free refrain from wearing perfume, using fragranced laundry detergent/dryer sheets, and applying any personal care products that contain fragrances—such as lotion, deodorant, and hair products.

To choose fragrance-free personal care products, start by reading the labels on your current products. Look for fragrance-free signage on shampoo, hair conditioner, deodorant, and body wash. It may take some experimenting to find products that will work for you and be fragrance-free.

When it comes to laundry, it will take a while to get the fragrance out of your clothing, washer, and dryer if you have been using fragranced products. Run the washing machine through a few cycles with nothing but baking soda or white vinegar in the water. The dryer will also take a few cycles to clear out. Wipe the dryer down with white vinegar. Soak your clothes in water and white vinegar or put a cup of white vinegar in the washer through several loads to clear them of fragranced products.

If you take your clothes to a dry cleaner, take them out of the plastic bag and air them out for a few days before wearing.

How to make your home fragrance-free

To make your home fragrance-free, you should start by looking at your personal care products and laundry. Read the labels on your personal hygiene products and switch to fragrance-free options for shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and other products.

Next, you should tackle your laundry. If you have been using fragranced products, it will take some time to get the fragrance out of your clothing, washer, and dryer. Run your washing machine through a few cycles with nothing but baking soda or white vinegar in the water. You can also soak your clothes in water and white vinegar or put a cup of white vinegar in the washer through several loads. Wipe down your dryer with white vinegar and run it through a few cycles to clear it out.

After that, you can move on to eliminating air fresheners in your home. This is a process, so take your time and make changes that are feasible for you and your housemates.

Finally, communicate your fragrance-free policy to anyone who will be using the space. Place signage in easy-to-view areas, such as entrances, and send an email to notify people that the space is now fragrance-free. Emphasise that this is an accessibility issue and be prepared to answer questions and educate your community.

How to communicate your fragrance-free policy

Communicating your fragrance-free policy is an important step in making your space accessible for everyone. Here are some ways to do this:

Firstly, place signage in easy-to-view areas, such as entrances, to notify users of the space of your fragrance-free policy. You could also send an email to the people who use the space, notifying them that it is now fragrance-free and explaining what that entails. Adding a fragrance-free statement to your email signature can also serve as a reminder for those who visit your space. In your outreach materials, emphasise that this is an accessibility issue and be prepared to answer questions and educate your community.

Secondly, it's important to remember that being fragrance-free involves both individuals and spaces. This means making personal decisions, such as refraining from wearing perfume or using fragranced personal care products, and establishing policies to make spaces fragrance-free. For example, ensuring that spaces are cleaned using only chemical- and fragrance-free cleaning products and asking people coming into the space to refrain from wearing fragranced products.

Thirdly, it may take some time and experimentation to find fragrance-free products that work for you. Start with your personal care products and laundry, and then work on eliminating air fresheners in your home and car. Remember that this is a process, and it may take a while to get the fragrance out of your clothing, washer and dryer if you have been using fragranced products. To do this, run your washing machine through a few cycles with nothing but baking soda or white vinegar in the water. You can also wipe down your dryer with white vinegar.

Finally, remember that this is a household change, and it may affect your housemates. It's important to communicate your fragrance-free policy clearly to them and involve them in the process.

Frequently asked questions