Why do outdoor dried clothes smell so good?

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly washed laundry that’s been blowing in the breeze in the garden on a summer’s day. People have written poems about it. It’s been imitated in candles and air fresheners. But what if there really was a way to bottle up the fragrance and freshness of clean, line-dried laundry?

Here’s the kicker: there is a science behind the scent. Line-dried clothes have a distinctive and unique smell thanks to the photochemistry reaction that takes place when solar rays hit wet fabric. Hung outside, the ultraviolet light from the sun kills bacteria effectively in your laundry. Plus, clothes dried in the sun produce a range of aldehydes and ketones; organic compounds that our noses associate with the scent of plants or perfumes.

It’s hard to get that freshly laundered feel in the winter, especially when you’re limited to drying clothes inside. In the UK we have approximately five months of rain each year – and, even when that rare moment of sunshine occurs, one in eight of us have no outdoor space for drying. Indoors, fabrics tend to pick up stale and unpleasant odours from the house that can resurface soon after wearing. With the new wisdom from Lenor Outdoorable you can combat the build-up of musty odours and get that unbeatable straight-off-the-line freshness every day. And it’s the gift that keeps on giving: its unique technology means it continues to deliver freshness long after the fabric has dried, including when it’s folded up in your cupboard and when you’re on the move.