I think as a person, what scent you’re known for goes a long way to speak for you. I’ve always been a lover of good scents. I’m not a regular user of perfumes. I mean I have them but most of the time, I forget to wear them, opting for regular deodorant instead. And that’s because of the lingering scent of the cleaning products I use.
I had a friend in school who was known for the awesome way she smelt when she passed. Good scents could become bad when it isn’t used in moderation. It’s like a nice cologne that would make the person passing by you sneeze and shake their fists at you in distaste, simply because, your scent is nice but you overdid it, so it comes out quite strong and becomes pungent.
I feel the beauty in scents is when it's soft, lingering, like it’s there but you need to inhale deeply to get a whiff. It gives a more lasting impression. And my friend possessed that in spades. I thought it was some rare perfume she used till I asked her and she said it was her detergent. This was new to someone like me who only went for those popular ones that I saw in commercials. They did the job but their scent didn’t cut it at all so I’d take an enormous amount of time and water to make sure their scent was faint and bound to be gone when it was properly aired in the sun.
So, from then on, I actively ensured that my clothes had that nice lingering scent in them and that could only come from detergents that did the work it was supposed to while maintaining a sunny, fresh smell to the clothes. And so, once I found a good one that fulfilled those two conditions, plus lathered well, which many of the cleaning soaps and detergents lack these days, I stuck to it.
I do this part out of habit though. Making sure the water I use in washing is germ-free. A lot of people prefer them in their bathing water, which I do too. But, I feel it’s also necessary in my washing water. But I ensure to put it as little as possible since it has a strong smell. One or two drops are just as efficient so the antiseptic ends up lasting for months on end.
The same thing goes for my Whitener. I realized that there is a delicate way to use it so that it doesn’t stain your clothes and give it spots instead of whitening it like it's supposed to. I make sure to put adequate drops and stir the water, adding a bit of detergent so that it all mixes quite nicely before putting in my selected white clothes. There are some white shirts and tops that are expressly forbidden by the manufacturer from being whitened.
So, that’s where my handy soap comes in. I realized that detergents could be rather harsh for a lot of fabrics. It might do the job but it could adequately change the nature and texture of that fabric. So, in delicate fabrics like that, some white clothes included, I opt for this multi-purpose baby soap that is rather soft on the clothes and retains its texture.
I don’t think going for the bare minimum in cleaning products is the best. I know, firsthand, that the really cheap ones could do irreparable damage to our clothes and by extension, even our skin. We don’t need to become all ostentatious or empty our pockets. But quality is important since these fabrics would ultimately go on our skin.
Our minimalist tendencies don’t pose to cause us harm but rather give us the best with what’s available. My cleaning products are very affordable and offer the best services to me so it’s a win-win all round. I look after myself and select the best that would be good for me as well.
This is my response to The Minimalist #KISS Blog.
All images are mine.
