The cost of living crisis isn’t too far from anyone’s mind and as a result, most of us are looking for ways to cut back costs any way we can. That may be through cheaply heating our homes, working out what governmental help is available or opting for energy-saving gadgets and gizmos.
But it’s the latter that we here at IndyBest can help with. From reviewing Aldi’s energy-efficient airfryer – which costs 14p per day to run compared to the 87p of your usual cooker – to finding the best heated clothes airers, we’re on a mission to find the penny-pinching products that may make things just a little bit easier.
Turning our attention to the laundry pile (the joy!), laundry experts In The Wash calculated an average washing machine cycle costs £0.27 in electricity and £0.14 in water, totalling a not-too-horrific sounding £0.41 per load. Of course, the temperature at which you wash also makes a big difference too, so keeping things at a cool 30 degrees is going to work in your favour, along with making sure your washing machine is full and putting on fewer loads.
But, if you’re really trying to cut down your energy bill, have countless clothes that need a quick freshen-up or simply just hate doing laundry, then a clothes refresher spray may offer some respite.
Starting at just £1 per bottle, we’ve rounded-up the best sprays that promise to banish BO and quickly revive your clothes within minutes, no washing machine required. We’ve even thrown in a couple of crease release options in, too, to help tackle the ironing as well. Keep reading below to see which ones wowed our tester and why.
How we tested
To really put these clothes refresher sprays through their paces, our tester used them to tackle their laundry pile for one whole month. From T-shirts to pyjamas, skirts to fluffy jumpers, we sprayed them on everything and anything to judge scent, feel, ease of use and final result.
While not all banished BO, all had their uses, and the crease release sprays seriously impressed. Although, we must stress, just as laundry detergent can cause skin irritations, please do a patch test before to check whether your skin will have any reactions to these products before covering your closet in them.
The best anti-crease and clothes refresher sprays are:
Febreze unstoppables fabric refresher cotton scent
With two times the “scent power” as the original Febreze fabric spray, this one really packs a punch. Of course, the scent is more pungent, but with a citrus, clean cotton-like smell, there was no overpowering floral aspect which made it much less noticeable. Plus, if you’re looking to add some life back into the pieces that have gotten a bit too close to your pits, this may be what you need.
Incredibly easy to use it has a lockable nozzle, making it just a little bit safer for when kids are around. And, the brand states it has been dermatologically tested and is safe to be used around dogs and cats.
Buy now £2.99, Therange.co.uk
Lenor crease releaser spray
It takes a lot to blow us away here at IndyBest, but this Lenor product really did the trick. Incredibly easy to use, simply spray it onto the clothes you want to be crease-free, hang up and wait for it to dry. But, be warned, your clothes will be soaked through, so this is no quick fix but more of a day-before sort of job.
Don’t believe us, our results speak for themselves. After just a few hours, the cotton T-shirt became completely crease-free and smelt divine. There’s no starchy feeling, so the fabric was still soft to wear, but did re-crease as the day went on. A quick note, it’s best not to try it on easily stainable or delicate fabrics such as silk, just to be safe.
Buy now £1.49, Therange.co.uk
Pure Apparel crease release spray
This Pure Apparel mist works in a similar way to the Lenor crease releaser spray (£7.99, Amazon.co.uk) but with a more subtle result. The mist is softer and finer which meant it worked best on soft creases, while deeper ones needed a second or third spritz. The scent was much weaker, so anyone who doesn’t like things florally fragranced may be more suited to this spray, too.
Testing it on a black T-shirt, it wasn’t as easy to see the creases, but we think you can still see a noticeable difference in the smoothness of the fabric. Again, as a fair amount of the product needed to be sprayed, the top did need to be hung up for a few hours to dry before wear, but we’d choose it over ironing any day.
Buy now £5.14, Amazon.co.uk
Fabulosa spray & wear
Another bargain buy, coming in at just £1, this Fabulosa find is another example of the low-cost products available at Wilko’s. Claiming to kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria, it worked wonders at removing odours and left our tester with an instantly clean smell. We tested the scent cotton fresh, which smelt exactly as it sounds, but the drawback to this product (when shopping online) is that it’s a luck of the draw with which one of the three scents you get.
At just 250ml, it isn’t the largest size, so we’d recommend it as a gym bag buy or even one to pack in the suitcase when travelling. And be sure to keep the bottle upright when spraying, as we did notice slight leakage when held at different angles.
Buy now £1.00, Myfabulosa.co.uk
Celtic wool refresh spray
Woollen jumpers are notoriously difficult to clean, often soaking in scents and then shrinking in the wash. So, a wool refresher is actually something you may want to have to hand even after this energy crisis. Made from plant-derived cleansers and ingredients such as bergamot, jasmine, patchouli and orange blossom, it’s low in allergens, yet packs a punch when it comes to fighting bacteria. And our tester found all BO smells were banished with a soft bergamot scent left in its place.
The bottle is on the smaller side, so less is more, but it’s certainly a lot cheaper than the cost of dry cleaning. Just be sure to leave the woollen pieces to dry for an hour or two post-spray, as they’re sure to soak the moisture in.
Buy now £8.00, Celticandco.com
Febreze fabric refreshener spray
As far as fabric sprays go, Febreze needs little introduction. From catchy jingles to famous adverts, the brand has carved out a niche in the market for freshening up carpets, curtains and sofas with one simple spray, and clothes are no exception. Our tester found just a few spritzes provided instant freshness, but it wasn’t quite as strong at banishing BO as some of the other options in this round-up.
With a wide-reaching nozzle, just a few sprays were enough to cover an entire top, and it also left the fabric feeling soft, too. While we wouldn’t recommend spritzing it on any delicate fabrics such as silk, it worked well on almost everything else, from giving carpets a clean smell to freshening up T-shirts.
Buy now £3.00, Morrisons.com
Norfolk Natural Living garment refresher
Handmade on the Norfolk coast from a blend of distilled water, witch hazel, parfum, gluconolactone and sodium benzoate, this may be the best bet for sensitive-skinned folks and those who like to keep their products nice and natural. The scent is how you’d imagine, a lemony woody musk which isn’t too overpowering, yet feels fresh and clean in a non-synthetic way. With antibacterial properties, it dispelled any bad smells within minutes and left surfaces feeling soft and supple. Our tester also loved the look of this bottle and left it out on top of the washing machine, hoping to achieve an apothecary vibe.
Buy now £12.00, Norfolknaturalliving.com
The verdict: Clothes refresher and anti-crease spray
None of these sprays are going to clean your clothes in the same way a good spin through the washing machine will. They may fight smells and make things seem clean but imagine them being a bit like deodorant, you will still need a good wash every now and again. But, for extending the time that you can take between washes, quickly freshening and providing a scent, all of these sprays suitably impressed our tester.
The best one for you will depend on how and why you’re using it, but for us the winner has to be Febreze’s unstoppables fabric refresher cotton scent. Not only will it banish BO and extend the lifespan of any T-shirt, top or trouser, but it will also reduce the number of times you put your machine on each week.
To save money on dry cleaning bills and reduce the risk of shrinking your favourite knitwear, the Celtic Wool refresh spray will be incredibly helpful to have to hand. And, for a cheap gym bag or travel essential, we’d recommend the Fabulosa spray and wear due to its small size and scent.
Overall, these are all worth a try, as saving time and money may be just one spritz away.
Looking to save money on your household bills this winter? Read our expert-led guide to energy-efficient kitchen appliances
