Laundry Fragrance Booster Pellets and Kids

What are laundry fragrance boosters? 

Laundry fragrance boosters are scented, dissolvable beads that promise to extend the smell of fresh laundry for weeks beyond the wash date. This could mean that a towel washed 3 weeks ago and sitting in a linen closet can still smell fresh when you take it out to use. They are intended to dissolve quickly in wash water and adhere to or incorporate into the fabrics that they touch. They have fragrances that are immediately noticeable, but which are also slow-release so as to persist for weeks.

Common fragrance booster ingredients 

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000 is a common ingredient in laundry fragrance boosters and can make up 75–99% of the product. Polyethylene glycols can be found in many other products and have a wide range of uses. For example, PEG 3350 is a well-known laxative that is taken prior to colonoscopies. The number after the name stands for the average molecular weight of the particular PEG in a product. As the number increases, the toxicity of the product decreases. Numbers higher than PEG 3000 are not readily absorbed. Laundry fragrance boosters also contain small amounts of perfume.

Are fragrance booster ingredients toxic if swallowed?

If a small amount, such as just a taste, of a PEG-containing laundry fragrance booster is unintentionally swallowed, there is minimal need for concern in terms of toxicity. There can be some minor irritation in the mouth. A drink of choice should be given to dilute it; 8 oz for adults and 4 oz for children is enough. Even a mouthful of fragrance booster swallowed by a child will usually be safe enough to be managed at home with guidance from Poison Control. However, there will likely be stomach upset, nausea, and perhaps some vomiting. Never try to make someone vomit.

What to do if someone has swallowed or tasted a fragrance booster 

If someone has swallowed or tasted a laundry fragrance booster, please log onto the webPOISONCONTROL online tool for guidance or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Whether you log on or call, expert assistance is available 24 hours a day.

Pela Soto, PharmD, BSHS Pharmacogenomics, BS Microbiology
Certified Specialist in Poison Information 

Revised William G. Troutman, PharmD
Professor of Pharmacy Emeritus

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