Is your laundry detergent making you glow?

[bwlacy]

I use UV killer spray on any new items I purchase just to make sure that I don't have any left on the product from manufacturing. Then I was with sport wash. I'm pretty sure that Arm & Hammer makes a detergent with no scent and no UV brighteners, and it's a lot cheaper than the ones marketed for hunters. I know most on this forum spend a lot of time in the mountains. But for those that hunt in the east you don't have to stink as much. I do everything I can to minimize my scent for Whitetail hunting.

Years ago I bought some new camo and didn't do anything to it. Probably 80% of the deer I seen that fall looked right at me no matter what I did. That's when I heard about the UV problem. Haven't had reactions like that since using UV killer on any new clothes.

 

[archer wapiti]

I've gone to using Purple Power detergent. Dunno how it compares price-wise, but I'm sure there's not any brighteners in an engine degreaser, and if I do a pre-soak, it can even get the head grease out of pillow cases.

 

[fort fireman]

I use All free and clear. It isn't because of the UV stuff per say. My youngest daughter had very sensitive skin as a baby as all the perfumes and brights era and stuff really bothered her. We just kept using it since and Any anti UV benefits is just a bonus.

 

[bean outdoors]

So, while I was trying to figure out whether there was a way to take an image and run it through Photoshop and recreate "deer vision", I found out through article reading that hunters should be careful with what detergent they use. I learned that Deer see much more into the Ultraviolet Spectrum than humans do. And so, when you use "Optical Brightener" in your detergent, you essentially are making your self glow to the Deer. Here is Optical Brighteners Defined:

Optical brightener - Wikipedia

And here is the article that caught my attention:

Stay Blended: The Perfect Hunting Camo For Every Season - Grand View Outdoors

The article states that hunting clothing should "never be washed in laundry detergents containing UV brightening agents. Brightening agents absorb light in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. Always read the label before purchasing."

In order for me to figure out which detergents to use for my hunting clothing, I found this website:

Choosing the Right Detergent | ZukaBaby

Hope this helps.

i typically buy dead down wind that doesnt have uv brighteners in it

 

[Elkfitness]

I use All free and clear. It isn't because of the UV stuff per say. My youngest daughter had very sensitive skin as a baby as all the perfumes and brights era and stuff really bothered her. We just kept using it since and Any anti UV benefits is just a bonus.

Same here! Works great for me and no issues with elk or mule deer

 

[daron]

In order to glow, we should only use laundry detergent products that have lasting good smell. It is very impressive if we wear clothes that could fight the smell of sweat, smoke and germs; as our clothes remain fresh to smell. However, not all detergents in the market has such characteristics so it is important to use only the best smelling detergents available in the market. I saw an insightful list here:
Top 10 Best Smelling Laundry Detergent - 2017 Reviews - TopReviewHut

 

[SHTF]

I make my own detergent with borax washing soada and felsnaptha it doesn't have any odor that I can tell but I do wonder if it is as good as specialized hunting detergent

haha you too? We have been using the duggar family soap recipe for 5 years and counting now. Huge savings over buying the stuff in the stores. Glad to see we arnt the only ones.

 

[Michiganhunter]

haha you too? We have been using the duggar family soap recipe for 5 years and counting now. Huge savings over buying the stuff in the stores. Glad to see we arnt the only ones.

It saves a shit ton of money

 

[Gr8bawana]

Those guys who were gulible enough to buy that idiotic HECS stuff believe it works too. All this UV stuff is pure nonsense put out there to sell a product.

 

[bwlacy]

Those guys who were gulible enough to buy that idiotic HECS stuff believe it works too. All this UV stuff is pure nonsense put out there to sell a product.

Possibly, but confidence goes along way too

 

[mcseal2]

I use the Dead Down Wind stuff because I got it on clearance at Walmart, $9 for their whole box of stuff deodorant, detergent, soap, wind indicator, all their stuff. I needed a wind indicator to keep in my predator hunting stuff anyway. I don't know for sure it helps, but I have called in several coyotes in less than ideal circumstances since starting to use it that didn't spot me. I'll keep using it, I got two of the big kit boxes and the detergent bottle in each does 64 loads of laundry, that will last me a while on hunting clothes.

 

[orionsbrother]

My buddy's wife worked for the company that did contract manufacturing for Hunter's Specialties. We were the recipients of any smashed case, smeared labels etc. Free is great. I don't need the label.

Funny story. A few years back, I had gone to take a shower and noticed the shower smelled "musty". I looked and realized my wife had somehow taken a bar of my "dirt soap" and used it. I had a good laugh that she was in some fairly high power corporate meetings that day and smelled like dirt. I still wonder if anyone in any of those meetings ever thought, "What kind of perfume is that? She smells like a wet pile of leaves."

 

[wind gypsy]

I know from previous experience that duck decoys without UV paints do not attract ducks, so the opposite is true for ducks. Still not sure regarding the deer and elk. I would think that a hunter looks like a threat if they are identified, right?

Your ducks must be smarter than the ducks I shoot.