Finding the best scent-boosting products for your laundry is easy with Downy. They have several lines of products that provide your clothes with enhanced and long-lasting freshness. Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions are products that aim to give your clothes an extra boost of freshness, but there’s more to it than that.
Downy Unstopables are scent beads that provide odor protection and enhanced fragrance to your laundry for up to 12 weeks. The Downy Infusions product line encompasses fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and scent beads to give your clothes more fragrance, keep them feeling soft, and protect against dryer-related damage.
Whether you’re an active person who needs extra scent protection or someone who enjoys maintaining soft, fragrant clothes, Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions are two product lines perfect for meeting your needs. If you need help deciding which is best for you, then you’ve come to the right place! Check out our detailed comparison guide to determine whether you should use Downy Unstopables or Infusions (or both!).
What’s the Difference Between Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions?
Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions are two product lines designed to enhance your laundry. The main difference is the type of products available in each line. Downy Unstopables only have scent beads designed to provide a steady supply of fragrance and odor-fighting abilities for up to 12 weeks.
The Downy Infusions line encompasses three types of products; dryer sheets, fabric softener, and scent beads. Each product has a different purpose, and the combination of using all three products will keep your clothes feeling soft, protect them from pulling or stretching in the dryer, and provide them with a long-lasting fragrance.
The other major difference between these two product lines is the fragrances available. Both the Unstopables and Infusions scent beads work the same way and last for the same period of time, but they have different scents available.
Downy Unstopables
Downy Unstopables is a line of scent beads. These scent beads come in a variety of fragrances and are motion-activated. Using Downy Unstopables infuses your clothes with mini capsules which break when you move. When these capsules break, they release a burst of fresh scent which keeps your clothes smelling great and actively protects against the build-up of odors.
This product is basically like deodorant for your clothes! It’s made to be long-lasting, and the effect can last for up to 12 weeks after washing. There are six fragrances to choose from, and we’ll go into greater detail about that below.
What Fragrances Does Downy Unstopables Offer?
There are six fragrances in the Downy Unstopables line. Most of their fragrances have floral or citrus notes, but there are a couple of more traditionally masculine scents as well. Here’s a list of the different scents Downy Unstopables offers:
- Lush (Lavender, Vanilla, and Cedar)
- Fresh (Clean Linen and Citrus)
- Spring (Floral and Citrus)
- Shimmer (Floral, Fruit, and Clean Linen)
- Old Spice
- Tide
What Are the Ingredients in Downy Unstopables?
Downy is very transparent about the ingredients in its products. They use SmartLabel to ensure all their customers can view and learn about the ingredients in each of their products. Downy Unstopables all have the same three types of ingredients; fragrance, perfume dispersant, and colorant.
The type of fragrance and colorant varies between the different fragrances, but the makeup of their products is exactly the same. These are the three ingredients in Downy Unstopables as listed on SmartLabel
- Polyethylene Glycol
- Fragrance
- Colorant
How to Use Downy Unstopables?
Using Downy Unstopables is incredibly easy. It only adds an extra few seconds to your laundry routine, so it’s a convenient option, even for people who are super busy. Just follow these easy steps to use Downy Unstopables
1. Shake the scent beads into the Downy Unstopables cap. Use a little for small loads and a lot for big loads.
2. Toss the beads into the washer.
3. Add your clothes, detergent, and fabric softener.
4. Run your load as you usually would.
It’s really that easy! There’s no set amount of beads you need to use, so that’s largely up to personal preference. If you like a ton of extra fragrance, then use more beads! If you’re looking for something more subtle, then use less.
Downy Infusions
There are three types of products in the Downy Infusions line. Dryer sheets, fabric softener, and scent beads are available in this line, and they work to protect your clothes from dryer-related damage, keep your clothes soft, and provide lasting fresh scents.
Along with the different products, there are also a few different fragrances available in this line. Keep reading to learn more about the products available in this line.
What Fragrances Does Downy Infusions Offer?
Downy Infusions offer dryer sheets, fabric softener, and scent beads. The dryer sheets, fabric softeners, and scent beads all use the same variety of fragrances, and each type of product works to keep your clothes feeling and smelling great in their own way.
The dryer sheets are made to keep your clothes soft and protect against dryer-related issues like pulling, tearing, static, and fuzz. The Downy Infusions dryer sheets are also scented to provide your clothes with an extra boost of fragrance.
The fabric softener helps keep your clothes soft and smelling great. Their scent beads work similarly to Downy Unstopables, and they also last for up to 12 weeks.
Downy Infusions uses different fragrances than the Unstopables line. Here’s a list of the fragrances available with Downy Infusions
- Calm (Lavender and Vanilla Bean)
- Romantic (White Tea and Peony)
- Bliss (Amber and Rose)
- Refresh (Birch Water and Botanicals)
What Are the Ingredients in Downy Infusions?
The ingredients in Downy Infusions’ scent beads are exactly the same as their Unstopables line. The only difference is the type of fragrance and the colorant. Downy Infusion scent beads have the same three ingredients; perfume dispersant, fragrance, and colorant.
The ingredients in their fabric softener and dryer sheets are very different. Here’s a list of ingredients for Downy Infusions fabric softener
- Water
- Diethylester Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride
- Fragrance
- Polyquaternium-33
- Formic Acid
- Colorant
- Pentasodium Pentetate
Most of these ingredients are softeners and formula stabilizers. These are the ingredients in their dryer sheets
- Polyester Sheet
- Dialkylester Dimethyl Ammonium Methosulfate
- Fatty Acids
- Bentonite
- Fragrances
These ingredients are mostly softeners as well.
How to Use Downy Infusions?
All products in the Downy Infusions line are very simple and intuitive to use. For the scent beads, you can follow the same steps as you would to use the Unstopables beads.
For dryer sheets, simply add one sheet to your dryer before adding your clothes and starting a drying cycle. When using fabric softener, follow these steps:
1. After adding your clothes and detergent to your washer, use the Downy Infusions fabric softener cap to measure out the appropriate amount of liquid for your load.
2. Add the fabric softener directly to your washer’s drum or to its dispenser drawer.
3. Run your load as usual.
Comparison Questions (Downy Unstopables vs Downy Infusions)
Is Downy Unstopables or Downy Infusions Scent Beads Better?
Both product lines work the same way. Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions scent beads infuse mini capsules into your clothes during the wash cycle. These tiny capsules are motion-activated and burst as you move around in your clothes. Once they burst, they release more fragrance and fight the build-up of odors.
The scent beads in both lines last for up to 12 weeks. The only difference between them is the types of fragrances available. Downy Unstopables has more floral and clean linen fragrances, as well as a couple of more gender-neutral/masculine fragrances.
Downy Infusions have a fragrance for every mood. For example, when you’re washing your date night clothes, you can use their Romantic scent, which provides your clothes with an alluring fragrance of white tea and peony.
Determining which scent bead is better really depends on your preference for fragrances.
Is Downy Unstopables or Downy Infusions More Affordable?
Since the scent beads of both lines work the same and last for the same length of time, it seems the true deciding factor for most people will be which fragrances they prefer and the price.
Downy Unstopables tend to come in 20.1oz bottles, while Downy Infusions generally come in 26.5oz bottles. Their listing prices will be different just because of the size bottles, so we’re going to break it down to the cost per ounce.
Product | Cost Per Ounce |
Downy Unstopables | $0.27 |
Downy Infusions | $0.27 |
It turns out that price doesn’t need to factor into your decision! Both lines of scent beads cost the same per ounce, so it really depends on which fragrance you prefer.
Is There Any Difference Between Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions?
When it comes to the scent beads offered by the Downy Unstopables and Infusions product lines, there is only one real difference. Both lines of scent beads work the same, last for the same period of time, and cost the same. The only difference is the fragrances offered. Downy Unstopables has more clean linen and floral fragrances, while Downy Infusions have fragrances designed to suit different moods.
The Verdict – Which is Better?
If you’re looking for the best scent beads on the market, then you can’t go wrong with Downy. Their products are affordable, effective, long-lasting, and they offer a variety of pleasant fragrances. Downy Unstopables and Downy Infusions provide excellent fragrance options, so it’s up to you to decide what you’d rather smell like!
If you’re looking for classic, simple fragrances like clean linen and flowers, then you’re better off going with Unstopables. However, if you enjoy more distinct fragrances like Birch Water and Botanicals, then you’ll be better suited by Downy Infusions’ scent beads.
Jamie is the Founder of My Home Dwelling. He is a homeowner and enjoys sharing his homeowner tips with others. He has real estate experience working as a new home construction Realtor. Jamie has worked on numerous residential construction sites helping with interior and exterior renovations. He loves refinishing furniture, DIY home projects, and sharing his knowledge online.