I was doing my morning scroll on Reddit, when I came across some frustrating news on r/CleaningTips. According to Redditor Forward_Ride530, Procter & Gamble has changed the scent of Dawn Original to something “obnoxiously sweet and overpowering.”
Nooooooo! I don’t understand this scentification of America. Everywhere I go, I’m bombarded with artificial fragrance. What horrific smells are you trying to cover up, people?
I’ve had to learn to live with scented trash bags, but messing with a 50-year-old classic is unacceptable! I already have issues with finding dishwasher tablets that don’t leave their taste on my dishes. Now my beloved, grease-busting dish soap has been ruined!
I did the only thing a sane, rational person would do in this situation. I immediately went to Walmart.com and ordered six bottles of Dawn Original Scent to be delivered this afternoon. Only time will tell if I receive the advertised “original scent” or the hideous “NEW CLEAN SCENT!” If it’s the latter, Walmart better not give me funny looks when I’m rolling up to customer service with $42.00 worth of Dawn next week.
Forward_Ride530 also pointed out what to look for when you go to panic-purchase Dawn Original Scent. The old bottles have a full circle logo, while the new ones have a half circle logo and there is a yellow sticker exclaiming “NEW CLEAN SCENT.” And what the hell is a “clean scent” anyway? Shouldn’t clean be the absence of odor? Why do people equate “clean” with overwhelming artificial fragrances? I’m living in the Febreze Era, and I hate it!
I hope I haven’t ruined anyone’s day with this disappointing development. While it may too late to run out and grab what’s left—if any—of the old Dawn, I hope I can prevent a few others from coming home to a stinky surprise the next time they do dishes.
The new Dawn scent is so annoying. Why change from the original scent which was very pleasing. Who’s the mooron who decided the original scent needed to be changed.
They actually have reviews and ratings on the Dawn dishwashing liquid page of Procter & Gamble. You can see an ever-growing number of negative reviews and an absolutely unchanging 4.6 out of 5 overall review which seems suspicious.
When I explained that it totally triggered my asthma and that there are people who are way more sensitive than I am who are not be able to use the product I got some kind of response along the lines of “Thank you for your input we’re listening to all of the incoming comments but this is the first time we’ve changed the sent in 10 years and we have no intention of changing it.” OK so they’re listening to all of the comments but are completely ignoring them. Swell.
So frustrating! I went and bought out the remaining few bottles at my neighborhood grocery store and the funny thing is they were restocked with the new scent I think only a small handful of bottles have sold they seem to have an overabundance of new scent Dawn. Its the New Coke of dishwashing liquid
Aaron, I wrote to Procter & Gamble at the same time I wrote this post. That was the same answer they gave me. They also offered me a $4.00-off coupon…for Dawn. 🤦🏼♀️ I, too, checked out the reviews to see if P&G’s stance had changed since I wrote to them four months ago. But despite the abysmal reviews, they are doubling down on this new scent. I really have to wonder if the new scent is hiding something. Perhaps they have changed the formulation, and they are covering up the smell of a new ingredient? Whatever the case, I believe there is definitely something hinky going on.
My daughter’s asthma is also triggered by many different artificial fragrances, so we will definitely be moving on from Dawn as well. Right now, I have three options. Dawn Professional is made by a separate division of P&G, so there is a possibility that the new scent has not been added to the Professional line. I could call and ask, but I have phone anxiety. Next, Sam’s Club has its own version of Dawn, and it has good reviews. Finally, a lot of people on r/CleaningTips speak highly of Palmolive, so I may also give that a whirl. My next choice will probably be determined by a sniff test. Besides my daughter’s problems with artificial fragrance, neither of us like our dishes tasting like perfume.
New Coke, indeed.
I am SO on your page! I hate the new smell. Since everyone is “going off” on this, I will too. I work in advertising and therefore marketing. It’s just a bunch of new MBA types trying to put their stamp on something for their resume. It’s not enough to say “I carried the Dawn brand through and supported it”. People want to say “successfully launched new fragrance reflecting the modern consumer and their keen sense of freshness”… or some other total bullshit. They are all full of it and smoke their own BS – all day long.
Dawn used to be the “un-smell”. No longer. Also, I’ve noted that the ultra is too harsh for my skin. Totally used to use Dawn for my hands in the kitchen but can’t with Ultra.
Don’t know what this world is coming to. I definitely agree and will try to lodge a complaint myself with them. Social media attack seems to be the only way (YouTube video ridiculing them and getting 1.2M likes – that kind of thing).
Keep up the fight anti smelly people. I’m with you. No need for added smells.
Yes, Palmolive is good too. Nice on the skin, cleans, trippy green color.
Thank you for sharing this. I agree 1000%. I just opened a new bottle and IMMEDIATELY was overwhelmed by the ridiculous perfume. HATE IT. I’m returning it. I will not tolerate any scent remaining on my dishes. Never have. Never will. Looks like yet another GO WOKE GO BROKE deal, which will be the outcome of every corporation deciding to ignore what the public demands. Shame on you P&G. 😠