For the last six months in Abu Dhabi, I’ve been making the same blunder repeatedly. No, it’s not about fashion faux pas or social missteps—at least, I hope it’s not. My miscalculation has led to my own quirky punishment.
Here’s the tale: Earlier today, I set out to grab ingredients for chicken soup at the grocery store. After selecting some fresh veggies, I wandered over to the cleaning aisle to pick up laundry detergent, as our supply had dwindled. While we outsource most of our laundry, there are still some things we prefer to do at home. Without a dryer, getting everything out onto our little patio can be a challenge, especially since both Tom and I work long hours. Anyway, I was eager to wash our sheets and soak up some sun. Given that we’ve all been under the weather lately, chicken soup and fresh linens were just what the doctor ordered.
As I stood in front of the laundry products, I felt utterly baffled. Each bottle prominently featured the word “softener,” accompanied by some Arabic text I couldn’t decipher. Was I missing something? Did I accidentally grab the wrong thing back in October? I probably didn’t even glance at the labels then.
Yet, here I was, analyzing every option. Did they really just call all laundry detergent “softener” here? I pondered. Maybe they market it that way to imply that adult clothes should be as soft as baby garments. Smart marketing! But why so many fragrant options? Wouldn’t a simple scent do? Perhaps this was a cultural quirk; after all, people here have a penchant for smelling delightful and wearing luxurious perfumes. I eventually settled on a bottle claiming to be “Eco-friendly for sensitive skin,” hoping it would alleviate the rashes we’ve developed since moving here. It looked similar to what I’d bought months ago. Surely, this must be the detergent!
With my selection in the cart, I felt a surge of satisfaction. I had navigated the laundry labyrinth all on my own. I was humming to myself, thinking about the delicious soup and clean sheets awaiting us. I felt like a supermom, conquering the challenges of living in the UAE without a dryer. I had cracked the laundry code!
But wait… what was that?
As I turned the corner, I stumbled upon a shelf brimming with actual laundry DETERGENTS—brands like TIDE, ALL, and FAB—sitting directly opposite the softeners! How was I so oblivious?
Then it dawned on me—I had been washing our clothes exclusively with fabric softener for half a year! No wonder we all sneezed whenever we opened the washing machine and why our skin felt perpetually itchy. I had filled the detergent compartment with that gooey liquid instead of using it sparingly.
Oh, and here’s the kicker: too much softener actually makes your clothes feel stiffer. My socks felt like little bricks for months, and I couldn’t figure out why. Ugh.
Now, I’m back home—chicken soup bubbling on the stove and laundry in the washer with the correct detergent. But I can’t help but wonder what other little missteps I’ve taken. Have I been assuming that all detergents in the Arab world are labeled as “softener” because it’s all I could find? I could have inadvertently spread this misinformation to other expats.
So, a word of caution to newcomers: don’t let the softener aisle confuse you! It’s just detergent in disguise! The fragrances might be intense, but have no fear—fill your machine and keep your family fresh and clean!
What other surprises await me next? Chicken soup, anyone?