Downy and Venus Williams Pair Up to Smash Tough Odor Out of Laundry

September 03, 2024 at 09:03 AM EDT

Downy ‘Rinse It Out’ Campaign Proves Rinse & Refresh Fights Odor in Just One Wash, Guaranteed*

Downy®, the #1 most trusted fabric rinse for odor removal**, announced today that it is teaming up with tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams to showcase how its breakthrough laundry odor remover, Rinse & Refresh, helps rinse away the most stubborn odor and residue trapped within the funkiest fabrics that take a hit from smelly sweat. From workout fits, sports uniforms, and sweat towels to athleisure and all other washable fabrics, Downy Rinse & Refresh works to fight odor in just one wash, guaranteed*.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240903254213/en/

"Those who work out or play a sport know what it means to sweat, which leads to stink that sometimes lingers even after washing your fabrics," says Mike Hartman, Senior Brand Director, North America at Downy. “Teaming up with one of the greatest tennis champions of all time shines a light on the intense role of sweat in athletic performance, and how Downy Rinse & Refresh is trusted to fight odor. The essential fabrics work as hard as you do, and Downy Rinse & Refresh tackles the sweat in just one wash, guaranteed*.”

Recognizing that one in three households say they suffer from an odor problem when it comes to their laundry and one out of four consumers rewash at least half of their loads to get rid of stubborn smells, Downy knows consumers need a deep cleansing fabric rinse they can rely on. Downy Rinse & Refresh is safe for all clothes and recommended to use on fabrics with stubborn odor and residue. It works differently than laundry detergent and fabric softener to penetrate fibers and break down the source of deep-set odor versus covering it up.

“Tennis can get really sweaty, so my outfits and sweat towel are essential for managing perspiration, which helps me maintain a firm grip on my racquet, see clearly and stay cool as possible. Clean fabrics can make a major difference in my performance,” says Venus Williams, tennis champion. “I’m a huge fan of Downy Rinse & Refresh for rinsing away the odor and residue from my sweatiest fabrics. The crisp, refreshing Cool Cotton scent is my favorite and I love that it’s free of dyes and heavy perfumes, making it gentle on sensitive skin.”

To help launch the Downy ‘Rinse It Out’ campaign, the brand has partnered with influencers across social platforms and released a TV spot. A Downy ‘Rinse It Out’ pop-up will be held at Flatiron Plaza in New York City on September 4 from 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. and September 5 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., giving consumers an opportunity to experience the odor and residue removal benefits of Rinse & Refresh, receive product samples, personalize and take home a fresh sweat towel, and participate in a ‘Sweat & Serve’ challenge to measure how they match up to Venus Williams’ fastest tennis serve.

Try Downy Rinse & Refresh Cool Cotton at retailers nationwide for as low as $2.99***. Also available in Fresh Lavender, Ocean Mist, and Active Fresh.

For more information, please visit Downy's website at www.downy.com.

*Removes odors in 1 wash better than the leading value detergent in 3 washes. Money back guarantee issued via pre-paid card by mail. Valid on Downy Rinse purchased between 7/1/24-6/30/25. For full terms and conditions, see www.Downy.com.

**Brand Spark

***Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at https://www.pg.com/news.