Fabric softeners are designed to reduce the amount of static in synthetic fibers and make laundry come out feeling soft and smelling great. These products contain lubricating ingredients that help coat and “soften” fibers in fabrics when added to your laundry load in the form of liquid, powder, or dryer sheets.
So why would anyone opt to go to the time and trouble of making homemade fabric softener when the commercial stuff is thought to work well?
EveryDay Stunner Online store-sells fabric softeners and if you don’t wanna purchase one, then kindly read the DIY of Fabric Softener, What’s more, commercial fabric softeners aren’t cheap. Depending on the brand and your measuring methods, both liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets can cost north of $0.30 per dryer load. If you do as much laundry as I do, that adds up quickly.
But why buy the pricey softeners if you have an option—six to be exact—to not spend your money that way? You really can make your own fabric softeners for less just pennies a load and as a bonus, know exactly what’s in them.
Method One: DIY Fabric Softener
The easiest homemade fabric softener is the consistent use of plain white vinegar in the final rinse.
- Add 1/2 to 1 cup (depending on load size) white vinegar to the last rinse in the washer. Vinegar is cheap and nontoxic; effective and antimicrobial. It naturally softens because vinegar helps to remove every last bit of detergent from your clothes. You can Buy Good Vinegar Here Now
- Vinegar Aids in static reduction during drying. If your washer has a liquid softener dispenser you can fill it with white vinegar and you’ll be good to go.
- Why does this work? The very weak acidic nature of plain white 5% vinegar (that means it’s 95% water) mixed with gallons of rinse water in your washer (diluting it even further) is basically harmless, but it does help to coax the soap and detergent out of fabric.
It’s the presence of soap and detergent in clothes and linens that failed to get rinsed away, which makes these items turn dingy gray, feeling stiff and scratchy over time.
Method 2: DIY Fabric Softener
If a subtle, clean fragrance is what you want, this recipe is for you:
Combine six parts water, three parts plain white vinegar, and two parts any hair conditioner in a container with a sealable lid. Buy Hair Conditioner Here
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Here’s an example of measuring this by “parts” where 1 part = 1/4 cup.
- 1 1/2 cups water (1/4 cup x 6)
- 3/4 cup vinegar (1/4 cup x 3)
- 1/2 cup hair conditioner (1/4 cup x 2)
You can make 1 part equal any measurement of your choice, then simply multiply accordingly.
A cheap bottle of hair conditioner from the EveryDay Stunner store works great to soften and also fragrance your laundry. Use this in the final rinse or fill the softener dispenser in your washer, as you would with any commercial liquid softener.
Method 3: DIY Fabric Softener
If you prefer dryer sheets you can make them yourself for next to nothing.
- Take an old t-shirt or cotton baby blanket and cut it into a few small squares. Place them in a sealable container like a Mason jar or a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
- In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup white vinegar and 8 drops of your favorite essential oil, which can be purchased from your local health food, drug store, or online.
- A bottle of oil will last a long time.
- Pour enough of this liquid over the cloths in the container to saturate them.
- Close the container. To use, simply remove a sheet from the container, squeezing any excess liquid back into the jar, and toss it into the dryer.
- When clothes are dry, simply place the sheet back in the jar for use later.
Method 4: DIY Fabric Softener
To make DIY in-wash “softener crystals” that mimic commercial scent boosters like Purex Crystals or Unstoppables to soften clothes and leave a wonderful subtle clean fresh fragrance that lasts for weeks, you need two ingredients: Epsom salt and essential oil.
- Get a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Start with one cup of Epsom salts and about 10 drops essential oil (lavender, lemon, eucalyptus are all nice, or create your own signature blend). Buy essential oils here
- Give it a good shake or stir well.
- Apply the lid and you’re good to go.
- To use, add 1/4 cup of your homemade “crystals” (more or less to your preference) to the washer, not the dryer, along with your detergent.
- The results will be fresh clean static-free laundry with a nice subtle scent.
Summary:
Here’s a great way that you can continue to use your favorite commercial softener product if no one is showing signs of allergy, while drastically cutting the cost: You can also read more on caring for your fabrics here.