3 Easy Homemade Fabric Softener Recipes
It is my ultimate goal to make, from scratch, any and every cleaning product that I use. And so far I'm almost there! I make all my kitchen and bathroom cleansers from various combinations of baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, washing soda, and castile soap.
Posted — UpdatedIt is my ultimate goal to make, from scratch, any and every cleaning product that I use. And so far I'm almost there! I make all my kitchen and bathroom cleansers from various combinations of baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, washing soda, and castile soap.
I recently set about researching homemade alternatives to store bought softeners, and what I discovered is that there's 3 main options. Below, I've outlined each one, with its pros and cons. Remember that you can add essential oils to any of these recipes. And finally, don't forget the old tennis ball (or 3) trick! Just throw them in the dryer for a good old-fashioned softening solution.
2) The second recipe is only a bit more complex, and employs my other very favorite DIY cleaning companion, baking soda. Baking soda is another natural softener, plus it helps to clean and deodorize clothes. Just add 6 cups of vinegar to 1 cup of baking soda, mix, and then use ½-1 cup during the rinse cycle.
3) The final recipe seems to be the most popular around the ‘net. In this version, you combine 6 parts water with 3 parts vinegar and 2 parts hair conditioner. Mix it all up in a container (stirred, not shaken) and then use ½ cup (or less, as needed) per load.
This concoction seems to garner rave reviews, and if you use a super cheap conditioner, it's very cost effective. However, there's nothing natural about store bought conditioner, so this recipe is not for me. If you're after "economy" and not "ecology", this may be just your ticket.
So there you have it, the top 3 homemade fabric softening solutions. And now I'll leave you with one final tip - if your clothes are still too static-y as you're leaving the house, you can always run the long side of a wire hanger over the problem (re: clingy) area. This is a classic trick that really works. You're welcome!