I’ve always been a huge fan of making my own laundry detergent and fabric softener. I’ve been making my own fabric softener for awhile using this recipe. Recently, I’ve been adding more essential oils to the recipe in order to give it a stronger smell, this is especially true when I’m giving it away as a gift (with the recipe card attached).
{Homemade Fabric Softener}
6 Cups Water
2 Cups Hair Conditioner (You can use any kind, I did have the Suave Rosemary Mint on hand so I used that.)
3 Cups White Vinegar
Essential Oils (optional)
Directions:
When you buy the conditioner at the store, keep in mind you’ll be needing 16oz. I noticed my Suave bottle was only 12oz so I had to shorten some of the other ingredients just a bit. Simply stir the ingredients together then pour them in jars or another storage container. I added Lavender essential oil (about 20 drops) to the fabric softener which gives it a much stronger scent especially since you’re likely using a scented hair conditioner too.
You can use this in your fabric softener dispenser or soak a washcloth (and then wring it out well) in it and throw the washcloth in your dryer with your other clothing.
Overall, I really liked this one because I really wanted my clothing to come out with a fresh smell and I seemed to have achieved that with this homemade fabric softener.
Keep in mind, I use it with homemade laundry detergent which I also add essential oils too. Yep, we’re smelling good around here!
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Here is a clip of the news segment where I show how to put it all together!
:
How much sotner do I put in the washer?
Your washer should have a place where you pour it up to the line, do you have one of those? Otherwise, you can get a downy ball thing at the store and fill that. You don’t want to pour it directly on your clothes. You can soak a washcloth in it and throw that in the dryer though with the wet clothes.
Why not? I’ve been doing it since I started using fabric softener (I started using it only after I found this recipe, never before have I used fabric softener when doing laundry), for the past five months I have been doing it (some of those months I was hand washing it). What happens if you do?
I use a public laundry mat now(cause of the winter), the fabric softener “place” is always gunky (and sometimes full of someone else’s product, because the machine is junk). I’ve personally never noticed a problem with my clothes though… Although, I do tend to run the cap under the flow of water (if possible), to dilute it.
I have two daughters, whom suffering from eczema. I haven’t found anything to use on their clothes. Can you recommend a homemade washing power and fabric softener.
Thank you,
Mrs. Portis
My ex’s daughter had excema that I cleared up at home with sensitive skin body wash (non scented) and cerave lotion. I used homemade laundry soap for all our clothes which was a giant box of borax, 2 boxes of washing soda and a bar of grated up fels naptha soap. It never caused her any issues. As long as we stayed on her skin with lotion so it wasn’t dried out, she was fine. Hope this helps a little.
A friend gave me this same recipe without the essential oils. It works great and saves money. I put it in a bucket with some sponges cut in half. Ring out a sponge or two and throw it in the dryer with your load of wet clothes. Or sometimes I put it in the fabric softner dispenser in my washing machine. Either way works great.
What would the break down be if you only have a cup of vinegar?
Is their one of the oils you like and what name brand is it and we’re do you get it from. I am new to this.
I am going to have to try this and thanks for sharing! Please join our party and share this https://www.floydfamilyhomestead.com/2016/09/07/the-homesteader-hop19/
I am going to have to try this! Please join us at our party https://www.floydfamilyhomestead.com/2016/09/07/the-homesteader-hop19/
Doesn’t that rosemary mint Suave conditioner smell amazing?! I love it! Pretty awesome that my clothes could have that same fresh scent! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at Merry Monday this week!
Wow, what a great idea! Pinning this! 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty
I had all this conditioner that was either left overs or stuff we had been given that we were not using. I was getting down to the last of my fabric softener & I thought there might be a substitution for it on-line. I know One Good Thing by Jilly had homemade laundry & some other cleaning things. I googled this & your site came up. I have mixed it up & will try it real soon. Thanks for sharing. I will try to get back to you on how it works. Thanks for all the other good tips you share, too.
Tried the fabric softener and it did not work for me as I only wash in cold water. It clogged up the container that dispenses it. Had a wicked job cleaning it out.