Monday, February 13, 2012

DIY Fabric Softener

I haven't bought fabric softener in months.  We've run out of the Downy I bought several years ago for $0.99 a bottle & have just been making do without softener or  a splash of vinegar as necessary.  While I haven't have any trouble with static I must admit I do miss the smell of softener on our towels & sheets, but I figured I wouldn't buy any unless I could get it for under $1 after sales & coupons.

Then I read the following DIY Fabric Softener on HillBillyHousewife.com & figured I'd try it out:

3 c vinegar
2 c hair conditioner
6 c water

While this recipe looked great, it was a little large for me, so I used this recipe conversion calculator to reduce the amount down.  

I used hotel samples of conditioner that smelled like heaven, but were rather thin & after draining them in a funnel overnight ended up with 1/2 cup of conditioner.  


 While measuring the  1 1/2 cups of water, I funneled a little into each bottle so I could shake the remaining conditioner loose & not have any go to waste.

I then added 3/4 c of vinegar & poured all of it into a mason jar.  Shake the mixture until it is evenly incorporated & voila, you have homemade fabric softener!  I found an old measuring cup from coffee & intend to use that small amount (approx 1 T) per load as we have a HE washer. 

I'm not certain that this is the most economical recipe, but if you happened to have free conditioner on hand then this is a great solution. Add this to some homemade laundry detergent & you've got a frugal laundry habit! 

Happy washing!

3 comments:

  1. Awesome, definitely making some of this!
    I have 2 bottles of conditioner in my shower now that have just a little left.
    xo

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  2. Excellent! Let me know what you think. :)

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  3. I walk through my neighborhood everyday & it's amazing how you can smell fabric softener/dryer sheets wafting from the dryer vents on the sides of peoples houses. It's pretty overwhelming somedays.
    I use unscented Bounce dryer sheets & would love an alternative that is also unscented/fragrance free & helps with static reduction but without all the funky chemicals.

    Anyways, I used to have a co-worker who must have saturated her clothing with Downy Spring Forest Magic Mountain Sunny Mountain Airy Forest Orchid Blossom scent because she would make even the slightest of movements & the smell of Downy would be released in all it's over-scented pungent glory. I thought I would die working with her from Downy fumes. She eventually quit her job & the number of migraines & coughing spells by the staff decreased noticeably.

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