DIY Fabric Softener

It was only a matter of time after making my own laundry soap that I would make fabric softener! I have always used the dryer sheets because any liquid that I tried would irritate my skin. So in my recent efforts to DIY practically everything I can think of I wanted to check out my options with fabric softener.

On Tip Nut there is a great list of different ways to make your own fabric softener. The one that I have heard of the most is using white vinegar. That worked okay, but my clothes weren’t all that soft. After a few tries, here is the recipe that I like the most.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of hair conditioner (I used 1/2 of a 15oz bottle)
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 3 cups hot water (I used the hottest water from the tap)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together by slowly stirring until the conditioner clumps are gone and the mixture is smooth. This will take a few minutes and a whole bunch of patience. I used a funnel to pour it into my old liquid detergent bottle. I cut the recipe in half from the first time I made it because it didn’t fit in my bottle and I had to store the rest in another bottle.

I used the Suave conditioner Waterfall Mist, which was hypoallergenic. I have washed several loads of laundry using this mix and have had no skin irritation at all. I have even used it on my kids clothes, whom all have eczema and sensitive skin. You can barely smell the scent when the clothes are done, but I think I will still try a lavender conditioner next time.