If you are a regular diyNatural reader, you already know we make our own laundry detergent, so now we’ll show you how we soften our laundry and save money as we make alternatives to the commercial dryer sheets.
Homemade fabric softener
Vinegar is my fabric softener of choice. Aside from being a natural softener, it also removes soap residue in the washing machine and reduces static in the dryer. You can add vinegar directly to laundry during the rinse cycle or pour vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. I have even added 1-2 drops of my favorite essential oil to the vinegar in the softener dispenser. My mother caught me standing over the washing machine one day with a glass dropper in one hand and a bottle of lavender essential oil in the other, and commented that it looked as though I was running a science lab out of my laundry room. I feel like a scientist sometimes as I experiment with combinations of my favorite oils in the laundry. Sweet orange brightens and fights stains, lavender offers a calming effect, and peppermint can help fight tough odors on clothing. You can pre-mix your fabric-softening vinegar by using the following recipe:
Vinegar Laundry Softener
- 1 gallon white vinegar
- 20-30 drops of essential oil
Plain lavender is one of my favorites, or a combination of sweet orange and lemon when I need a pick-me-up on laundry day! A third suggestion is to use peppermint, although I would cut this back to 15 drops because it is quite potent.
Just shake well before each use and it’s ready for the rinse cycle. For small or average loads add 1/2 cup to the rinse cycle, for larger loads add about 1 cup to the rinse cycle.
Homemade dryer sheets
Over the past few years we have researched many alternatives to commercial dryer sheets. Why? Because there is evidence that toxic fragrance chemicals can be present in commercial dryer sheets that can be absorbed into your skin when you put your clothes on. This was enough to convince me that commercial dryer sheets might not be the best choice for my family, and the cost savings of do-it-yourself dryer sheets was an added bonus. You will love experimenting with different scents along the way, and will never have to put dryer sheets on your grocery list again!
Cut cotton cloth into small squares. I use 5-inch squares of cotton t-shirts that I’m retiring. Add 3-5 drops of essential oil to your cloth and throw it in the dryer with your next load. These cotton dryer sheets can be used for 2 or 3 loads, each time adding 3 more drops of your favorite essential oil. Wash the cloth after a few uses and experiment with a new fragrance the next time! Some of my personal favorites are lavender, lemon, or grapefruit.
If you don’t have essential oils and would like to try some other safe alternatives, consider the following:
- Dampen hands with water & fluff laundry as it comes out of dryer to reduce static cling.
- Use non-chemical dryer balls. Can be purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond for a few dollars.
- Use felted wool dryer balls (available on etsy.com – get at least 6 to be used in each load).
I probably spend too much time in my “science lab” now, experimenting and enjoying the laundry aromatherapy. I’m also enjoying the peace of mind knowing that I am not putting chemicals into my family’s laundry.
Avoid chemical perfumes
Homemade fabric softener and dryer sheets contain only what you choose to put in them, that’s part of the beauty of making your own cleaners. Commercial dryer sheets coat your cloths with a thin film of artificial chemical perfumes. Our sensitivity to these chemical perfumes decreases over time, but when you stop using them your senses return to normal and you won’t believe how noticeable and repulsive the artificial fragrance chemicals are. That’s a good thing.
Your clothes will take a few wash cycles to lose the coating from commercial detergents and softeners, but the sooner you get started the sooner your family will be free from harsh chemicals and perfumes.
Try the above solution next time you do laundry… we made the switch and will never go back!
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{ 81 comments… read them below or add one }
Great tips – i’ve tried the recipe for fabric softener (though mine uses baking soda and water as well) but havent tried the dryer sheets. I may have to once it gets cold enough to use the dryer again.
Just a thought, would the essential oils leave “spots” on clothing?
Good question Pamela, we thought the same thing… thankfully the answer is no.
Nope, I have been doing this for years.
I made a bunch of wool dryer balls (a simple and fun project with lots of tutorials online) and I drip the essential oils on them instead of a cloth. I haven’t noticed any staining from the oils and I’ve been doing this a long time. Good idea about premixing the vinegar for the washing machine. I can also be found holding a glass bottle over the machine, mad science-like.
Cool! I have not tried making my own wool dryer balls yet. Might have to look into this!
where do you get the scented oils from?
We’re working with a company to put together a “DiyNatural Essential Oils” package to make it easier to put all these solutions into place. When our ebook comes out, the oils package will be ready. For now, I advise you to use RainbowMeadow.com.
I always by my oils at Mothernature.com and if you go through the http://www.shopathome.com you get 8%cash back on your order plus they always have coupon codes for free goodies. Of course you have to register at the shop@home website, everytime your account reaches $20.00 in cash back they mail you a check
I use wool dryer balls that you can either make yourself or if you are lazy like me buy them on etsy. Tons of people sell them and they are good for life! You can scent those with oils and they do not stain your clothes. They even cut down on the drying time. I’ve been using them since the beginning of the year and I’ll never go back to dryer sheets. We probably do about 6 or 7 loads of laundry a week.
Hi! I read a review once that has caused me to steer clear of using vinegar as a fabric softener: someone said it rusted their machine! I know, stainless steel isn’t SUPPOSED to rust, but I’ve seen it happen. Can you comment?
Vinegar does not cause rust in washing machines, and can actually help remove rust naturally on some materials. Washing machine drums are either made out of stainless steel or porcelain, and have a protective rust-proof coating that can wear away with time. All it takes is water and oxygen for a machine to rust after the protective coating has worn off. Don’t let the one negative review hinder you from trying this!
Good to know! You’ve increased my confidence enough that I think I’ll try it in my new machine. Thanks.
how will this fabric softner work in HE machines? Any negative affect?
It works great in any machine with no harmful effects. God bless.
I have been using vinegar as fabric softener for well over 2 years and have never had a problem with it in my HE machine.
I have a cat and have heard that essential oils are toxic to them, however I would like my laundry to have a nice fragrance. Do you think the amount of oil left on the laundry after washing would be significant?
No…using essential oils in the amounts we recommend only leaves the slightest scent on your laundry. Keep your pet safe by keeping essential oil containers sealed tightly & storing where pets can not get into them. (It’s probably concentrated, large amounts that are harmful to pets.)
Hi Matt and Betsy: I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and have made dishwasher detergent using another recipe involving baking soda rather than washing soda and lemon Kool-Aid for the citric acid (way cheaper!). I’m getting a residue but probably need to add more Kool-Aid due to our hard water out here in the country. Looking forward to trying the vinegar fabric softener…think I’ll go make up a batch right now. I think you’ve unleashed the mad scientist in me!
Way to go Vicki! As with any of these recipes, you will have to keep tweaking to figure out what works for your specific appliance. In addition to trying more Kool-Aid, you can try decreasing or increasing the amount of detergent you use for dish loads until you notice a positive difference. Good luck!
try putting viniger in the rinse, also I found a recipe and had to increase the amount from 1 TBS to 1 1/2 TBS because my water is a little hard
So…I love this article, because we have a one year old at home and I’ve been strict about using the free and clear laundry products.
We are using Bounty Free and Clear dryer sheets right now and my question is…do I need to be concerned about these dryer sheets? Do they leave the same chemical “coating” on my clothes while drying?
Also…I LOVE the suggestions about adding vinegar and essential oil to my washing load, but I rarely ever make it to the laundry room in time for the rinse cycle. Any other suggestions on how to use this mixture without needing to listening for the cycles to change?
Thanks!
Stefanie–I don’t have personal experience with the Bounty line of products you are referring to, but the scary thing is that most dryer sheet brands won’t even list ingredients on the packaging. This alone worries me. I hate guessing what companies deem “safe” for us.
When using vinegar in the rinse cycle, the easiest way is to pour it in your fabric softener dispenser or bleach dispenser if your washing machine has one. If you don’t have this feature on your washer you can add the vinegar at the same time as your regular laundry soap and it will still soften the laundry and add to the cleaning power. The only thing you’ll be missing out on is the ability of the vinegar to remove soap residue during the rinse cycle and soften a little more.
also you can use a downy softener ball that goes in the washing machine it will release the viniger in the rinse cycle every time just like it would the downy softener I have to done this over the years because I can never make it downstairs to the machine at rinse cycle, either
Thanks Celia! I had totally forgotten that I used this method when I owned a washer without the built-in compartments. I love my diy readers!!!
I am curious about salt as a fabric softner…anyone tried it? Not sure it will help with soap residue like the vinegar.
Hmmm…haven’t tried it. Never saw anything on the web about using salt during my “research” phase on natural fabric softeners either.
Hey, I just recently found your website and love it! I’ve already made your laundry detergent and love it! I’ve used vinegar before in my rinse cycle, but never thought to add essential oils-will definitely be trying this! I was just wondering you’ve found was the best solution to static. When the weather starts getting cooler we-my husband especially- gets horrible static. He goes through several bottles of static guard each winter-I’m sure I don’t want to know what all chemicals are in that! Any suggestions???
Any way you can replace the moisture into the air in your home will improve the static. Running a humidifier, growing plants, etc. The vinegar in the rinse cycle should remedy some of the static in your laundry, but there are other things you can do if it’s extreme in your house. Putting on lotion before getting dressed will also decrease static. I always rub lots of lotion on my hands before folding laundry in the colder months. Natural fabrics won’t get static…so try washing natural fabrics & synthetic fabrics separately, or hang dry your synthetic fabrics. Allowing them to air dry should almost eliminate any static. I also read somewhere that pinning a small safety pin on an inside seam of pants, skirts, or the top of a sock can reduce static. Haven’t tried it, but I’d be interested to see if it worked!
Hi Betsy, Vinegar and water sets the color in a new or dyed fabric if done before washing it. It also set a new hair color treatment when used as a finishing rinse to makes the color last longer. My question is does the vinegar rinse in washer set grease spots ? And as far as reducing static in clothes, if you ever run into an emergency situation get a wire hanger and rub it over your clothes. If the synthetics are not allowed to completely dry and you hang them up, you will not have bad static. I love your site and everything you said above I do agree with. I will have to try the safety pin thing ! It may even work in the dryer to reduce static.
Great information Dottie! As far as grease spots go, I would definitely pre-treat them, but vinegar is actually a great degreaser when used in laundry.
I’ve used a safety pin ito prevent static n my skirts that have linings for several years. It works!
I read somewhere that you could place a balled up piece of aluminum foil in your dryer and that would eliminate the static.
Anyone else hear of this?
Yes, it works great! I actually recommend this somewhere further down in the comments.
Is this safe for cloth diapers?
Trish, we don’t have kids so I have not had the chance to try it out for myself, but everything I read says there are many benefits to using vinegar w/ cloth diapers. This blog gives lots of good information – http://www.clothdiaperblog.com/the-411-on-vinegar-is-it-safe-for-cloth-diapers/
Thanks for asking this question Trish, I was wondering the same thing. Thanks for the link Betsy!
I love the vinegar with lavender essential oil!!! Thank you!
Here’s a site I discovered last night: http://frugallysustainable.blogspot.com/2011/10/homemade-bleach-alternative.html -and that is the link to their homemade bleach alternative. Thought yall might like to try it out. I certainly am going to try it out today! Oh, I have been enjoying using the vinegar as softener and using the homemade dryer sheets from your post. Thanks!
I have a front-load washer that uses very little water. I am concerned that the vinegar might cause spots on the clothes or fade out the colors, since it won’t be diluted very much before it hits the clothes. Anyone have experience with this?
We don’t have a HE front-loading washer, but based on our research & feedback from readers, using vinegar is completely safe. It is actually recommended for use if you want to brighten colors in the laundry, so I wouldn’t worry about the fading.
Would it be ok to store the vinegar in my laundry room? It is in my basement where it is dark and cool.
If it’s white vinegar designated specifically for laundry then you shouldn’t have any problems storing it in the laundry room…that’s where I store mine. I store my other types of cooking vinegar in cool, dark cupboards to extend shelf life & preserve the flavor, but my gallon jugs of white vinegar only get used for cleaning and laundry so I’m not as careful w/ these. (I have read conflicting things on shelf life of white vinegar, ranging anywhere from 6 months after opening to indefinite.)
Where do you get the “essential oils” from and don’t they leave spots or stains on the clothes?
I buy all of my essential oils from Puritans Pride online. It’s great b/c they are always offering great deals like buy 1 get 2 free.
Is this safe for infants clothing as well? Meaning, would it bother her skin?
There are lots of different opinions out there about using essential oils with infants. Some oils that I have read should be very safe for babies are lavender, geranium, rose, and chamomile. However, I don’t have kids, and so I would recommend doing your own research on which oils are safe for babies and making your choice based on this. Arm yourself with as much information as possible to keep your baby’s sensitive skin safe! Good luck!
I have tried the homemade laundry soap & vinegar as a fabric softener with success. I’ve been using essential oils (lavender or orange & lemon) but I really can’t smell anything after they have gone through the dryer. I’ve upped the amount of essential oil, but I think it’s alot more than you’ve recommended & I still don’t notice the scent on the clothes. What am I doing wrong?
How are you using the oils?
I put 1/2 cup vinegar in my fabric softener cup in the washer, then add water to fill the cup, & add a few drops of oil to that.
You’re not doing anything wrong Ilene.
You really shouldn’t be able to smell the oils after laundry comes out of the washer…increasing the amount of oil in the wash might result in oily build-up on your clothes. (I didn’t make this really clear in the article, but using oils in the wash is mainly for cleaning benefits & a little aromatherapy while starting the wash.) In order to have scented laundry, use essential oils in the dryer. Either by placing a few drops on a homemade dryer sheet or on wool dryer balls. Clothing will be very LIGHTLY scented after using oils in the dryer.
I was just wondering about the vinegar being used as fabric softner. If you don’t use the oils, will your clothes smell like vinegar? I want to use this but don’t want to smell like vinegar.
Nope.
What do you suggest to clean blue jeans that are HEAVILY soiled with grease, machine shop grime and dirt?
Several steps, because grease is a tough one. Try blotting up any excess grease with paper towel until no more grease comes up. Then sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder on spots, allow to sit overnight, and brush powder off gently. Put a few drops of dishwashing liquid onto grease stains, add a few drops of water, and scrub the area with a small brush until stains break up. Launder as usual. I’m sure you already know this, but don’t wash the heavily soiled jeans with other garments and hang dry only. Putting them in the dryer will set the stains. Sounds like a tough job…good luck!
a trick my aunt told me about, my uncle used to work in the coal mine and he would come home extremely dirty, oily, and covered in coal dust, now first this has to be done in a non HE washer, if you put this in a front loader it WILL ruin it and void the warranty (i know other people have used this, not by my direction, and have had issues with their washer)
so in order to get his cloths clean she would wash his cloths using dawn, she put 1/4 of a cup to 1/2 a cup per load and ran it on cold or warm, use dawn though, its one of the best degreasers out their, now that she uses a public washing machine she uses an industrial grease cleaner (doesn’t want to ruin their machine) which works really well,
You can also wash the cloths in the sink using the same measurements if your worried about your washer,
Ok. I just made my first batch of homeade laundry detergent, and it seems to clean pretty good, but I had trouble with it on some blood spots on a pillow case and had to apply some Dawn and pre soak for a while with it to get it clean. I added lavender E/O to the detergent and it does leave a nice, clean scent to the clothes. Now my complaint about the vinegar. Everybody CLAIMS that vinegar works great as a fabric softener. I disagree!
My towels come out of the dryer feeling much rougher and stiffer than when I use commercial fabric softener. I know I’m not “doing it wrong” as any idiot can pour a 1/2 cup of vinegar into the softener dispenser. So please, an HONEST opinion??? Are you honestly getting comparable “softness” using vinegar instead? Because I am not and it seriously seems more like I’m wasting a half cup of vinegar. I have not tested a load without it as of yet to compare that way. But I intend to if your answers are positive for the vinegar.
Kenny,
Keep in mind that pre-treating stains is still necessary with the laundry detergent…like commercial detergents, the homemade variety won’t get ALL the tough spots out of your laundry. I usually sprinkle a little powdered detergent on stains and rub with a wet toothbrush that is designated only for laundry.
As for the vinegar softener, it won’t work exactly like commercial softeners because it’s not coating your garments with conditioners. Laundry comes out soft enough for me, but everyone’s preferences are different. Some other factors that might be different here…we have soft city water where I live, and I use wool dryer balls that fluff my laundry. Try a load without and see if you like it better.
i love vinegar in mine, it does a lot better then any store bought. vinegar strips the detergent from the cloths, i use a slightly different recipe for my softener which i will post for you.
1 c. vinegar
1 c. cheap hair conditioner of your choice (smell has a little part in choice)
8-10 cups of water
mix together. thats it.
i take a sponge and cut the scratchy green side off, dip it in the mixture and really wring it out and throw it into the dryer, this recipe lasts you easily a year (if you do one load a day, if less then longer) but you can also use it like any other fabric softeners (same amount as others) and pour it into your rinse cycle or dispenser spot on the washer.
Hi, my question is. I love snuggle blue sparkle fabric softener. When I run out, iam going to white vinegar. Can I add that in as my oil?, or do you know an oil that would have that smell? Thanks
Victoria, since I’ve never used Snuggle Blue Sparkle, could you describe what it smells like? Maybe I could come up with an essential oil combination that would come close.
funny, i just googled it to see what kind of scent it has but it doesn’t even have a description just blue sparkle.
I’d love to know the answer to this too. I want to give up having to buy snuggles but depend on that scent. LOL Its my comfort “food” of laundry.
Can I put the homemade fabric softener in a downey ball? I live in an apartment complex that has top loader machines.
Thanks!
don’t see why not, it works like any other fabric softener would, i make a different recipe, which i posted below, and the days im don’t want to get my hands messy i pour it into my dauny ball
Hi,
I have the most sensitive skin and most clothes make my skin feel very irritated and almost feels like it burns.
I thought that adding more fabric softener to loads of laundry to make the clothes softer but i’m thinking that after reading articles that It might be the fabric softener that’s making it worse. I have tried every laundry soap and fabric softener trying to find 1 that does not irritate my skin. I’m now wanting to try homemade and see if it helps.
Have you had any results or feedback about whether homemade laundry soap or fabric softener are ok for sensitive skin?
Thank you.
Yes, we’ve had lots of feedback from readers about the homemade formulas working well on their sensitive skin. No harsh chemicals or perfumes to irritate the skin. The recommended amounts for each use are very small, so there’s much less of a chance that any traces will remain on clothes after coming out of the wash.
The good news? If you purchase the ingredients to make the homemade formulas and you don’t like them, you can always use the ingredients for cleaning around the house!
i make a recipe that i guess is kind of similar to this, mine does use store bought hair conditioners so there is probably harmful chemicals in it but you are using soooo much water i really don’t think it would even slightly harm you.
1 c. vinegar
1 c. cheap hair conditioner of your choice (smell has a little part in choice)
8-10 cups of water
mix together. thats it.
i take a sponge and cut the scratchy green side off, dip it in the mixture and really wring it out and throw it into the dryer, this recipe lasts you easily a year (if you do one load a day, if less then longer) but you can also use it like any other fabric softeners (same amount as others) and pour it into your rinse cycle or dispenser spot on the washer.
I don’t like using essential oils because where i live (utah) its like 15 dollars a bottle and i know a guy that works for young living essential oils, and he can’t even get a discount (he has worked for this company since it pretty much started in utah) maybe i can get it cheaper but im not the person that needs a smell to think they are clean, i really love line dried clothes and if you do that there is almost no smell except natural sun and fresh.
Loved this article, so glad I found it! I am just about to start making essential oil products for use around the house, well my oils are supposed to arrive on Monday…I can hardly wait! What I am wondering is…I want static free and scented laundry when it comes out of the dryer, so I thought I would use an old washcloth with a few drops of essential oil on it. Will this soften my clothes or only scent them?
It will only scent them. For static free laundry, I recommend vinegar in the rinse cycle of the wash. In the colder months I also throw a ball of aluminum foil in the dryer with my homemade dryer sheet or wool dryer balls…this REALLY helps with the static.
Foil! Who would have guessed! Have been using the homemade laundry soap for 3 weeks. Found out Zote works better than Ivory. Love the vinegar. I got away from strong perfume smells years ago. Now it causes allergies to act up when exposed. Going to use the foil for static.
I just recently found your site and love it! I plan to switch to your homemade laundry detergent as soon as my store bought bottle runs out. I would love to switch to this vinegar fabric softener as well but I have a front loader washing machine and I’m concerned that the ingredients in your homemade laundry detergent will react with the vinegar softener and make too much foam or suds for a front loader. Do you know if this would happen or do you think maybe I shouldn’t use these 2 homemade recipes together?
Laci,
I use these two recipes together and it does not create extra suds. In fact, sometimes I wonder how it could possibly get my clothes clean because there is so little suds. You will be safe to use them both (at the same time) in your front loader.
could anyone tell me where i should look online for good priced essential oils? i did a quick google search and then decided maybe i should get advice because im seeing a WIDE range in prices and i saw a few forum discussions saying önly expensive oils are good” and idk if these ppl are being snobs, or if there is some real reasoning in it. im not really 100% concerned if they have some chemicals or what not, as long as its not something that is super harmful even in the tiny amounts that this calls for (and wont like catch on fire in the dryer) help pleeeeeeease!
On the subject of laundry, I ran across a recipe for homemade spray starch. Used it this morning and it does work. 1 heaping tablespoon of corn starch, 1 pint cold water. Stir until dissolved. Put in spray bottle. Shake before each use.
Yes! A similar recipe is in our Homemade Cleaners book.
I’ve used a ball of rolled up tin foil in the dryer many times and it works beautifully to keep the laundry static-free.
I JUST bought the ingredients for the Home Made Laundry Detergent, last night! And I am SO VERY excited to begin making my own. After I had my son, who is now 5yrs old; I became very big on making sure I recycle& treat this earth as good as I possibly can for HIM! Our children are the ones who have to live with the destruction we are now causing:(
While reading thru this page today, I’ve found a TON more useful ideas tips. I’d LOVE to make everything I’ve read about here.
But I do have a question. 1st my husband absolutely LOVES the nice smell that fabric softener gives. So much so that i use both liquid in a Downy Ball in the Wash&3sheets in the dryer, same load mind you! The cost is so bad it makes me feel guilty!
So do u have any ideas for an oil or other product that will give him that wonderful(I love it as well) nice strong clean smell?
Id also like to make my own cleaning products. I too, love a very nice clean smell from my all purpose cleaners.
One last thing, I promise! I do own swifter wet jets:( I’m sorry, I kno its FULL of chemicals. But I’ve often wondered if I could refill those bottles of spray cleaner that you use with the Wet Jet, with something safer to spray my floors with? And do I really need to buy those expensive pads to attach to the bottom of them? Or can I make any of it at home?
Thank u SO much for teaching use how to live cleaner, less costly lives:)
Oh no, one more! My husband is a Coal Miner. I was his uniforms at home. His VERY VERY DIRTY uniforms. I KNOW that oil& grime has to build up inside my washer! Any ideas for how to REALLY clean just your washer?
Shana…glad you’re so passionate about doing things yourself! Keep in mind that the “nice strong clean smell” is a chemical scent. Using essential oils in your laundry will not give you that smell…it’s much more subtle, and using too much will make laundry oily. Now that we only use essential oils to scent things in my house, we are very sensitive to chemical smells and actually find them offensive. As far as an alternative, I have not tried them myself, but you could experiment with fragrance oils for laundry and cleaning products.
For your Swiffer, definitely refill those bottles if you can! (Some companies make them so you CAN’T refill and have to continue spending $ on their product.) Fill with equal parts water and white vinegar! Purchase a package of microfiber cleaning cloths (we bought a package at Sam’s Club for cheap), cut them to fit your Swiffer, and attach.
You may want to try scrubbing the inside of your washer with vinegar and baking soda if you can visibly see built up grime. Good luck!
Sorry for the typos. My lil one is wanting ALL of my attention. So im gettin picked at as I write! LOL
I have been making the liquid soap but going to try the dry seems like will be easier. Thanks for all the tips