We’ve been exploring ways to cut costs by making everyday products at home from run of the mill ingredients for a lot less! So far we’ve covered homemade laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, and dog food. Today we’re tackling homemade fabric softener.
The conditioner in this recipe will leave a slight fragrance after you take your clothes out of the dryer. Save your expensive conditioner for your hair, cheap-o brands like Suave or V05 will work just fine.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups White Distilled Vinegar
- 2 cups Hair Conditioner (this works out to about the size of a full bottle of Suave)
- 8 cups Hot Water
Directions:
Mix ingredients together and pour into a storage container. (I used an empty milk jug for no added cost.) Use about 1/4 cup per load in the rinse cycle or in a Downy Ball.
Heads up…
- Do NOT substitute Apple Cider Vinegar for any of these recipes. You’ll end up with dingy clothes.
- Do NOT use your homemade fabric softener on loads using bleach. Mixing bleach with vinegar can produce toxic fumes. Vinegar is a natural whitener so you really don’t need bleach anyway!
lisa February 6, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Is this safe to use in HE washers?
Julia February 6, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Lisa, I’ve learned that you can use ANY type of detergent, but if it’s not HE you just use 1/2 as much. We have an HE washer and that’s what we’ve been doing for 2+ years. Saved a lot of money that way too
Ellen C February 6, 2012 at 1:48 pm
This is great. I’m definately going to give it a try. Thanks.
LoveToBeFit February 6, 2012 at 2:03 pm
This sounds like a great idea. However, I use distilled white vinegar alone as a fabric softener – about 1/4 cup/small load. It’s nice since it leaves no residue. Even black tee-shirts stay black and there are fewer wrinkles than without the vinegar. (I also line dry indoors.)
Danielle February 6, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Do you use this in place of dryer sheets?
~T~ February 6, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Awesome, you can choose “better” fragrance at least have a larger variety AND …. the 99 cent store has a great variety of conditioners for …. 99 cents LOL
I think I will use an empty laundry soap container with the button pour these fit so nicely in the cabinet directly over my washer and I already have 2 emptied
Jennifer February 6, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Can’t you just add a few drops of an essential oil to the vinegar? I have used white vinegar for fabric softener before but I don’t worry about my clothes smelling like anything so I’ve never tried it, but it seems like hair conditioner would leave a residue.
Andrea Roberts February 6, 2012 at 5:42 pm
Pour one bottle of liquid fabric softener in a 5 gallon bucket then fill the rest of the bucket with warm water. Dip a (new clean) sponge in, wring it out, then toss it into your dryer with your clothes. Viola! Fabric softener!
Nancy Evans November 3, 2012 at 10:03 am
Does it matter what size bottle you use of Fabric Softner (32, 64 etc)?
Vivian Cross February 7, 2012 at 1:53 am
awesome idea.. and responses!
Jennifer Perches-Courtney via Facebook February 7, 2012 at 11:25 am
I made this yesterday, I like this because you can choose whatever u sent you’d like you fabric softner. It seemed to work just as well as the “real” stuff.
Shelley Purves Scarborough via Facebook February 7, 2012 at 11:28 am
so what’s the best deal on vinegar? costco?
Julie Lawyer May 9, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Grocery outlet sometimes has a good deal on it
Jennifer Perches-Courtney via Facebook February 7, 2012 at 11:50 am
Actually I got mine from walmart for under $2
Carrie Wild via Facebook February 7, 2012 at 12:03 pm
You can get 2 gallon jugs for $3 and some change at Sams club.
Jolene February 7, 2012 at 1:48 pm
99 Cents Only Store has both the vinegar & conditioner, similar to what’s shown
Christina Gray via Facebook February 7, 2012 at 2:48 pm
white vinegar is the best fabric softener ever! No mixing required
Ellen C February 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm
I made this today, excited about getting to try it. I remember reading several days ago about makeing homemade coffee creamer. Was it on TFF? I have looked but so far cannot find it. I really want to give it a try. Thanks.
Maria March 18, 2012 at 1:50 am
I was just wondering of I could maybe not add vinegar to my mixture I don’t like the smell of it so I was wondering if maybe instead of adding vinegar just boil water and baking soda and hair conditioner?
monika March 31, 2012 at 8:06 pm
why do you have to put 8 cups of water what is the reason or can i put less water?
Karena August 21, 2012 at 5:37 pm
I tried it but the vinegar smell is over whelming, I used a whole bottle of conditioner and 3 cups of vinegar and 3 1/2 cups of water.
Karena August 21, 2012 at 5:38 pm
SORRY, I used 6 1/2 cups of water……oooops
Holly Pickett September 29, 2012 at 8:52 pm
I’ve been making a similar softener. The vinegar smell does not stay in your clothing. The conditioner is probably not needed but smells nice and does help.
You could definitely add some lavender EO to it or other EOs.
Not my blog btw but I felt the urge to comment
Jackie October 3, 2012 at 3:25 pm
I have been using this for 5 months, works great!! Great money saver and no chemicals on your clothes or going down the drain!! It really does not smell like vinegar on the clothes. You can also just use essiential oils instead of the conditioner. I also make my own laundry detergent.
Angie November 10, 2012 at 9:00 pm
If I was to add eo’s instead of conditioner how much would I use? I’m not wher to get eo’s but it seems like it would be better then conditioner. And why vinegar? What does it do? If I was to add eo’s instead of conditioner how much would I use? I’m not wher to get eo’s but it seems like it would be better then conditioner. And why vinigar? What does it do?
Michele January 1, 2013 at 8:10 am
How much essential oils do you add to a 9.5 cup (3 vinegar + 6.5 water) batch?
Maggie February 27, 2013 at 5:42 pm
I have made my own detergents, I make my own soap… I am sometimes a little shocked how many people are concerned with how much ingredients to add in the comments. I advise readers to experiment with things like this… Everyone has different preferences and sensitivities. I always start with a little and if it is not enough I add more. With my five gallon drum of laundry soap I usually add an ounce of fragrance or EO depending on how I am feeling.
shari April 15, 2013 at 8:20 am
this absolutely works wonderful!!! I recommend it to everyone