Homemade Liquid Fabric Softener
Three easy and inexpensive DIY recipes to make your own homemade liquid fabric softener.
Equipment
- 1 quart size mason jar
- 1 half gallon mason jar
- 1 fermentation weight
- 1 fine mesh strainer
- 1 wide mouth mason jar lid
- 1 large wooden spoon
Ingredients
DIY Recipe #1: Distilled White Vinegar + Essential Oils
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 40-60 drops essential oils (optional)
DIY Recipe #2: Lemon Infused Vinegar
- 8 lemon rinds
- 5 cups distilled white vinegar
DIY Recipe #3: Distilled White Vinegar + Hair Conditioner
- 1 cup hair conditioner
- 4 cups hot water
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 40-60 drops essential oil (optional)
Instructions
DIY Recipe #1: Distilled White Vinegar + Essential Oils
- Add distilled white vinegar and essential oils to a quart size mason jar.
- Shake to combine.
- Add 1/4-1/2 of liquid fabric softener per load (depending on the size of your load) according to your washing machine instructions.
- Will last 8-16 loads.
DIY Recipe #2: Lemon Infused Vinegar
- Add lemon rinds to a half gallon mason jar.
- Pour distilled white vinegar over the lemon rinds.
- If you have one, place a fermentation weight on top of the mixture and firmly press down. If you do not have a fermentation weight, be sure to shake the jar every day to ensure the lemons stay covered by the distilled white vinegar.
- Allow the lemons to infuse into the distilled white vinegar for 2-3 weeks.
- After 2-3 weeks, use a fine mesh strainer and strain the infused vinegar separating out the rinds, seeds, and any other pieces floating in the liquid.
- Store your lemon infused distilled white vinegar is a mason jar and use 1/4-1/2 cup per load (depending on the size of your load) according to your washing machine instructions.
- Will last 10-20 loads.
DIY Recipe #3: Distilled White Vinegar + Hair Conditioner
- Add hair conditioner to a half gallon mason jar.
- Add distilled white vinegar and essential oils to the mason jar. Stir again to combine everything.
- Add 1/4-1/2 of liquid fabric softener per load (depending on the size of your load) according to your washing machine instructions.
- Will last 14-28 loads.
Notes
- I would recommend 1/4 cup of liquid fabric softener for smaller loads and 1/2 cup of liquid fabric softener for larger loads for all three DIY recipes.
- The essential oils aren’t necessary in any of the recipes. Depending on which essential oils you use, they can add cleaning ability to your laundry and produce a nice smell.
- None of the 3 liquid fabric softener recipes actually leave behind a scent on my laundry once fully washed and dried. My clothes feel and smell nice, but not specifically fragranced.
- Never mix any of these liquid fabric softeners with bleach or ammonia due to the distilled white vinegar.
