To create a manageable amount of the fabric softener, use 1 1/2 cups warm water, 3/4 cup vinegar, and 1/2 cup hair conditioner. If you want to make a larger batch the mixture should be six parts water, three parts distilled white vinegar, and two parts hair conditioner.
Boil 1 1/2 -- 2 cups of water and dissolve 1/4 -- 1/2 cup of fabric softener crystals in your water. Next, add 6 cups of white vinegar to a bowl and slowly dissolve 1 cup of baking soda into your vinegar. Finally, mix these two things together, bottle, and store.
What I found has worked is to get an old Downey container with a screw on cap, and fill it 1/4 or 1/3 with the thick goop, and pour in the rest with hot to warm water (leaving about two inches from the cap), and start shaking it for about 5 mins on and off.
Simply add half a cup of white vinegar to your laundry during the rinse cycle, and your clothes will come out smelling clean and fresh. Baking soda is another effective natural fabric softener that can help to eliminate odours and leave your clothes feeling soft and fresh.
Dilute fabric softener: Dilute a small amount of fabric softener in a cup or glass of water. Second rinse: Drop your clothes into clean water, and then move them to one side so you can add the fabric softener. Then stir your clothes in the water for a few minutes to help the fabric softener do its magic.
Soften fabrics with baking soda.
Baking soda softens clothes and reduces unpleasant odors at the same time. Turn on the washing machine and wait until the tub fills with water. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda (90 g) to the water and let it dissolve before adding the clothes.
Add half a cup of salt to your washing machine without using detergent. This simple laundry tip helps remove detergent residue that can dull colors. Salt aids in restoring faded clothes during the wash cycle by loosening fibers and reviving fabric colors.
Vinegar: White vinegar can act as a natural fabric softener and odor neutralizer. Adding half a cup to one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle can help soften fabrics, reduce static cling, and remove detergent residues.
For Preventing Buildup: Fabric softeners can build up in your machine over time and cause parts to break down. Conversely, vinegar can help remove soap residues, making it a better choice if you're concerned about buildup.
Homemade fabric softeners might be as effective as commercial fabric softeners. You can prepare them with natural cleaners like vinegar and baking soda. You can even prepare the best homemade liquid fabric softener without vinegar. Other cleaners like essential oils, are suitable for preparing a fabric softener.
The Kitchen Concoction: Baking Soda & Vinegar
With a few items found in your kitchen pantry, you can mix up your own natural fabric softener. All you need is water, baking soda and vinegar, plus a few drops of essential oils if you'd like it scented. Stir until mixed and add in one-part vinegar (ex: one-half cup).
You should dilute the softener with water if indicated by the softener manufacturer.
Most fabric softeners expire after 2 to 3 years if stored properly and unopened. Opened fabric softener should be used in 6 to 12 months before it begins to break down.
Consider A Pre-Soak Method
Soak your clothes with a cup of vinegar to a basin of water for at least 30 minutes, or longer if they are particularly dirty. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to your pre-soak solution to give it a nice scent.
Cons: This product when used in large quantities, or all the time, can damage fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon, and nylon. It can also change the colors of pH-sensitive dyes. Also, because of its acidic nature, doing laundry with vinegar can damage components of the washer such as the seals and hoses causing leaks.
White vinegar, also known as distilled vinegar or spirit vinegar, is made by fermenting grain alcohol (ethanol) which then turns into acetic acid. Water is then added to the vinegar, so white vinegar is made of five to ten percent acetic acid and ninety to ninety-five percent water.
Of the unscented alternatives to fabric softener, baking soda stands out. It's also a deodorizer, which means it will help eliminate any unpleasant smells in your laundry. Simply put a cup of baking soda in the washer during the rinse cycle. Alternatively, you can add baking soda when you start the regular cycle.
Dryer balls are most commonly made of tightly compressed wool, but can also be made of plastic or rubber. They help prevent laundry from clumping together in the dryer by tumbling between layers and separating fabric.
Using vinegar in laundry is simple. You can add it to the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine or pour it in during the final rinse cycle. When adding vinegar towards the end of the cycle, manually pause your machine right before the final rinse cycle and add a 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to the load.
For front-loading machines, put the same amount of baking soda into the laundry detergent compartment. Regular or distilled white vinegar on its own can do wonders, too: Add ½ cup to your basin or fabric softener dispenser during the rinse cycle.
Hand washing with quilt soap in a lukewarm bathtub or sink. Definitely don't machine wash, and don't use bleach. If you don't have quilt soap (I do recommend it, its great) use properly diluted woolite to soak, rinse and repeat. Don't wring.
Old clothes can easily be revamped in just one sitting. For example: Revive a frayed collar by carefully cutting it off, flipping it over, and reattaching it for a look that's good as new. Cut tattered or torn jeans to make a great pair of shorts, or patch them with colorful or patterned fabric.