Homemade Fabric Softener

Fabric softeners have become an indispensable laundry product that is used in almost every household. It is a common fact that these products are used for softening clothes. Nowadays, many different brands of fabric softeners are available in the market. You may get them as liquid ones or as dryer sheets. While, liquid versions are added to the water used for rinsing clothes, dryer sheets are attached to the dryer of the washing machine. At times, it may happen that you run out of this laundry product, but, forgot to buy a new bottle. In such case, you may prepare a fabric softener at home.

Homemade Fabric Softener Recipes

In fact, fabric softeners are laundry products, that are composed of certain chemicals. The chemicals form a thin coating over the surface of the clothes, while washing. Such coating acts as a lubricant that prevents static cling. Static cling is a phenomenon, in which light materials, like clothes, stick to each other, due to static electricity, formed as a result of frequent rubbing. Such static cling is the main cause for the wrinkles and creases that develop in the clothes, while washing.

By using fabric softeners, this can be avoided and you will be saved from ironing the clothes. Apart from that, the clothes that tend to get harder with washing, remains soft, if rinsed with fabric softener. Nowadays, you may buy perfumed fabric softeners that can make the clothes fragrant. Even though, there are umpteen brands of fabric softeners available in the market, you may prepare one at home, if you run out of this laundry product. Otherwise too, you may try this product, so as to avoid the harsh chemicals in the store-bought versions.

In order to prepare a homemade fabric softener, you require the following ingredients.

• Distilled white vinegar - 6 cups
• Baking soda - 1 cup
• Water - 8 cups
• Essential oils - few drops

How to Prepare

Take a large clean bucket and add a cup of baking soda into it. Pour a cup of water and stir well. Once done, add the vinegar slowly. The mixture will fizz and you have to wait till it stops. As this reaction releases carbon dioxide, large mixing buckets are preferred. Stay away from the gas. Add the remaining water and a few drops of essential oils, before mixing the solution well. Once done, you can store this fabric softener in bottles. All you have to do is to add a cup of this solution during the rinse cycle.

Another method to prepare a fabric softener is by mixing 2 cups of hair conditioner with three cups of sugar and 6 cups water. The solution will have a mild fragrance as hair conditioner is used in it, it will be better to add a few drops of essential oils for a good scent. You may also use a mixture of three cups vinegar, 2 cups hair conditioner and 6 cups water for making fabric softener.

In short, making fabric softeners at home is one of the easy tasks. Another advantage is that the materials used for this purpose are easily available. This homemade solution is free of chemicals and is cheaper too. If you find such homemade fabric softener to be cost-effective and useful, then, you may replace the store-bought ones with the former.