Looking for a homemade fabric softener that’s easy to make and works great? Then give yourself a pat on the back, because you’ve come to the right place!
I’ve tried and tweaked dozens of different homemade fabric softeners over the past decade of my blogging career, and some have been better than others. The one I’ll be sharing with you in this post is my favorite of the liquid fabric softeners I’ve tried, both for its simplicity and its effectiveness!
The thing I like most about this formula is that it doesn’t coat fabrics with chemical softeners like most commercial fabric softeners do. It actually helps remove detergent and softener buildup, getting them cleaner and leaving them naturally softer.
Give it a try and experience the difference for yourself!
How To Make A Homemade Fabric Softener
Ingredients:
4 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
Directions:
Combine white vinegar, water, and glycerin in a large container. (Any empty jug or bottle that’s easy to pour out of will work just fine!)
Replace the lid and shake well to mix.
How To Use
Give the bottle a good shake before each use to remix the ingredients, as they may separate over time. Then before starting a wash load, pour 1/2 cup of your homemade fabric softener into your washing machine’s fabric softener dispenser, then wash as usual.
How Does It Work?
The combination of white vinegar and vegetable glycerin in this homemade fabric softener recipe helps keep fabrics clean and soft in a couple of different ways.
Vinegar is the primary component, which naturally softens laundry by dissolving detergent buildup and other and residues that may have settled in the fibers of the fabric over time. Vinegar also softens hard water, which can help boost the effectiveness of your laundry detergent.
Because vegetable glycerin is hygroscopic, meaning that it can absorb moisture from the air, it is often used in lotions and beauty products as a moisturizing and softening component. It also works wonderfully when used to soften fabrics, and you don’t even need to use very much of it!
A Note About Fragrance/Scent
This simple fabric softener recipe is both easy to make and really works to eliminate odors and leave your laundry cleaner and softer. While I don’t have a problem with using an unscented formula like this, some people may miss the fragrance factor.
More Ideas You'll Love
In that case, I recommend checking out my homemade fabric softener crystals, which are great for infusing your fabrics with the aromas of your favorite essential oils. Or if you’d rather go the store-bought route, there are several different scent booster products to choose from in the laundry aisle these days, including Downy Unstopables, Downy Infusions, Gain Fireworks, Arm & Hammer Clean Scentsations, and others.
The way I see it, treating fabric softening and laundry scent as two distinct things has its advantages versus using a scented fabric softener. The first is that my homemade fabric softener actually removes residues, rather than contributing to them like some store-bought fabric softeners do.
The second advantage is that it’s much easier to control how much or how little scent ends up on your clothes! Food for thought. :-)
What is your favorite method for softening laundry?
I’m sure someone may have asked this already, but, instead of using Purex, Downey or Gain crystals, would the Epsom salts softer you came up with work as a substitute?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I eliminate all these things and use essential oils and a laundry ball from http://www.smartklean.com which I bought half price in a grocery store. I wasn’t gonna buy one, as I researched it and there is a lot of naysaying abotu these babies, but seems to work for us!Even my skeptical sister loves it.. I can’t believe how my laundry is soft and clean.. It is true the scent is very subtle, nearly undetectable, but I like the hassle free experience of eliminating chemicals I can’t pronounce, jars and bottles and liquids and sheets….. =)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Made mine today and used your recipe for scent crystals with the Epsom salt. Lemon/Orange. Yummy. So very easy. Thanks for always having such great idea. I use dryer balls as well, this seems to soften my clothes just that much more.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have SUPER sensitive skin, and can’t use dryer sheets. I even have to use the “baby” laundry detergents. Does anyone know if this recipe, and the laundry detergent recipe are safe for “babies”?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you know if this softner and the no grate laundry detergent is safe for cloth diapers?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, they are both safe for CDing as neither contain detergents or oils (dawn is actually used to strip, so it’s safe). I’ve been using it VERY successfully. If your little one reacts to anything, it will be the dye and perfume of the scented crystals. But for me, so far, so good. For those extra heavy loads, I use the no-grate recipe as a pre-rinse in cold, followed by a hot wash using my homemade powdered “soap” (washing and baking soda, plus borax and oxiclean) in the main wash. Plain water rinse, followed by fabric softener (which I just dissolve scent crystals into vinegar). Works for me. Hope that helps! :) (PS: I have soft water, which makes a BIG difference.)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jill; I wanted to thank you for all your ideas and recipes of homemade soap ect…..my resolution this year was to stop shopping stuff in plastic bottles!!! and with all your ideas, I am done!! this is so great to not throwing all those bottles that contamined the environement!! every time, I fell ashamed of doing this…OMG and now you save me from this culpability!!! wish ya happy and healthy year to you and your family!!!
sincerely; Rosie
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This sounds like a very good and cheap idea.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am now using 1/2 cup Cider Vinegar to my laundry for a fabric softener, but will try this recipe as soon as I go grocery shopping the end of the month.
I now use your Liquid Laundry detergent and am amazed at how clean my clothes are.
I even use the detergent to clean my kitchen walls after they had become a bit sticky from so much deep fried foods being prepared in there. It does a good job on the cabinets and the Formica on the walls is cleaner than ever.
Thanks for the recipes!
I love to save money and I also like stuff that works well without a lot of elbow grease being used too.
I am always looking for better recipes for laundry and these are great as far as I am concerned.
Some people are commenting on static in the dryer. I read recently (can’t remember where) that keeping a ball of aluminum foil in the dryer cuts the static. So far, so good over here! I use vinegar in a Downy ball for fabric softener and haven’t yet attempted a scent, but the clothes are soft and no static! Hope this helps someone!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone know if the Purex Crystals coat towels so they are less absorbent? It is recommended not to use fabric softener on them so I would like to try this recipe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am making both the ‘year of laundry soap’ and the fabric softner tonight. Kind of wish I wasn’t caught up on laundry. (Just kidding) My brother, a single father of 4 kids loves the ‘No Grate’ laundry soap. Won’t even think about going to anything else. Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for your wonderful ideas and helping so many in my family and my church family save money. I make sure to give you the credit. Keep up your amazing work!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried this out, and while I LOVED the frangrance, this definately does separate as it sits like Jillee says. I shook it up before I poured it in my dispenser at the beginning of the wash, but it had separated again in the dispenser by the time the rinse cycle began, so it was clogging up my dispenser. So, I decided to tweak the recipe a little bit. I used the Gain Unstopables mixed with just vinegar. The Unstopables don’t separate as it sits like the Purex Crystals and baking soda do.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love your website! I was wondering which fabric softener “mix” you like the best: this one or the one made with the Suave conditioner?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use lavender flowers soaked in white vinegar. The smell is awesome when it comes out of the dryer. Not to mention the vinegar leaves my clothes soft, and you cant smell it with the lavender mixed in. With a houseful of boys I love being able to make my own laundry soaps and softeners that actually work better than any commercial brand I have tried. Thanks for posting I love hearing all your great ideas, Jillie!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am about to mix up my third batch of this, and I just wanted to share my observations. I made the first batch exactly as written, and I had the same clumping issues as one of the previous posters. After considering the whole issue of whether the baking soda even still maintains its properties after the mixing, I decided to try the solution without it.
My second batch was made just using the crystals, hot water, and vinegar. It worked as well or better than the first mix, in my opinion! I love love love it!
I also switched from the grated liquid laundry soap to the recipe using Dawn about halfway through the second batch of softener, and I have to say that they are a great team. I think I have found my “go to” laundry lineup now. Thanks Jillee!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just make my first batch of Fabric Softener! It as so easy. I’ve got my load of towels in the dryer now so hopefull they will come out nice and fluffy too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the idea but curious if this will work with my washer since I don’t have a fabric softener dispenser in my cheapo apartment washer… Would I have to add it at “the right time” whenever that is or would it be okay to toss it in at the start of the load? I’m lazy and not sure I would be dedicated to using a timer for the right time… Suggestions welcome!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You should be able to put it in a Downy Ball, and just toss the ball in when you start your wash.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.iam having a problem with the softner i put in the softner dispensor it has been clumping in the bottom and not doing what is suppose to! I have an HE top loader and it wieghts clothes before washing had to take out dispenser and all the stuff was clump in there is there any thing to keep it fron separating? anyone?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had the same issue… I use Downy Unstopables mixed with just vinegar, no baking soda. Works well for me and it doesn’t separate like the Purex Crystals and baking soda do.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.put it in my fabric softner container and it it clogs up my softner cotainer have any ideas how to fx this had to take out container it was all clumped down to the bottom i have a HE washer any suggestions
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had the same issue… I use Downy Unstopables mixed with just vinegar, no baking soda. Works well for me and it doesn’t separate like the Purex Crystals and baking soda do.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this and it didn’t work….after the clothes come out they don’t even smell… Not happy with this or your body wash either…Think twice before making this if you don’t want to waste $$$
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I need help my son is allergic to corn and it is made into vinegar. I don’t know if it will irritate his skin, don’t want to risk it. Has anyone used this recipe and tried apple vinegar? Thanks, Christina
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My son also has randomly weird allergies and I have had to go outside the box in how we make things. You can put plain Apple Cider Vinegar into the softener slot, or add it to the rinse cycle and it will do the same thing as a softener. However, if you want the smell of traditional store bought softeners, I am not sure if you can use it in this type of recipe. But you could always try it plain or in the recipe and see if you like it. After the clothes dry you should not be able to smell the vinegar at all. Hope this helps :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.DH used to be allergic to corn among other things (allergy shots for several years helped him), Even though he was allergic to corn he was told corn oil wasn’t a problem. You might under doctor supervision do some type of test to see if vinegar is a problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love this site! Been reading about the homemade liquid laundry detergent (using Dawn) and the fabric softener and can’t wait to buy the ingredients and try them both! However, has anyone tried using the beverage dispensers with the spouts for easy storage and measuring? Thanks! And, Jillee, congrats on your years of recovery and the victory you win every day! Thanks for this awesome web site!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used the beverage dispensers with the spouts. I thought they looked nice and would work well. First of all they do look nice and they do work well, the only issue is that when I kinda shook my containers to make sure the laundry soap and fabric softner was mixed well I ended up making a small crack in the bottom of the container. This was not an issue until I hadn’t done laundry in a while and I then walked into a big wet mess. If you are using the beverage containers make sure they are a REALLY REALLY thick material because the mess sucked! I spent a good fifteen dollars on each of them and only one cracked. Just a heads up…. it is a great idea though!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In the end I used a gallon container from the vinager and it worked well.
I am new to the make it yourself stuff. This is the first recipe i tried for a fabric softener. First off let me start by saying i can only wash in cold water. Long story short 120+ year old house =bad plumbing in an area i can not reach to fix. To add to that problem I also have very hard heavy water here. I still use a fabric softener sheet in the dryer i like a little more smell and i have too much static. I have a pet peeve about musty mil-dewy smelling anything! This stuff is amazing! I don’t have to throw out and buy new towels and wash cloths any more works great on getting the build up off of my other clothes as well! Thank you so much!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made a batch this morning, and am on my second load with it. I LOVE this fabric softener. I started making my own laundry detergent earlier this year, and though I love the cleaning power and the cost, I did miss the scent of store bought. Thanks for this recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I LOVE this as a fabric softener, but I also like that the vinegar and baking soda each have the added benefit of mantainin my HE washer … disinfecting, deoderizing, and freshening. My laundry smells great, but the towels DRY BETTER without the residue build-up from store bought fabric softeners. Oh, and the Septic Man said that the vinegar and baking soda is MUCH bette for our septic system an drain field, too. THANKS SO MUCH!!
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