DIY Recipes For Homemade Fabric Softeners

Doing laundry is no one's favorite chore, but it has to be done. When approaching laundry, it can feel like there are a lot of things you need on hand. Many people grab detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets, and other optional products that provide nice scents or extra perks to your clothes. 

But, at the end of the day, you only really need a few things. Some of these products, such as fabric softener, can even be made at home, saving you money. (And it may even work better than store-bought varieties!)

Some say you should think twice before using fabric softener — critics question if it even does anything — but using a homemade fabric softener can prove very beneficial. 

In fact, according to Happy Money Saver, you can make a big batch of fabric softener with just three ingredients: vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. They recommend a 6:1 ratio of vinegar to baking soda (i.e., six cups vinegar and one cup baking soda).

Then add several drops of essential oils in whatever scent you like to customize how your clothes will smell (and get rid of the vinegary smell). This mixture can be stored safely for long periods of time, so it's cheap and reliable.

This isn't the only way to make homemade fabric softener, though. Here are more ways to save money when doing your laundry.

People make mistakes with laundry detergent and fabric softener all the time. We all do. However, homemade fabric softeners are foolproof and can lead to amazing results. 

According to Food.com, another smart way to make homemade fabric softener is by using hair conditioner. This recipe involves combining six cups of water with three cups vinegar and two cups hair conditioner. Once mixed (don't shake the mixture, as it will foam), it's immediately ready for use. You can add it directly to your laundry or spray it on a washcloth and add that into the washer.

Some people go even simpler. According to The Homemade Experiment, you can add a dash or two of baking soda into the washer when you do a load of laundry, and it will give you great results.

Baking soda is a common ingredient in DIY fabric softener, as Happy Money Saver uses it, too. Their approach to homemade fabric softener is very similar to Food.com's, combining water, vinegar, and hair conditioner — but in different amounts. Mix five cups hot water, three cups vinegar, and one cup conditioner. The warmth of the water should help all of the ingredients combine well.

So, which DIY recipe do you want to try?