Homemade Fabric Softener

"If you check the dangers of fabric softener you will appericate this simple recipe that is much safer."
 
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photo by Brenda. photo by Brenda.
photo by Brenda.
photo by kidskwotes photo by kidskwotes
Ready In:
5mins
Ingredients:
3
Yields:
1 gallon
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ingredients

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directions

  • Mix water, vinegar, and hair conditioner in a 1 gallon container; stir. Do not shake it; it will cause foaming.
  • Use the same amount you normally use in a rinse cycle or spritz it on a wash cloth and throw in dryer.

Questions & Replies

  1. Hey, I tried this fabric softener, with the rosemary mint conditioner. However, it left big “oil” spots on the clothes! I washed them a second time and it all came out. How do I use it the first time without having it leave marks on the clothes? Thanks for any input you can give me
     
  2. Do you absolutely have to use the vinegar??
     
  3. Is this safe for front load washers?
     
  4. Is there any risk of the color in the conditioner staining my clothes?
     
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Reviews

  1. I have been making this for several months now and like it. I just buy some cheap conditioner in a fragrance that I like and make a batch. I use it in a HE washer & have had no problems. I like the fact that there is vinegar in there to cut the suds because I don't always use HE detergent.
     
  2. I have been making my own softener using this exact recipe for about 6mos now. I prefer to use Alberto VO5 conditioner. Not only does a bottle of VO5 contain the right amount of conditioner, it costs me $0.97 per bottle at Walmart, and it contains no silicones (or any other
     
  3. I have been using this recipe for quite some time now and I love it. I will never go back to the commercial fabric softeners again!
     
  4. I tried a different recipe recently that basically just stretched the commercial softener, but my DH's skin is still sensitive to it. So when I saw this one I knew I had to try it, especially because it's completely homemade. We can control the amount of scent by using different conditioners or essential oils (which I have boxes full of so I'll be making lots & lots of this stuff! :)) Today I tried it per the recipe (no essential oil) & it's a two-fer! I had a lonely bottle of conditioner under the vanity for about a year now that I bought because it smelled great but it turned out worthless on my hair. I was just keeping it around "for an emergency". Now, I made a wonderful smelling fabric softener & I'm not wasting any conditioner! It makes the clothes feel clean & smell fresh. My only complaint was that the silky-like track pants & shorts that DS wears for gym at school came out with some static. It's definitely not as much as without any fabric softener at all & everything else came out very nice. Even the towels! :) Thanks for sharing, momma!
     
  5. THANK YOU!!!! this worked FANTASTIC!!! needed to finish laundry..out of softner... had a 22 oz bottle of Sauve tropical cocconut..made this up and it worked perfectly..oh & I got the conditioner free with coupon shopping...THANKS again
     
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Tweaks

  1. I added all the conditioner to part of the water (2c to 2c) FIRST, then shook the container fiercely for a full minute. After that, I added the rest of the water, shook...then added the vinegar and gently swirled. No more CURDLE! Looks creamy and smooth liked whip cream.??
     
    • Review photo by kidskwotes

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live on a very large farm here in West Virginia. We really do live off the land. I plant a large garden, I freeze, dehyrate and can everything possible. We raise beef cattle and hunt wild game. It's a family thing. I met my husband at work. We got stuck on night shift together and he seemed to grow on me like a wart. We married 5 months after we started dating. We have now been married 11 yrs. He's a great husband and father too our two children. Our oldest is in the 6th grade and youngest is in the 5th grade. We have lived all over the east coast. We spent 5 years in South Carolina. I would have to say it was a great 4 years. I learned so much about that area and experienced alot of different foods while there. I truely miss the people from there. A little about me. I'm a SAHM. Most of my time here alone is spent playing euchre, canning, gardening, cooking (a lot of OAMC), flipping thru my cook books (and i have plenty) and browsing thru Zaar! I just love it here. Trying to add a lot of our family favorites. I enjoy traveling, reading, camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, canning, bbq-ing, bon fires, entertaining, baking, playing board and card games with the kids, swimming, photography, and just being with family and friends. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ How I rate: 5 stars ~ perfect, will make again without any changes. 4 stars ~ like it, will make again with minor changes to suit our tastes 3 stars ~ had to make major changes but got it to work for us. 2 stars ~ too many changes needed, waste of my time. 1 star ~ just terrible, couldnt get it to work out. waste of money and time. I think I want to cry now. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ <img src="http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Iwasadopted.jpg"><img src="http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/Permanent%20Collection/PACSpring09Participation.jpg"> <img src ="http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u208/diner_photos/lazymecookathon.jpg"> <img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e110/flower753/Food/my3chefsnov2008.jpg"> <img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/tgifford/Game%20Room%20Banners/AM%20Banners/hg-participation.gif" border="0" alt="Hidden-Gems-Event-08"> <img src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj81/HokiesLady65/123HitAMpage.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"> <img src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj81/HokiesLady65/1234HitAMPage_Size1.png"><img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q23/vseward/Bevy/officialmemberofthebevtaggame.jpg"> <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=274954"><img src="http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c99/ruemke/banners/coupon.jpg"></a><a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/cookbook.php?bookid=220958"><img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q23/vseward/Bevy/beveragetagcookbook1.gif"></a> <img src="http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/CookathonforKarensticker.jpg"><img src="http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg271/MrsTeny/AMpageSticker.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"><img src="http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/tgifford/participation%20banners/coolmonday-particiation2.jpg" border="0" alt="Cookathon for Cool Monday (2)"><img src="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/Saturn6666/Other/tagforpage1.jpg"><img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/tisht/freezer.jpg"><a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=278234"><img src="http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c99/ruemke/banners/beans-1.jpg"></a>
 
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