7 Homemade Fabric Softener Recipes for a Simple Solution

When you start to question what might be breaking your skin out, fabric softener is one of the first culprits you look at. If you need a homemade fabric softener recipe fast, you can find various options, including white vinegar, baking soda, and Epsom salt.

DIY Fabric Softener Supply List

One Google search can instantly make you determined not to use commercial fabric softeners anymore. In addition to harsh chemicals, they can be hard on your skin. However, the good news is, you can make fabric softeners at home. From dryer sheets to fabric softener crystals, you can make it all with these simple materials.

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Essential oils
• Epsom salt
• Vegetable glycerine
• Hair conditioner
• Kosher salt
• Glass container for storage

DIY Fabric Softener With Essential Oils

When it comes to simple DIY fabric softeners, grab some vinegar and your favorite essential oils.

1. Fill the jar with 2-4 cups of white vinegar.
2. Add 15 drops of your favorite essential oils. You can mix and match combinations like 5 drops of lavender and 10 drops of eucalyptus.
3. Shake well and add ½ cup to a medium load.

Homemade Fabric Softener With Vegetable Glycerine

Interested in trying a bit of vegetable glycerine in your fabric softener? This recipe is pretty simple.

1. Add 2 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoons of glycerin into a jar.
2. Add 15-20 drops of essential oil. For a floral explosion, add some jasmine or rose.
3. Add ½ cup to the wash or soak small microfiber cloths in the mixture to create dryer sheets.

Homemade Fabric Softener With Conditioner

Conditioner doesn't just work to make your hair fabulously soft; it can work on your laundry too. For this method, grab conditioner and white vinegar.

1. Combine ½ cup of your favorite inexpensive unscented or scented conditioner with 3 cups of water in the jar.
2. Shake the conditioner and water to get it to mix.
3. Add 1.5 cups of vinegar to the mix.
4. Shake it up.
5. Add ½ to 1 cup to the wash.

Epsom Salt Homemade Fabric Softener

Do you have Epsom salts on hand? If so, grab them and a little baking soda to create the perfect fabric softener.

1. In a jar, combine 2 cups of Epsom salts with ½ cup of baking soda.
2. Add 25-30 drops of your favorite essential oils or oil combinations.
3. Shake to mix.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of your powdered fabric softener to each medium load.

DIY Fabric Softener Crystals

Are you a huge fan of fabric softener crystals? Then you need to grab your kosher salt and get cracking by creating this simple two-ingredient recipe.

1. Add 2-3 cups of kosher salt to a glass jar.
2. Add 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil mix to the salt.
3. Use a spoon or cap and shake to combine the oils and salt.
4. Add 4 tablespoons to a medium load.
5. For really hard water, add up to ½ cup.

Fabric Softener of Baking Soda and Vinegar

By now, you might have realized vinegar and baking soda work fabulously as a fabric softener. Combine these two, and you have the perfect DIY fabric softener for you.

1. In a jar, add a 2:1 mixture of water to baking soda.
2. Cap and shake up well.
3. Slowly add a ½ cup of vinegar.
4. Follow with 10 drops of your favorite essential oil.
5. Add ½ cup of the mixture to the rinse cycle.

Baking Soda Fabric Softener

Some of the best fabric softener recipes only include one ingredient. That's right; you can simply add baking soda to the wash to soften your clothes.

1. Add ½ cup of baking soda to the wash.
2. Run the wash cycle as normal.

Vinegar as Fabric Softener

Just like baking soda, white vinegar works stand-alone to soften your laundry without harsh chemicals. To soften your laundry with white vinegar, follow these steps.

1. Add ½ to 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of the wash.
2. Dry as normal.

Create Your Own Fabric Softener With Ease

When you look at the back of your fabric softener, you'll notice a bunch of different ingredients you can't pronounce. That can't be good for your skin, right! Take the guesswork out of your laundry by trying a few 2-3 ingredient fabric softeners that can make your laundry smell good. Even better, pair your softener up with a laundry detergent substitute that's safer for the environment.