Today I want to talk about homemade fabric softeners that don’t stink. That’s right. I need a fabric softener that doesn’t stink. You see, for most of my married life, I have to admit that fabric softener is not something I spent much time thinking about or purchased very often. Many times my mom would come over and comment on why I didn’t have fabric softener on hand or any other cleaning products for that matter.
The truth is my husband does not have a tolerance for strong flowery scents or I cannot tolerate the smell of any harsh household products. So with that said, our laundry was always washed pretty much unscented, without any added fabric softener.
The problem with doing laundry this way is that our bath towels were always a bit scratchy and work clothes sometimes had to be washed twice to get them smelling fresh. So I finally broke down and started doing research online in search of DIY homemade fabric softeners that don’t stink.
You see for the longest time I kept seeing DIY homemade fabric softener recipes that called for distilled white vinegar. And while I’m sure this works great for many people, I could not bring myself to pouring vinegar into my laundry load. It wasn’t until I found fabric softener recipes without vinegar over at Oh The Things We’ll Make that I was willing to experiment and here’s what works best for me.
Natural Homemade Fabric Softeners
1/4 Cup of Baking Soda
I’ve used baking soda in the past to remove odors from the laundry and it works well. Baking soda also adjusts the PH levels of water, making it my first choice as a fabric softener. Just a 1/4 cup works great for softening clothes and reducing odors. Plus it’s really affordable!
Natural Glycerin Fabric Softener
1 gallon of water plus a 1/2 cup vegetable glycerin mixed in a jug will make a good supply of fabric softener that will last a while. It’s also scent-free unless you want to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
1/2 Cup of Sea Salt
I will also occasionally use sea salt in the laundry as a fabric softener because I almost always have it on hand and it works well without having an odor. But I only use sea salt if I do not have baking soda or glycerine on hand.
So, there you have it…my favorite, homemade fabric softeners that don’t stink. And for those who like a bit of scent, you can always add your favorite essential oil to the mix.
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