I don't use fabric softener..I know gasp! I buy ECOS from Costco and it has it in it already! For just under $13 it is 210 loads for a HE washer. It lasts me like a year, but I can only do a load a day because of our septic system. That's just over $1 a month for laundry needs, now if my kids would stop with the stains and I could stop buying stain remover...I should look up DIY stain remover now! Thanks for your tip!
September 9, 2012 at 10:18 AM
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I pretty much dislike, okay I strongly dislike doing laundry.
The only thing that keeps me doing it even in my intense dislike of the chore...
...well I dislike smelliness even more.
I think the reason that I am not a fan of laundry is because it truly is never EVER done. I can complete four loads of laundry and by the time I am done folding that load there is a whole other load.
Boo.
A new washer and dryer has helped. Delightful smelling detergent has also helped. Another thing I have started having a fondness for is fresh and lovely smelling fabric softener.
Unfortunately, the best stuff...you know the stuff that smells to.die.for...isn't always in our budget.
We ran out of softener quite awhile ago and I was just going without.
Then the other day I came across THIS post at One Good Thing. Remembering that I was fabric softener deficient, I pinned it right away on my Tips, Tricks, and Good to Know board.
I had everything on hand to make it AND it was laundry day, so I figured I would give it a go and see if Homemade Fabric Softener was worth the hype.
Her original recipe makes 1 gallon of fabric softener.
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She mixes 6 cups of water, 3 cups of white vinegar, and 2 cups hair conditioner (it can be the cheap stuff). Since I was just testing it out, I actually halved my mixture and just did 3 cups water, 1 1/2 cups vinegar, and 1 cup conditioner.
I mixed the conditioner and vinegar together first.
Then I mixed in the water.
When everything was all combined, I poured it into a half gallon empty, and clean, milk container. I figured the chocolate milk residue wouldn't so much help my softener.
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I poured some of it in a pretty little container. Yeah I am pretty sure I didn't need to, but sometimes I like surrounding myself with unnecessary but pretty things. I stored the rest.
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To use, I just added about 1/4 cup of the softener in my fabric softener container of my HE washer and ran it like normal. In the first load, which was larger, I didn't notice the "ocean" smell as much. In smaller loads I did notice the smell. I actually washed a blanket and it was lovely and oceany fresh.
I am not sure it can really compete with the really good store-bought stuff, but it is cheap, still works, and I will be making my own fabric softener again for sure.
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Happy Pinning!
posted by Larissa@Just Another Day in Paradise at 10:19 AM on Sep 5, 2012
"A Pinteresting Wednesday: Homemade Fabric Softener"
2 Comments -
Good to know! I have a list of things to try that are NOT food related! I guess I need to get a move on it.
September 5, 2012 at 8:03 PM
I don't use fabric softener..I know gasp! I buy ECOS from Costco and it has it in it already! For just under $13 it is 210 loads for a HE washer. It lasts me like a year, but I can only do a load a day because of our septic system. That's just over $1 a month for laundry needs, now if my kids would stop with the stains and I could stop buying stain remover...I should look up DIY stain remover now! Thanks for your tip!
September 9, 2012 at 10:18 AM