Natural homemade fabric softener leaves laundry soft and static free without a chemical film or artificial fragrance. Learn how to make homemade fabric softener dryer sheets. It’s easy and affordable to replace your current fabric softener with a more natural alternative.
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I grew up in a country home with a huge clothes line in the backyard. Laundry time in the spring, summer, and fall meant folding warm, sun-dried laundry infused with the smell of sunshine. Today, like many Americans, I live in a suburban neighborhood with no clothes line but the memory of that ultra-fresh laundry.
For years I tried to mimic the smell with commercial dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners. Then I glanced at back of my fabric softener bottle and read Biodegradable Fabric Softening Agents (Cationic).
What the heck?
I had no idea what this meant so I did a little digging and what I found out shocked me. This purposely unspecific phrase is used instead of listing the actual harmful chemical ingredients.
The Truth About Fabric Softener
The artificial scents that make laundry smell like mountain streams or fields of flowers contain toxic substances that can harm your health, and pollute the air inside your home.
These indoor air pollutants or VOCs can cause immediate and long term health problems like asthma, hormone disruption, heart disease, cancer, headaches, eye irritation, congestion, and nausea.
How Fabric Softener Works
Commercial fabric softeners leave a slippery film on fabrics that makes it feel soft to the touch. This chemical film makes contact with skin when you wear clothes, sleep on sheets, or dry off with a towel. There are lots of opportunities for your skin to absorb these dangerous chemicals!
Natural Fabric Softeners
I wanted a safer way to soften laundry and found several easy-to-use, natural alternatives:
- Baking soda added to the wash lowers the ph of water in the washing machine. Softening the water helps laundry rinse cleaner and be less stiff. (Baking soda is as an ingredient in my Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent.)
- White vinegar added in the rinse cycle helps to break down the detergent, removes leftover soap residue, and deodorizes the laundry. Add white vinegar during the final rinse cycle (use your fabric softener dispenser or a dispenser ball).
- Wool dryer balls placed in the dryer natural soften and reduce static by bouncing and rubbing against the fabric as it dries.
- Homemade fabric softener & dryer sheets soften laundry in the washer or dryer. This fabric softener uses vinegar to soften and deodorize with a softening boost from vegetable glycerin.
- Glycerin is used in lotions and beauty products to moisturize and soften because it is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). It is a clear thick liquid that is natural by product of soap making.
- The softener does not use baking soda because it can not be used on dryer sheets and should not be combined with vinegar in homemade cleaners.
Natural Homemade Fabric Softener Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 c. White vinegar
- 2 c. Water
- 1/8 c. Vegetable glycerin
- 10-20 drops Essential oil (optional)
- cotton cloth (for dryer sheets)
Liquid Fabric Softener Directions
- Combine white vinegar, water and glycerin in a glass jar. (To make liquid fabric softener mix together in a vinegar jug, it’s easy to pour into the machine.)
- Add essential oils, if desired, and stir or shake to combine. My favorite homemade laundry scent combinations are:
- Zen Spa – 10 drops eucalyptus, 5 drops lavender
- Floral Dream – 8 drops ylang ylang, 8 drops jasmine
Dryer Sheet Directions
- Add 100% cotton cloths to the fabric softener container. Mine are made from flannel fabric and are approximately 5 x 8 inches. Stitch around the edge to prevent unraveling (this step is cosmetic – you can simply rip up strips of flannel or cotton jersey). Tip – An old 100% cotton t-shirt can be cut up and made into dryer sheets. Make sure it's 100% cotton.)
How to Use Homemade Fabric Softener
- Liquid Fabric Softener – Add ½ cup to the final rinse cycle. Use fabric softener dispenser or a dispenser ball.
- Fabric Softener Sheets – Remove a fabric sheet from the jar and squeeze so it is not dripping. Add a sheet to the dryer with wet laundry and dry as usual.
More Laundry Softening Tips
- Use dryer balls (reusable) or clean tennis balls to soften laundry and speed drying.
- Try placing a ball of aluminum foil in the dryer to reduce static cling.
- Dry clothes that attract lots of static (synthetic fabrics) until they feel a bit damp then hang to dry completely. This reduces wrinkles and eliminates static cling.
A Note on Natural Laundry Scent
Natural substance cannot not give laundry the huge scent of that come from artificial fragrances made with dangerous chemicals.
To add a gentle, natural scent you can:
- Add Essential Oils – Essential oils are natural and safe to use in laundry.
- EOs used in homemade laundry detergent or liquid fabric softener will scent the laundry room but will mostly wash out with the rinse water.
- EOs used on homemade dryer sheets or wool dryer balls will very lightly scent laundry.
- Spritz with Fabric Refresher – Natural fabric refresher is a safe way to give laundry a stronger natural scent.
- Spray dry laundry while folding.
The bottom line –> truly clean laundry smells like nothing! I use EOs in my fabric softener to mask the scent of vinegar and make doing laundry more pleasurable. If laundry smells bad out of the machine or dryer you have a problem that is easy to solve with this natural odor removing guide.
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Do these sheets actually leave your clothes scented when they come out of the dryer? No matter what I do, I can’t get my clothes to be scented. I’ve added a ton of EO’s to the powdered soap recipe AND also to the vinegar rinse. The clothes comes out smelling clean, but not scented. I’ve also added drops of EO to my wool dryer balls, and again, they come out smelling like nothing. Also, the vegetable glyceryn won’t leave any residue behind on the clothes? Oh, and do you just keep reusing the mixture until it runs out?
Allie, they will have a very light scent but they will not smell like chemically scented laundry. Unfortunately chemical, man made scents are much stronger than natural scents. I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that less scented is actually better for your health. Now, after several years of using all natural laundry supplies, I can’t stand the heavily scented commercial laundry products! You could spritz your dry laundry with my natural fabric refresher if you want to add scent after drying or in the last few minutes of your dry cycle. No, The small amount of glycerine does not leave a residue. Yes, I keep using the mixture until it runs out. I also sometimes add it to my washer’s fabric softener dispenser. Hope this helps! Bren
Thanks for responding. I agree, the smell of store bought detergent and fabric sheets makes me gag now. Everyone at home thinks I’m crazy. I’m going to try these sheets today, I bought some cute flannel fabric yesterday (gotta be stylish!). Two more questions: how many sheets do you use in one load? What’s the purpose of the water? I’ve seen other similar recipes without water.
Allie, I use one or two sheets per load (one for smaller loads, two for big loads). I use water to dilute the mix because I don’t like to place a square of flannel saturated with pure vinegar, glycerine and essential oil on top of my clean clothes in the dryer (just my personal preference). If you are using the mix in the washing machine’s fabric softener dispenser you should be fine adding no water (since it’s mixed with water in the machine). That’s one thing I love about DIY, you can test it out yourself and see how you like it! LOL. You might try making the mix sans water and dry one load with a flannel saturated in the non-water mix (I would recommend testing this on something sturdy like towels or sheets not your fine washables). If you like it, you’re good if not, try adding water. Hope this helps! Bren
Hi! I’m Australian and we dry clothes outdoors in the sun 99 out of 100 times. Even when I use he dryer (which is maybe six times a year and just to finish off towels if they aren’t dry properly) I never use a dryer sheet. On rainy days we hang clothes indoors on a “clothes horse” near the fire or in a well ventilated room. It’s totally worth trying to go without any softeners if you’re up for the challenge!
I love drying clothes outdoors,Molly! I grew up doing laundry this way too (my parents live in the country). Unfortunately, in our suburban neighborhood clotheslines aren’t allowed. It’s probably an American homeowners association issue. I dry lots of things on an indoor drying rack but do use my dryer often. I wish I could have a clothesline for energy savings too! Thanks for the great tip!
What an odd rule! Obviously those who made that rule have never slept in sheets dried by the sun- they smell so good! Plus, dryers are so bad for the environmenot, probably as bad as the chemicals were all trying to replace. We have relatives in the US and they think I’m a “hippy” for avoiding the dryer 😉
I like the idea of being more aware of what is in our products. I think that’s one of the biggest benefits of home making this. As mentioned, there can be some pretty disturbing ingredients that get put into softeners and detergents. I like the essential oils idea. That’s a great way to add some scent. I think I’m going to use this as a gift! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Felice! I agree, I love making homemade items to control ingredients.
when using these as dryer sheets do you wrong them out first or use them saturated?
I meant wring out the liquid
Yes, I wring them out somewhat… Just so they don’t drop across my floor!
Thank you. I just made these and was wanting to try them out!!
Do these dryer sheets actually cut back on static? I stopped using dryer sheets a few months ago and started using dryer balls, but still battle static cling. I wish I could hang things outside too, we have no clothes line and too many birds! LOL I enjoy the birds though and won’t complain too much about the dirty mess they make on our deck and walks!
Chris, these will help with static but not eliminate it completely if you are drying synthetic fabrics. I try to dry those until barely dry or use wool dryer balls. Over drying synthetics does make a static mess. Hope this helps!
Just wondering, I’m not that up to it with all natural cleaners. Why is yours borax free? I have recently discovered uses for borax, and thought it was a laundry booster! Help me if I’m incorrect! Thanks
Lori
Good question, Lori. Borax is actually controversial in green cleaning circles. You can read more about it at MNN. Since it is most dangerous when ingested (it can kill bugs) I leave it out of my dishwasher detergent where residue could be left behind on dishes. The detergent works well without it and the risk is removed.
I followed your recipe exactly and used the fabric softener as a liquid.as I do not machine dry my clothes. I was quite disappointed as my clothes came out a lot less soft and much more wrinkled than if I used nothing at all. I wonder what I was doing wrong.
I am not sure,Brandy. I machine dry my clothes. Perhaps you should try less product? This will not make your laundry as soft as commercial softeners that coat laundry in slippery chemicals.
Great idea! Totally gonna try this! Cotton washcloths would work ok as well?
Cotton washcloths would work great! If you’re using new ones I would try a light color or white ones to prevent color bleed.
Can this be made without the glycerin? Thanks
Yes, you can leave out the glycerin.
Thank you for the quick reply. I’ve been searching for it and have been unable to find it in local stores. I plan to order some but want to start using this recipe ASAP. What is the purpose of the glycerin? Sorry if that’s a silly question, I’m still learning about all the unhealthy chemical we put in and on our bodies.
The glycerin gives it a bit extra softening power. Vinegar also makes a great fabric softener so together they have a double punch.
Why choose Now veg glycerin? On Amazon there were a few others you get way more product for your money. Have you tried any of those?
Heidi, any vegetable glycerin will work. I’ve used Now products for a few years and have always had great luck with their quality. I only suggest products I have personally used, but few free to try others.
My husband swears he can still smell the vinegar on the clothes. Sometimes I think he is right. The smell seems stronger on some clothes, others I smell nothing at all. could I be doing something wrong? Perhaps using too much? Or am I just letting him get into my head? lol
Are you using the fabric softener in the rinse or in the dryer? You should not be able to smell it at all. Sometimes the more natural scent takes getting used to… especially if you have been using commercial softeners. You can try using less in the dryer or use it in the wash rinse cycle.
Just came across your site and will be trying your homemade laundry detergent. Where did you purchase the jars in the picture?
I get the jars at Ikea or World Market. You can read more in my Homemade Laundry Detergent Q & A.
Is the detergent and softener safe for use in HE machines?
Both are low foaming and can be use in a HE machine. I use them in my HE washer. You can read more in my Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent Question and Answer.
Can the dryer sheets be used more than once?
Yes! I just pop them back in the jar of mix when they come out of the dryer.
Could this be used as a hair conditioner as well?
I have never tried it as a hair conditioner. The contents would not harm you (unless you got it in your eyes), but it act like more of a rinse aid to help wash out the shampoo.
Curious, on the powder/dry laundry soap,how much is to be added for a regular load and an over sized load. I read through and did not see a reference to this. If I missed it-sorry. Thank you
The Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent uses 1-2 Tbsp per load. I usually use 1 Tbsp, 2 once in a while only for very large or very dirty loads.
For the room or clothes spray can you use rubbing alcohol in place of vodka?
I prefer to use vodka instead of rubbing alcohol because vodka is simply water and ethanol. Rubbing alcohol is ethanol, water, acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone, flavoring to make it taste bad and/or artificial coloring and artificial fragrance. I prefer to avoid the additives in rubbing alcohol, especially the artificial fragrance. Plus rubbing alcohol smells bad when sprayed and the vodka is almost odorless allowing the essential oils to be smelled. You can definitely try the rubbing alcohol, but you might not be entirely happy with the results. -Bren
I’m wondering if anyone has any experience using these dryer sheets when also using homemade detergent…the recipes I am looking at include baking soda, and this includes vinegar! That seems like a bad idea…
Hope, I use this fabric softener with my homemade laundry detergent. The baking soda is gone before you use the vinegar so there is no problem with interactions.
I used iin the rinse cycle once & hung the clothes out to dry on the clothes line & they faded. Will this softener cause the clothes to fade if hung out on the line?
Christine, I’m sorry you had fading. There is nothing in the softener that should cause fading unless you used a citrus essential oil and it did not rinse out well. What type of oil did you use?
Hi, I’m wondering if you used distilled white vinegar or white cleaning vinegar for the recipe?
Either one will work, Sarah. I use whichever I have on hand. Usually just regular strength. (Regular white vinegar is 5% acidity and cleaning vinegar is 6% acidity.)
Thank you!
Wow, I just did something I almost never do….I just subscribed to your newsletter. I have been scouring Pinterest for natural diy recipes to rid my home of toxins. All of your recipes look great, and you back up your ingredient choices with solid information as to WHY you are using them, and WHY they work. Thank you for that! It is so difficult to sort all of that out on Pinterest. I also wanted to add that it is such a shame that we’ve been brought up to associate the smell of “clean” with toxic, chemical fragrances instead of smelling NOTHING, which is what “clean” actually smells like. We need to retrain ourselves and our children to apprecite more natural smells (such as essential oils!) as appealing instead of the harsh, overpowering commercial scents. This is a total overhaul for my family and I’m glad that I have a new partner to help me tackle this endeavor! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and sharing your wonderful resources with us!
Thanks for the kind words, Erika! I am so happy that you found the blog. I agree, it takes some time to retrain yourself (and others) to the real smell of clean. Let me know if you have questions, I’m so glad you are here.
I’ve heard that a balled up piece of aluminum foil will cut down on static if that’s a big issue for any of your readers. ????
Thanks, Toby! I’ve heard this works great too.
Hi Bren!
How long should the cotton cloths soak before adding to the wash? Also, how often should the fabric softener mixture that the cotton cloths are added to be changed out?
Hi Bren,
Thank you very much for recipes and tips. Can I leave the oxyclean out of this recipe?
Thanks!
Luciana, there is no Oxyclean in the fabric softener…. are you thinking of the DIY laundry detergent?
How many loads do you usually get out of one batch of the fabric softener?
It depends if it is used as a liquid added to the washer or as dryer cloths. As dryer cloths I get 30-40 loads, as a liquid fabric softener in the wash I get 8-10 loads.