Natural Fabric Softener

As you are washing by hand I would highly recommend trying glycerine mixed with distilled water - as not only does it make your washing extremely soft and is kind to your hands - but is extremely easy and quick to make too - as all you need to do is mix 1 cup of glycerine with 1 gallon of distilled water, shake well and you'll have a good supply of ready to use liquid fabric softener in an instant.

However if that doesn't appeal - as Epsom salts, baking soda, vinegar or even hair conditioner mixed with a few drops of your favorite essential oil all work equally well too - here are a few recipes that you might like to try

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I've heard if you add baking soda to the water and let it dissolve first then wash your clothes it will make your clothes feel super soft. The baking soda acts as a water softener. I've also heard that vinegar does the same thing, you could try adding 1/4 cup of vinegar to the wash water. I like baking soda and how it makes the water softer, you can actually feel the silkiness of the water when you add baking soda to it. I would put baking soda in my son's bath when he was constipated and the water was super soft and it help relax his stomach cramps.

 

That link looks as if it has some great recipes, thanks for sharing, @gata montes! I wonder what the ingredients' effects are with regard to static electricity? I have some dryer sheets I've been using, but even with using them, I'm have a real issue with static electricity. I haven't seen it this bad since I moved down here. I don't know if it's the change in the weather that happened recently or what, but I'd like to find something that will counteract it. Usually dryer sheets address this issue, but the ones I'm using aren't. I might have to try some of these natural fabric softeners and see if they do a better job.

 

I have used hair conditioner as a fabric conditioner. It seem we use the shampoo up faster than we use the conditioner so there is always extra conditioner around. I have seen some of the recipes to use hair conditioner as a fabric conditioner, it works.

 

Thanks Gata for the tips. I like my clothes extra soft that fabric softener just isn't enough. I'm going to try your tips.

 

My pleasure Diane Lane and yes - having used many of the recipes myself - can confirm that all worked remarkably well - not just in terms of softness but in avoiding the problems of static as well.

There are however a couple of other options you might be interested in trying - that would solve your problem and especially if you wanted to eliminate the need for fabric softener altogether - yet still have the softness - as well as no static and they are - to either switch to using Soap Nuts in the wash - which are not only a very effective hypo- allergenic alternative to commercial laundry detergents - but as they possess natural softening agents - as well as have built in anti- static properties - eliminate the need for fabric softener or dryer sheets or you could instead of dryer sheets try using - the wool dryer balls mentioned in the thread I posted earlier today - both of which I use myself and can highly recommend.

 

I'll be sure to check that out, thanks. I just stumbled upon this when I was looking for a recipe on Pinterest. Apparently

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can be crumpled up and used in the dryer to eliminate static cling. Since I do usually have some on hand, and sometimes am looking for a secondary use for the foil I have used that doesn't have anything on it (food, stains, etc.), I think I might try this out.

 

You're welcome and will look forward to hearing how you get on with the aluminum foil balls - if you do decide to try them out - regarding static and of course - whether you find that they help reduce the drying time and save energy in the same way as the wool dryer balls do.

Particularly as - although I have often heard aluminum balls being mentioned as a good alternative to dryer sheets - having not tried them myself - mainly due to concerns about the possibility of snagging and aluminum dust - or come across anyone else who has tried them yet either - would really love to know if they work.