How to make fabric softener at home?

DIY fabric softener: 5 natural recipes

Even an inexperienced housewife can prepare fabric softener on her own. All the components for it can be found at home or can be easily purchased at the nearest store. Home rinse aid has a long shelf life. It can be made immediately before use, or, conversely, in advance, and stored in an airtight container in order to save time in the future.

With vinegar and essential oil

Peculiarities.
Food vinegar is known as an inexpensive and harmless conditioner. It retains the brightness of the colors of clothing, the softness of the fibers, and is suitable for woolen clothes. An effective softener with antibacterial properties, completely removes the remains of the cleaning powder. In addition, the towels washed with it begin to absorb moisture better.

What it consists of:

vinegar - 250 ml;
aromatic essential oil - a couple of drops.

Procedure

Pour a cup of vinegar into the washing machine compartment before rinsing. If the laundry is colored or the load is incomplete, half a cup is enough for rinsing.
For a thrilling scent, add a few drops of ether, but you can do without it.
After washing, hang the laundry on the balcony to help the acid smell disappear faster.

You can choose any essential oils for the conditioner - be guided by your own tastes. Mint, lavender, orange, bergamot - now you experiment and create a scent for your laundry! Do not mix vinegar with whiteness - toxic fumes can harm the mucous membrane.

From rock salt

Peculiarities.
An easy-to-prepare, non-toxic, vinegar-free fabric softener. Salt conditioner not only keeps colors bright on clothes, but also sets them in place.

What it consists of:

salt - four glasses;
essential oil - 20 drops.

Procedure

Pour four cups of salt into a separate container.
Add your favorite ether, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, break up all the lumps.
Pour three tablespoons of salt softener into the machine compartment.
Store in a cool place in an airtight, opaque container.

From soda and water

Peculiarities.
This natural do-it-yourself fabric softener softens and refreshes your laundry. Soda is known for its cleansing properties and is considered a good aid to washing powder. Vinegar removes static on woolen items. The product will look like after treatment with expensive luxury chemicals.

What it consists of:

water - two glasses;
table vinegar 9% - one glass;
soda - one glass;
essential oil - eight drops.

Procedure

Dissolve 150 g of vinegar in warm water.
Pour sodium bicarbonate into the mixture a little, it will react with vinegar, the rinse aid will sizzle. Wait for the hissing to stop, stir well.
Pour the product into an airtight container. For scent, add peppermint essential oil to the mixture, it will give things a fresh scent. Shake it up.
For a single rinse, 200-250 ml of homemade product is enough.

As an emollient, sodium bicarbonate can be used in its natural form, diluted slightly with water to dissolve the granules. Pour half a glass of baking soda into the compartment of the washing machine before rinsing.

With hair balm

Peculiarities.
An affordable and most popular recipe among housewives, reviews about it are only positive. But keep in mind that a conditioner with the addition of a smoothing agent for hair is still not natural. Therefore, it is better not to use it for washing baby clothes.

What it consists of:

cold water - six glasses;
vinegar 9% - three glasses;
hair balm - two glasses;
essential oil - two to three drops.

Procedure

Mix ingredients, add essential oil. For example, roses or peaches, they will give the clothes a fruity-floral scent.
Add half a glass of the product with each wash in the special compartment of the machine.

Hair balm can be added to any of the recipes if the home conditioner has lost its original consistency and you need to restore its thickness.

Borax based

Peculiarities.
Conditioner, rinse at home with brown, restores the quality of products, they will be soft, silky. Rinsing with brown is suitable for summer cottages and old things, as it destroys dust mites, mold and mildew bacteria, and has deodorant properties.

What it consists of:

borax - 150 g;
water - one glass.

Procedure

Stir 150 g of borax in cold water until completely dissolved.
Scroll the garments with the addition of the solution on the rinse mode.

An important feature of borax is its ability to soften hard water. Add half a glass of product to the machine before washing

Stubborn dirt can be removed much easier. Excess borax during washing can cause skin rashes, be careful.

With table salt

If you use a home-made rinse aid based on table salt instead of a ready-made conditioner, then the result will be not only the softness of the products, but also an increase in their color saturation. You can prepare a product from fine salt in advance by taking four glasses of it and pouring it into a bowl. Knead the existing lumps, add the selected essential oil - 20 drops. After mixing with a wooden spatula, transfer the resulting powdered conditioner into a dark glass container with a tight lid. Before use, dilute two tablespoons with the same amount of warm water and pour into the rinse aid tray of the washing machine.

The following recipe assumes the use of Epsom salts - magnesia, under the influence of which, along with the appearance of softness, the color of the products also increases. You can mix a glass of the product with a few drops of flavoring and apply in the same way as the previous composition.

Based on Epsom salt mixed with your favorite essential oil, prepare the following type of conditioner. A glass of warm water is poured into one bowl, in which half a glass of this mixture is completely dissolved. A glass of soda is poured into the second enameled volumetric container and 6 glasses of table vinegar are gradually poured. Wait until the formation of foam stops during the reaction and mix the two solutions. Pour into a dark bottle, close tightly. If necessary, pour about half a glass into the conditioner tray.

In some cases, you can replace the rinse aid with tennis rubber balls, which are placed directly into the drum. Enough 3-5 pieces. This technique is suitable for washing children's clothes and products that require careful handling, making them soft and free of static electricity.

Seeing the result after using homemade air conditioners and evaluating their cost-effectiveness, many people no longer return to expensive chemical analogues.

Cooking recipes

Vinegar and soda

To prepare the rinse, you will need 1 liter of 9% table vinegar, 120 grams of baking soda and a glass of water. The water is heated and mixed with vinegar. Next, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda. For this, it is better to take a container with a large volume. The acetic acid will come into contact with the baking soda, and as a result, the mixture will fizzle and form a large amount of foam. That is why they add a little soda. If you pour all the baking soda at once, the reaction will be very violent.

After all the soda has dissolved in the composition, it is poured into a bottle where it will be stored. Cap and shake vigorously again.Add 0.5 cups of conditioner to the rinse aid compartment. For hand wash, 1 tablespoon of the product is required for every 5 liters of water.

When rinsing with borax, you can not only make things soft, but also protect the washing machine from limescale. In addition, borax destroys dust mites, fungi, and mold.

Borax is added directly to the rinse aid compartment. For one wash of 5 kg of laundry, 2 tablespoons of powder are enough.

Thick conditioner

To make a thick rinse gel, you need to mix 500 grams of warm water, 250 grams of vinegar, 200 grams of any hair conditioner. Even the cheapest option will do. Place all ingredients in a container where they will be stored and mix thoroughly. When rinsing, add 0.5 cups of the product.

Epsom salt

The rinse prepared from it will be thick, fragrant. To do this, mix hair conditioner and Epsom salt in a 2: 1 ratio. The resulting composition is added to the rinsing compartment, 1 tablespoon each.

For 1 liter of finished conditioner, 6-7 drops of oil are enough. After adding, the bottle must be shaken vigorously for 2-4 minutes so that the oil mixes well with the liquid.

Fast ways

If there is no time to make the formulations, you can add 1 tablespoon of soda or 0.5 cups of vinegar to the compartment. Any of these components will make the laundry soft, wash away excess powder and eliminate the appearance of white streaks. Acetic acid additionally disinfects the laundry.

How to care for the rinse aid tray

To ensure that the softener always gets into the drum when washing, take proper care of the detergent drawer. For this:

Rinse the tray after every wash. If the substance is not completely washed out, its residues will harden over time and will make it difficult to access the product during the next wash.
Clean the container with a brush.
Run the washing machine once every 3 months without laundry, pouring citric acid into the trays.
Plaque on the sides of the compartment will help remove the baking soda and vinegar. Pour vinegar over the tray and sprinkle generously with baking soda on top. After 20-30 minutes, rinse the solution with water and, if necessary, scrub heavily soiled areas with a brush.

Why you need fabric softener

Conditioner is an indispensable tool for making things soft and pleasantly scented. In addition, among the positive effects of rinse aid, you can also note:

maintaining the brightness of colors;
simplification of the ironing process;

getting rid of electrification;
giving a pleasant aroma.

Turning off the water tap after washing?

Oh yes, no.

Cationic active substances are deposited on the surface of the material, creating a protective film. It prevents dirt from penetrating into the fabric structure. Therefore, clothes are washed better, unpleasant pellets appear less often on them, and colors retain their saturation longer.

Industrial rinses are universal or designed for specific types of fabrics. The products can be used both by hand and by washing in a typewriter. The main thing is to observe the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.

It is not recommended to wash outerwear with rinse; it may lose shape, and the water-repellent properties of the surface of the material will be impaired. It is better not to take risks with corrective underwear, the conditioner can spoil its elasticity.

1 Why Home Air Conditioning Is Good

Who would have thought, but an equally high-quality product can be prepared on your own with minimal investment of time and money. This idea inspires many current housewives who love cleanliness and aroma of linen, but cannot afford to buy such a product due to certain circumstances.

A high-quality and aromatic solution can be prepared from existing components.

There is another plus of making an air conditioner at home. Not always the purchase is pleasant to all family members.Quite often, conflicts arise on this basis, and relatives simply refused to machine wash. In this case, everything is much easier, since before cooking you can consult with everyone and make the right choice. An equally high-quality and aromatic solution can be prepared from the currently existing components.

Most home air conditioners contain vinegar, which gives the product a slightly sour flavor. If this is not to your taste, you can make an equally effective remedy without using it. Modern technologies have reached the point that at home we can prepare an equally high-quality product that even professionals cannot distinguish from a store counterpart. With all this, studies have shown that the aroma of a home remedy lasts at least 2 times longer on linen, which cannot but please the household.

Still, some people dislike sugary smells and prefer things not to smell in any way, but at the same time, they will not give up the other effect of the conditioner - softness. In this case, only a mechanical method can help. In this case, several (2-4) tennis balls should be placed in the washing machine drum along with the laundry. They soften clothes and linen.

Thus, there are several main advantages of using a home remedy:

saving finances;
complete safety for both adults and children;
the possibility of inventing the scent that you like;
long-term action of the remedy;
does not cause allergic reactions.

What is fabric softener and why is it needed?

Conditioner is a household cleaning product that performs many tasks that a washing powder or gel for washing cannot cope with.

Here are a few reasons why you should add softener to your daily wash:

Softening things up. An air conditioner is necessary in regions where the water hardness is increased. To soften the fabric, it is worth choosing products that have the label "softener" or "softener" on the packaging, as it will cope with the task more effectively.
A long-lasting fresh scent that lasts for several days.
Antistatic effect, which is especially important for washing things made of mixed fibers, synthetics, as well as in winter, when the air is dry.
Protecting clothing from adverse influences. Surfactants create a shell around the fibers of the fabric, which protects the linen from damage, rolls, and increases the service life. Thanks to this function, clothes suffer less from friction, do not lose volume when washed in a washing machine.
Preserving the brightness of the color. Thanks to the same particles that protect clothing from damage, it does not fade. It is better to purchase an air conditioner marked "for colored items", it will cope well with this task.
Fast drying of laundry. This is very useful when you need to quickly dry a thing, although, of course, you still have to wait a couple of hours. Drying in the tumble dryer will also dry the garment faster.
Simplification of ironing. After washing with air conditioning, the clothes wrinkle less, respectively, the folds will be less pronounced, and ironing will take less time.

How to make fabric softener at home

If you decide to make a rinse aid for washing, you don't have to buy special ingredients. Anything that can be used as part of the product can be found at home or at your local hardware store. Let's consider the most common recipes.

Table vinegar has long been used to rinse clothes - it is the most affordable and harmless softener. It can be safely used for woolen items, and as a bonus, it retains bright colors of clothes. For manual washing, the solution can be used in its pure form, and for automatic washing it is worth mixing it with other substances so as not to harm the SMA.

Recipe number 1

Take a 1 liter plastic bottle (for example, from an old product).Pour a liter of vinegar into it and add 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Shake well and use one glass at a time. If the load is half, pour half a glass of the product into the cuvette. This natural conditioner will last for about 2 months.

Recipe number 2

The recipe is similar to the previous one, but use peppermint drops instead of lavender oil. It is recommended to store the liquid in an opaque bottle for no more than 8 weeks.

Recipe number 3

To make your washing machine conditioner, mix 3 ingredients:

soda (regular or soda ash);
warm water;
vinegar.

The proportions of the components must be equal. For mixing, use an enamel saucepan and a wooden spoon (or spatula). If you wish, you can refresh the product by dropping any essential oil there. Store up to 60 days in a dark place.

Another recipe that can be easily repeated at home: You will need 3 ingredients. Take:

vinegar essence - 300 ml;
distilled water - 600 ml;
hair conditioner - 200 ml.

Mix and use! Even though this home option is the most expensive, it has the highest ratings among housewives.

Scented rinses

If you don't like the smell of vinegar, you can make your own fragrant products using your usual ingredients. Next, we will consider the composition of such air conditioners.

Option 1

Go to the pharmacy for Epsom salt (magnesia) - you will need about 250 g. Put 10-15 drops of orange essential oil in it. Put the detergent in the powder receptacle (2 tablespoons per wash cycle). If you are preparing the air conditioner for future use, then ensure it is sealed.

Take:

1 glass of warm water;
3 tbsp. l. soda;
essential oil of sandalwood or jasmine.

Option 3

Need a thick rinse aid? Take hair conditioner (5-6 spoons), add twice as much sea salt and drip any essential oil. This will soften your laundry and will not harm your clipper or your skin. Use 3 to 5 tablespoons of this product for one wash. Now you know how to make an air conditioner manually and at the same time significantly save money, protect yourself from skin rashes, and protect the machine from breakdowns. We have brought to your attention those recipes that have collected only positive reviews.

If you're wondering how to soften your laundry without air conditioning, follow the advice of experienced housewives who use tennis balls for washing and rinsing. When the drum rotates, these balls constantly move among the laundry, inflicting soft blows on it, as a result, your clothes are shaken, it becomes more pleasant to the touch.

By the way, balls do not affect the operation of the washer, unlike a solution of vinegar or borax. Therefore, when choosing what to replace a purchased product, give preference to tennis balls - they do not harm the machine, are not an allergen and perfectly soften clothes. Exactly what is needed! Summing up, consider the advantages of home-made air conditioners:

affordable, unlike analogs from store shelves;
vinegar products disinfect linen;
facilitate ironing;
are washed out of clothes and help to wash out the powder;
people with allergies will find a suitable option from a variety of well-known recipes.

You can use vinegar instead of conditioner, tennis balls are just as effective. It remains only to make the right choice.

Effective recipes

Household products can be used to replace commercial air conditioners. Among them, the most commonly used are boric acid, hair balm, vinegar, soda and table salt.

Vinegar

Instead of rinses, a 9% vinegar solution is perfect for washing. The acid it contains helps to disinfect things. In addition, it is a good prophylactic agent against the formation of plaque in the heating device of the washing machine.

Before washing, add 80-100 milliliters of vinegar to the fabric softener tray. After processing, the clothes are hung on the street. This rinse aid will make it possible to preserve the original structure of things, as well as their color and softness.

Soda

When washing clothes with baking soda, add 100-120 grams of the product to the special compartment for the conditioner.

Alternatively, you can make another soda-based home remedy. To do this, you need to take 100 grams of soda, as well as 100 milliliters of warm water and vinegar. Next, the ingredients are mixed in a plastic container. You can also add a few drops of aromatic essential oil. Then the mixture is thoroughly mixed and poured into a glass container made of opaque material.

Bura

This product is often used to soften wash water. It can also be used to disinfect rubber seals in washing machines. In addition, with the help of borax, stains that are not removed when using conventional conditioners are perfectly cleaned.

After using boric acid, the fabric becomes softer. It is easier to iron. To make the product, you need to dilute 50 grams of borax in 100 milliliters of water. The substance need not be prepared in advance. It should be stored in a closed container and out of reach of sunlight.

Salt

To create a salt rinse, you need 100 grams of the product along with 10 drops of essential oil. Mix the ingredients, cover and shake well. The product should be used 2 tablespoons before washing. It will help restore the original color of the garment and soften the fabric fibers, making them softer.

With hair balm

The tool softens water and things well. To prepare an effective product, you need to mix 150 milliliters of the substance, 200 milliliters of vinegar and 400 milliliters of water. Add no more than 4 spoons during each wash. In order to give the product a pleasant aroma, you can add 8-10 drops of essential oil.

Home rinse aid benefits

Conditioners made according to proven recipes are no less effective than expensive household chemicals.

The purpose of conditioning your laundry is to achieve the following benefits:

an increase in the comfort of wearing products that, after washing with air conditioner, acquire a pleasant softness;
removal of the electrostatic effect, which is especially important for woolen and synthetic clothing;
easier ironing of linen;
preservation of color saturation;
long-term preservation of the cleanliness of things.

Due to the inclusion of aromatic substances in the structural formula, the laundry after using the conditioners acquires a pleasant aroma. Homemade rinses have many benefits:

the ability to give your favorite aroma by introducing the appropriate essential oil into the composition;
profitability;
environmental Safety;
no allergies and skin lesions after conditioning;
quality softening of things;
facilitating the removal of soap residues when rinsing.

What is required?

If you read the composition of air conditioners that are presented in stores, the list will be impressive. And not all ingredients are good for health, especially for the child's body. Of course, there are good conditioners on the market - natural, hypoallergenic. But their price will be high.

That is why the rinse aid of its own production is good, that all the components in it are always at hand, are inexpensive and do not harm health. Of course, allergic reactions to these ingredients should not be ruled out, but they happen much less often than in the case of industrial air conditioners. Yes, and such a composition is being prepared in just a few minutes. But how long it will last depends only on you. You can immediately prepare a rinse aid with a margin, it is stored well.

In order to make an air conditioner at home, you will need the following components:

vinegar;
baking soda (can be replaced with soda ash);
Epsom salt - sold at the pharmacy, regular salt will not work here;
warm water;
essential oil (lavender, orange, lemon or any other with a pleasant smell);
hair conditioner (not balm or rinse);
a container in which the conditioner will be stored (you can even take a bottle from a purchased product).

As you can see, no complicated and rare ingredients are required. You probably have all this at home. If not, a visit to a pharmacy or a store will help fill the gap.

With baking soda

It is possible to make an air conditioner without a bite, as its pungent scent irritates the sense of smell. Baking soda is known to soften hard water. These properties are used in the following recipes.

You can use soda in its pure form. Pour a little less than half into a glass, add a little warm water, stir until dissolved and pour into a special compartment for the conditioner.

They also make a neutral air conditioner at home. For him, equal volumes of soda, slightly warmed water and table vinegar are measured in a spacious enamel pan. A violent neutralization reaction begins with the appearance of foam. After it dies down, add a few drops of flavoring and mix the liquid thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Store the composition in dark glass containers under a tight lid in a closed cabinet, where there is no access for children. Add to conditioner container as needed.

Other home uses

In addition to washing, these tools are used in other household tasks. Among them it is worth highlighting:

washing windows, mirrors, walls, tiles and floors;
cleaning clogged pipes;
disinfection of various surfaces.

Windows and mirrors

A vinegar-based cleaner is ideal for cleaning windows and mirrors. It is able to remove small stains and penetrate into hard-to-reach places. At the same time, the substance does not leave streaks and disinfects the street side of the windows.

Walls, tiles, floor

When removing grease and dirt stains in the kitchen, use a vinegar cleaner. A soda solution is used to clean the tiles. It can be used to remove the top layer of dirt, which will give the floor and walls a new look.

Blockages in pipes

In the case of clogged pipes, many housewives recommend using a borax. To do this, you need to pour the product into a washbasin or bathtub, and then pour several liters of boiling water. The blockages will be cleared in a few hours.

It is highly discouraged to use vinegar and soda for these purposes. When these substances come into contact with warm water, a solid material may form, which can only be removed together with the pipes.

Disinfection of surfaces

Cleaning various surfaces from pathogenic microorganisms is possible with the help of a boric acid-based product. To do this, you need to use a weak solution, as borax can damage the upholstery of the walls or the floor.

In addition, acetic acid is used for disinfection. It effectively destroys pests without harming surfaces. After using it, it is recommended to rinse the treated area with water to avoid unpleasant smell in the room.

Alternative to store and homemade fabric softeners

For housewives who do not want to use either store or home-made air conditioners, they can be replaced with ordinary tennis balls. They are made of rubber rubber, suitable for washing even baby clothes. During the rotation of the washing machine drum, the balls whisk the laundry, making it more pleasant to the touch. It is enough to place 4–5 tennis balls on the washed items and turn on the rinse mode. The balls will not harm the mechanism of the washing machine.

For washing large items like a winter jacket or down jacket, tennis balls are ideal.

Tennis balls will knock powder and grime out of the fibers, and dry items will not shock when worn. The only drawback of this method can be considered the inability of the balls to give a pleasant smell to the laundry when rinsing. However, adding essential oils directly to the water will easily solve this problem.

Review of popular brands

The best air conditioner is not easy to choose; before buying, pay attention to the following characteristics:

type of agent (rinse aid, antistatic agent, etc.);
composition (it is better that aggressive substances that cause allergies are not present in it);
release form;
odor (heavy "aroma" can cause an allergic reaction).

Consider a few popular brands that have received good customer recommendations.

Lenor

Lenor Conditioner Rinse is known for giving your laundry a pleasant, fresh scent that lasts from 2-3 days to a week.

The innovative formula created by the manufacturer does an excellent job of softening fabrics, and also repels dirt, which allows the laundry to stay clean longer, and the static effect is reduced.

Lenore comes in a convenient thick gel form with a dispensing cap. This allows a minimum amount of rinse aid to be consumed per wash.

Vernel

This brand produces several types of fabric softeners for adults and children, with different flavors. Among the advantages are:

environmentally friendly composition;
antibacterial and antistatic effect;
unobtrusive aroma;
lack of dyes;
easy to wash out, therefore does not require additional rinsing;
the ratio of price and quality is very good, consumption is economical due to the consistency, the presence of a dosing cap.

Vernel is dermatologically tested, so it can be safely used by people with allergies, sensitive skin or young children.

Synergetic

Eco-friendly biodegradable air conditioner made in Russia. It has a simple, understandable composition, the main active ingredient of plant origin, which is completely rinsed out. Thanks to this, the Synergetic conditioner is hypoallergenic, suitable for children's clothes and clothes for allergy sufferers.

The active formula not only preserves the quality of the garment, but also makes it fresh and pleasantly scented. It also contains oils that soften fabric and hand skin when hand washed. However, according to reviews, this tool weakly removes static electricity.

Biomio

The rinse aid of this brand is also environmentally friendly, but no less effective.

The advantages include:

impeccable natural composition;
light unobtrusive aroma;
use for children's linen, as well as for clothes of people with allergies;
elimination of folds, bumps;
restoration of tissue structure;
making wool products soft and fluffy;
excellent softening of things;
absolute safety, environmental friendliness of components;
reducing stress, anxiety, irritation due to eucalyptus oil in the composition;
economical consumption.

Meine liebe

The German brand Meine Liebe has established itself well in the Russian market.

The conditioner can be used to wash clothes and clothes, both adults and children. It is suitable for people with sensitive skin, as it does not cause redness and other unpleasant reactions. Meine Liebe uses biodegradable components, so the products are environmentally friendly. Also, the rinse aid has a mild pleasant smell, has an antistatic effect, and facilitates easy ironing.

"Eared nanny"

Russian-made product is very popular. It is suitable for children even from the first day of life. Allergy sufferers will also appreciate this mouthwash. It contains aloe vera, which makes the fabric very soft, pleasant to the touch, and also has antibacterial properties.

"Eared nanny" also has an antistatic effect, a light aroma - properties that are especially important for baby clothes. A convenient form of release - a container with a handle, the presence of a dispensing cap - only adds to its popularity. An additional advantage of the Russian product is its low price compared to foreign counterparts.

Naturami

This fabric softener is practically odorless, which is especially important when washing clothes for newborns, allergy sufferers

The composition of Naturami is quite simple, environmentally friendly, contains no preservatives or dyes, which does not reduce its effectiveness. The consumption of the substance, according to reviews, is not very economical. Another drawback of Naturami is its rather high cost compared to other brands of this type.