Homemade fabric softener recipe

When you have a baby, using a conventional fabric softener for laundry is strongly discouraged. Their formulations contain numerous petrochemical ingredients that are harmful to the environment as well as to our health. They can be highly irritating, particularly for the very young, whose skin is extremely sensitive. The trouble is that whilst some regions can easily manage without softener, in areas where the water is particularly hard, it's a different story. Hard water makes clothes scratchy — and nobody wants to put their newborn in a pair of pyjamas that feel like fibreglass!

Rest assured, though: it's perfectly possible to make an effective, eco-friendly, skin-safe fabric softener at home very quickly, and at very little cost. All you need is a little water and white vinegar.

Why use white vinegar to soften your laundry?

White vinegar is a powerful anti-limescale agent, which softens the water and therefore the laundry. It's also an excellent antiseptic, which will help to sanitise your clothes.

Why shouldn't you mix bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar when making a homemade fabric softener?

Most natural fabric softener recipes suggest combining white vinegar with bicarbonate of soda. However, this isn't actually a good idea. When vinegar (which is acidic) is mixed with bicarbonate of soda (which is alkaline), an effervescent reaction occurs instantly. This reaction creates carbonic acid, which immediately releases CO2, causing the mixture to fizz. This reaction can be useful for descaling or degreasing around the home, but it's not what we're after when making fabric softener. Once the reaction has subsided, the result is a neutral solution that has lost the properties conferred by its acidity — and therefore its effectiveness.

Can essential oils be used when you have a baby?

We'll say it again: essential oils should be used sparingly, particularly if you have a baby. Essential oils are not recommended for children under 3 months, and most are contraindicated until the child is 3 years old. In this recipe, we've chosen to use lavender essential oil — it's simply there to give the laundry a lovely Provençal scent. You can easily leave it out if your child is under 3 months; the softener will work just as well without it.

How to make a homemade fabric softener

What you'll need

• 300ml white vinegar
• 600ml water
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil
• 1 glass bottle (1 litre)
• 1 funnel (optional but so much easier!!!)

Method

In your glass bottle, combine the vinegar, water, and 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

Seal and shake. That's it — it's ready! Simple, isn't it?!

Also check out our homemade laundry detergent recipe.

How to use your homemade fabric softener

Simply pour 60ml into the fabric softener compartment of your machine. You can measure it out using a yoghurt pot — it's roughly a third of a standard pot.

Can I use this homemade fabric softener recipe with my Pocket diapers?

We'd advise against using this homemade fabric softener recipe with your Pocket diapers. The recipe contains white vinegar, which can weaken the elastic in your Pocket diapers. What's more, commercial fabric softeners tend to build up on Pocket diapers, so it's strongly advisable to avoid using any softener when washing them. That said, this homemade recipe can safely be used on your inserts.

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