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Tip Store: Laundry: Fabric Softeners

​Food Grade Fabric Conditioner

Like a lot of us, I use bicarb soda instead of fabric conditioner for my clothes. I was starting to miss that fragrance, and I cannot afford essential oils. A happy accident led to several drops of Queens lemon flavouring ($2-3) being dropped in my jar (1/2 kg) of bicarb I keep on the washing machine. It smelt nice, so I mixed it in, now I use the same teaspoonful for the last rinse, and get that lightly lemon scented load of washing. This works with Queens orange flavouring as well, and although I have not tried coconut, I’m sure it would work the same. It’s only a little thing, ($18 essential oil / $2-3 food flavouring) and I even prefer the smell.
Contributed by Denise Scotford

A MOO Fabric Softener

​I don't use fabric softener, ever. It's a Cath thing - I don't like the cost, I don't like the fake smells, and I don't like the way they glug up the washing machine. But lots of folk do, for whatever reason, and that's OK.

Here are two really simple fabric softeners - both work, one is fragranced, one isn't.

The first option is really, really simple: add 1/2 cup white vinegar to the final rinse of each load. Vinegar is great for ensuring all the washing powder is eliminated from the washing, leaving it soft and clean.

But if you like a scented fabric softener, try this recipe.

Pour into a 2 litre bottle:
3 cups water
1-1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup hair conditioner - choose the fragrance you like.

Put the lid on the bottle and shake, shake, shake so that it is well combined. 

To use, add 1/4 cup to the final rinse of each load of laundry.

The Cheapest Fabric Softener Ever

I read this one online years ago, and its saved me a fortune in fabric softener products. I simply use 2 tablespoons of Coles store brand vinegar in the final wash, and everything comes out soft, fresh, stain free, and NO, it doesn't smell of vinegar. A two litre bottle  of store brand vinegar from Coles is $1.10 and I calculated I get 300 fabulously soft washes out of it. Instead of using commercial fabric softeners that are filled will a ton of chemicals. I had psoriasis, and since I've gone to MOO washing powder and just 2 tablespoons vinegar, it's not been an issue. My hospital thinks I'm miraculously cured on all the pills they gave me. They made me worse. I changed to MOO, and stopped using commercial laundry detergents and fabric softener, and I'm healed.
Contributed by Lisa DeLace

Stop Using Bought Softener In Your Washing Machine

​I was told by a Washing Machine Repair man to stop using it as inside the washing machine it builds up and it can come off on your clothes. So I would clean the machine with hot water and let it fill up with half bottle of White Vinegar poured in the water and let the machine swish around for few minutes then turn the machine off for few hours then let it swish around again for around five minutes and hopefully you have got rid of all the Softener build up which is quite gooey and don't use anymore softener use some vinegar or Bicarb in your rinse water..
Contributed by Lynette Stewart, 23rd January 2017

​MOO Fabric Softener

You will need: 2 cups conditioner (any scent) 3 cups white vinegar 6 cups hot water In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Decant into any airtight bottle or jar using a funnel Use 1/4 cups for each wash. Makes about 11 cups (44 washes). Cost breakdown: Vinegar - 45 cents ($1.19 for 2 L) Conditioner - $2.17 (cheap one) Total= $2.62 or .06 cents per wash on average I save $35 a year on store bought fabric softener.
​Contributed by Tiffany Hobbs
This homemade fabric softener is so cheap, but it really works. I use the cheapest, no name conditioner I can find, usually at $2 shop, 1 litre for $1.99.

750mls boiling water
375mls white vinegar
250mls conditioner

Mix the conditioner into the boiling water until it has completely dissolved. Add the vinegar.

To use, add 1/2 cup per load. Can be used in front loaders and top loaders.

To change the fragrance, change the scent of the conditioner.
Contributed by MIchelle Lee, 12th February 2013

​Ridiculously Cheap Fabric Softener

Approximate $ Savings: 20c per

​ wash Most water in towns and cities is hard water which is alkaline. Instead of expensive fabric softener (or even the cheaper refill with water versions) use one tablespoon of vinegar (a mild acid) in your final wash as a way of balancing the alkaline water. A cheap 2 litre bottle of vinegar will last 100 washes - much more than a 2 litre bottle of fabric softener! The vinegar is very diluted so leaves no scent but if you like a scent, just add a drop or two of your favourite fragrance to the vinegar. Contributed by Moira, Latham, 4th February 2009

​Instead of Fabric Softener

Instead of using expensive fabric softener I use plain white vinegar in the rinse cycle of my washing. Just pour vinegar into where you would put fabric softener, not only does it help get all the washing powder out of your clothes leaving them soft it also helps clean the inside of your machine as I have found fabric softener leaves an oily residue .
​Contributed by Kaylene, Wagga Wagga, 10th June 2010

​Washday Tip to Save You Money

​When laundering your clothes and bed linen, instead of using a costly fabric softener in your final rinse just use a supermarket/no brand name pine, eucalyptus or lemon scented household disinfectant! Just a small amount is needed and you will have a really clean and fresh wash every time, a long-lasting supply, and at very minimal cost. I have used this method for many years with great success. Contributed by Kathy Whelan, 7th June 2010

​Soak in Bicarb Soda Solution, Rinse with Vinegar

When I washed nappies, I always used to soak them in bicarb soda and water, then use vinegar in the final rinse. The nappies were always lovely and soft and oh so bright. I have used this for other clothes and had the same effect. Sometimes I put eucalyptus oil in the final rinse and they smell nice, and they are soft.
​Contributed by Cara Keskkula, 15th November 2009

​Vinegar Softens and Brightens Laundry

I use vinegar in my softener section of my washing machine and found that my clothes are brighter and soft my partner thinks I am buying expensive stuff.
​Contributed by Karen Taylor, 12th November 2009

​Add Washing Soda to Soften the Water

It may be your washing water is to hard or full of minerals which will effect clothes when they have been washed, try using some washing soda(electric soda) in your washing water as it will soften the water which will be more gently on your clothes.
​Contributed by Karen Haywood, 12th November 2009

​Remove All Traces of Detergent for the Softest Wash

Adding 1/3 - 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle (add in place of fabric softener) removes all traces of washing detergent and the clothes feel lovely and soft after drying, and there is no vinegar smell. Very cheap as 2 litres of vinegar only costs about $2. Works in cold water too.
​Contributed by Tammy Brennan, 12th November 2009

​Drying in the Shade

Use conditioner and then try not to put your washing out in direct sunlight, I always put mine under the carport and with a breeze that does the job really great for me. But you do need that breeze to help dry your clothes.
​Contributed by Tricia Buckland, 12th November 2009

​Use Less Powder

For a softer wash without fabric softeners, if you use laundry powder, use much less. Clothes get clean by the agitation through the water, not so much the powder.
​Contributed by Heather Simpson, 12th November 2009

​Vinegar in the Rinse Dispenser

I have had issues with scratchy washing and have found putting white vinegar in the rinse cycle or fabric softener section of my washing machine has taken out any excess detergent and left them soft and fresh with no vinegar smell. Or just add 1/2 cup when the rinse cycle starts. Saves a fortune on fabric softener and is environmentally friendly also.
​Contributed by Kathleen Hughes, 12th November 2009

​Cheap, Natural Softener

Use vinegar as fabric softener, heaps cheaper, natural and keeps clothes and towels soft. Your clothing and towels won't smell of vinegar when they are dry either.
​Contributed by Kylie Humber, 12th November 2009

​Take the Washing Off the Line as Soon as It is Dry

I find using a cup of vinegar and a generous sprinkle of bi carb to your washing softens the material. Also, don't place your washing in full sun for long as that also hardens clothing. It is best to either hang washing under an awning or shaded area (not under a tree as birds leave surprises!) Or if your hoist is in full sun, do your washing early in the morning taking it off as soon as it is dry, before the mid day sun, or if you are a bit slow at it like me, I hang it out at night then collect it as part of my morning routine.
​Contributed by Susan Curran, 12th November 2009

​Vinegar and Lavender Oil

Washing with white vinegar is supposed to be a softener. I mix couple tablespoons vinegar with lavender oil solution (soluble in water) buy on special or eucalyptus oil (even cheaper) for beautiful smell!
​Contributed by Lara Anderson, 12th November 2009

​Use Less Powder

I heard Shannon Lush on the radio a little while ago saying she used 1/4 the amount of washing powder recommended on the box and added 2 spoonfuls of bi-carb soda to the powder and 2 spoonfuls of vinegar to the rinse. It really works and clothes are much softer. Plus the added bonus of saving heaps on the washing powder and fewer chemicals in the wash.
​Contributed by Catherine Davidson,15th November 2009

​Vinegar in Every Load for Soft Washing

Add a capful or two of ordinary white vinegar (the cheapest no-name brand is fine) to the rinse water. We originally saw this tip for making towels softer but now use it with every load in the washing machine. It will remove the soap build-up that could well be the cause of your brittle materials. Yes, if you press your nose to the clothing and sniff you may smell the vinegar but you (and others) won't notice it in regular circumstances. Hope this helps!
​Contributed by Anita Keys, 12th November 2009

Make Your Own Fabric Softener

Add a 1/2cup of white vinegar to final rinse or you could try 1/4cup of Borax to the rinse water. Another one is to mix equal parts baking soda and white vinegar to 2 parts water to use in your wash, if you use this method cut your detergent in half also. Good luck one of these will suit you.
​Contributed by Gail Quintal, 12th November 2009

​Bicarb Softens Towels

​I use 1-2 teaspoons of bicarb soda per load - seems to help, especially with towels. My mum has also found that using eucalyptus wash for towels keeps them very soft, but I haven't tried this yet. Contributed by Kate Heath, 12th November 2009

​Epsom Salts in Lieu of Softener

After spending a lot of time on the net looking for an answer for myself earlier in the week I've discovered that Epsom salts (I dissolved 1 tablespoon in 1/4 cup of boiling water) and put that in the fabric softener compartment of my machine works wonderfully. Some other suggestions I found was putting approx 1/2 cup of bicarb soda into the final rinse water or using white vinegar (I've tried this and it does work although I also found that when the clothes were being ironed they had a strange spell about them and a question on the net was asked as to whether the acidic nature of vinegar actually damages the elastic in your clothes. Hope this helps
​Contributed by Margaret Saggin, 12th November 2009

​Cold Water for a Soft Wash

Use a couple of tablespoons of plain old Homebrand white vinegar in place of fabric softener. It will strip out the residue softener, soften the clothing and towels become more absorbent. At $1.02 for a litre you cant really go wrong! I have also found that washing in warm/hot water made my clothes hard and scratchy - once I switched back to cold, everything softened up again, and my power bill went back down.
​Contributed by Leanne Hayes, 12th November 2009

​Hot Sun Hardens Washing

I have tried and tested many different ideas over a long period of time and have found the best two by far are either 1 capful of water soluble eucalyptus oil to each load or 1 capful of eucalyptus wool wash to each load. Your clothes will be soft and cuddly and smell fresh as well. When drying the clothes, if it is a really hot day, only 3/4 dry them on the clothes line and then bring them inside and hang them over a clothes airer to finish off or even 5 minutes in the dryer will do it. The very hot sun can crisp even the toughest clothes.
​ Contributed by Tracy New, 13th November 2009

​Rinse Well for a Soft Wash

We had a scratchy laundry problem a year or so ago. We eventually realised the cause was two-fold: 1) too many clothes in the washer at one time (trying to save water and time), 2) insufficient rinsing. To finally clear the excess soap from the clothes, we had to wash the items three or four times (no soap) before they returned to their normal condition. So much for saving water and time!
​Contributed by Margaret Ornsby,16th November 2009

​How to Deal With Hard Water

It sounds like you have 'hard' water which is caused from the build up of minerals in the water. Here is my mum's recipe for dealing with it! Ingredients: 2 cups white vinegar 2 cups bicarb soda 4 cups water Method: Combine slowly and carefully over sink. The baking soda and vinegar will fizz. Pour into plastic bottle, cover, and shake. Use 1/4 cup in the final rinse
​Contributed by Carla Stankowski, 13th November 2009

​Soften Old Fibres

Certain types of fibres become hard with age. Try using Lectric Soda (very cheap) in a bucket of water for final rinse before line drying. Also, I have found that ironing 'hard' clothes with generous squirts of water and steam takes out the crunch. As a final resort, dilute really cheap hair conditioner into a spray bottle and mist to saturate and then hang the clothing in the shower area so that the steam penetrates.
Contributed by Caroline Saunders, 12th November 2009

​ Editors Note: You can buy Lectric Soda (washing soda), in the laundry/cleaning aisle of your supermarket. It comes in two forms - crystal and powder. Try about 1/2 cup powder in a bucket of water to soak towels, nappies, tea towels etc. Cath

​Organics Are Gentle

We find that using organic washing liquids or powders are a lot more gentle on clothes resulting in softer clothing and they are better for the environment. You can also use the washing water on your lawn etc. We also don't let the clothes dry out completely, bringing them in while still slightly damp as the sun can crisp up clothing too much, especially now its summer.
​Contributed by Mariarosa Demizio, 12th November 2009

​Vinegar Instead of Softener

I use white vinegar instead of softener...it softens my clothes, gives them a fresh smell (once dry) and also keeps your washing machine from getting a build up which in turn extends the life of your washing machine! Wow! All this and its so much cheaper than any of the softeners on the market-you can't lose :)
​Contributed by Katrina Skippen, 12th November 2009

​Avoid Phosphates for Soft Washing

Try to avoid using detergents which contain phosphate (phosphates are bad for our water-ways, killing fish etc). I have found that only using half the recommended rate of a phosphate detergent is sufficient to wash clothes (if you must use this detergent. Eco brands are best, kinder to your clothes). Fabric softener isn't good for your clothes either. It clogs up the washing machine and outlet pipes. Fabric softener also puts a barrier on your cloths, so water can't penetrate as much (i.e. not good for cloth nappies as it makes them less absorbent). Try soaking your clothes in water with vinegar added. Then wash as normal, again adding vinegar to the machine instead of detergent. I suggest 500ml vinegar. Then use Eco brand of detergent from then on.
​Contributed by Bronwyn King, 12th November 2009

​Eucalyptus Fresh

I always add a small amount of eucalyptus oil to my final rinse when the clothes have become hard, which gives a great clean fragrance as well.
​Contributed by Marg Brown, 23rd November 2009

​For Softer Washing

​Use only half the recommended detergent, always. To soften a load, add two tablespoons of bicarb soda to the wash and put white vinegar(no name brand is fine)into the softener dispenser. Wash as normal. Fabric softener actually builds up on clothes and increases their stiffness over time. Contributed by Polly Parker, 22nd November 2009

​Swap Fabric Softener for White Vinegar

Stop using fabric softener. Use the same amount of white vinegar instead. Everything comes out fluffy, towels absorb more water and your washing machine will be cleaner as well.
​Contributed by Leeanne Kirkman, 18th November 2009

​Fabric Softener Stretcher

Approximate $ Savings: $10.00

I have come up with a formula for making my fabric softener last 3 times as long, and my clothes are softer than with the fabric softener alone. I mix equal parts of softener, water and vinegar and store it in a small container. I shake this well and use it just as I would the full strength softener. The water and vinegar I have at home.
​Contributed by Colleen, Erskine Park, 4th August 2009

​Saving the Price of a Second Refill

To save money on laundry fabric softeners, I always buy the plastic refill pouches. These pouches are sold as a concentrated softener and you have to add water to them to make them up to a litre. To save further, I always decant the concentrated refill equally into TWO empty one litre fabric softener bottles and top them both up with water. You'd never know the difference!!
​Contributed by Liza, King Country, 26th July 2009

​Beautiful Tea Towels

Save your egg shells. Never throw them out. Put a reasonably flat tray (can be half egg carton) on top of fridge (at back.)Put shells in. It is a good place to dry them and nobody will notice them there. Every now and then boil up your tea towels with some washing powder and 4 or 5 (or more if you want) egg shells. Boil gently 10 mins or more. Rinse well. Tea towels or whatever you treat in this way will have brilliant colour and lovely feel. Any dried eggshells you can grind down with brick or in a blender with water and pop into compost. This blesses the worms and helps make nutritious compost.
​Contributed by Rae, Wantirna South, 30th March 2009

​Scented Fabric Softener Just 4c a load

Rather than buying expensive washing liquid and softeners, I use 1/4 cup of home brand white vinegar ($1.50) and 10 drops of water soluble lavender oil ($7.00 large bottle) in with my $2.00 washing liquid. My towels are soft, whites are whiter and the smell is just glorious! Vinegar also cleanses your washing machine as it washes so you get two jobs done in one. I use the same lavender oil in a water mix to wet dust my house, use it in a spray bottle as air freshener and to wash my floors each week. This has saved me hundreds of dollars each year and stopped me putting harmful chemicals around my young children.
​Contributed by Charisa, Pooraka, 20th March 2009

​Pre-soaked Fabric Softener In Dryer

When I use the dryer I place a face washer in with the clothes that I have pre-soaked in fabric softener. It lasts at least 30 loads; it's better than drier sheets and much cheaper. The bottle of softener lasts absolutely ages.
​Contributed by Vickii, Edenslanding, 15th July 2007

​Fabric Softener Residue

I add some water to dispenser before adding fabric softener. I never have to clean the dispenser. I use a Maytag washer.
​Contributed by Bonnie, Fresno, April 5th 2005

​No More Fabric Softener Build-up

​Instead of using fabric softener in washing machine-which leaves build-up inside machine -try using generic brand white vinegar, which is much cheaper, leaves clothes soft and without the build-up! Contributed by Vicky, Morphett Vale, April 25th 2005

​Cheap Fabric Softener

I no longer buy fabric softener and still have soft, fresh-smelling clothes. I add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to every load of washing. It works really well and is a fraction of the cost of liquid fabric softener. Just add the vinegar to the final rinse. I was worried the clothes would smell like vinegar, but they don t. A 2 litre bottle of white vinegar costs just $1.19, so as a fabric softener it costs only 3 cents per washing load!
​- Contributed by Sherri, Ballarat

​Fabric Softener

​An economical fabric softener is white vinegar. Just add 1/2 cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of fabric softeners. Not only does it soften clothes, but removes lint, but brightens coloured fabrics and keeps your washing machine clean.

​Homemade Fabric Softener

​Here is a recipe for homemade fabric softener and it works GREAT: Have ready: 2 cups cold water, 1 cup bicarbonate soda and 1 cup white vinegar. Place the bicarb in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar in, while it is bubbling add the cold water and mix. Store it in a one litre bottle after mixing. Put 1/4 cup of this mixture in the last rinse cycle of the wash. Make sure you shake the bottle before hand to mix the bicarb into the liquid mixture eveytime you use it.

​To Make Fabric Softener go a Long Way

​Pour fabric softener into a mason jar until it is half full, add water to fill, then cut sponges into decent size blocks and put into mason jar. Throw a sponge or two into the dryer to save a lot.

​Tissue Boxes

​Empty tissue boxes can be recycled as storage boxes for plastic grocery bags or used fabric softener sheets (see Cleaning tips for uses.)

​Substitute Fabric Softener

​Instead of using expensive fabric softeners, pour a quarter cup of white vinegar in the last rinse of the washing cycle. This eliminates static cling, helps remove wrinkles, gives clothes a fresh smell by removing soap and cleans the drains of the washer by removing soap scum and lint.

​Twice As Much Softener

Less is more with fabric softener, particularly in the dryer. Mix 2 capsful in a large jug filled with water. Cut 2 kitchen sponges into halves. That gives you two to soak and two to use. Gently squeeze out the sponges, leaving a little moisture in them. Throw those into the dryer and then when done, back into the juicer. Using this method a bottle of fabric softener will last almost a year a considerable saving!