Many people automatically reach for fabric softener to make their clothes soft. Regular fabric softener contains chemicals. This can damage your clothes, be bad for your skin and the environment. We share 5 natural fabric softeners to get your laundry soft again.
1. Use dryer balls
Dryer balls are easy and effective. These balls, made of wool, make your clothes softer during drying by letting air circulate better in the dryer. This means clothes dry faster and stay less creased.
Dryer balls work by shaking up your laundry, which can shorten drying time by 10 to 25%. This not only saves energy, it also means clothes wear less. You notice that clothes stick together much less and the fibres feel more supple after using dryer balls.
The big advantage is that they are reusable. And unlike disposable dryer sheets they contain no chemicals, which makes them safer for people with sensitive skin. You only have to put them in the dryer with your wet laundry and they do the rest. After use you notice straight away that your clothes are softer.
2. Vinegar as a natural fabric softener
Vinegar is also easy and cheap. It removes detergent residue, which makes fabrics feel softer. You can use ordinary white vinegar, which you can find in almost every supermarket.
How do you use vinegar?
Add half a cup (about 120 ml) of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine.
Do you use an older washing machine without a fabric softener compartment?
Then add the vinegar during the last rinse cycle.
Vinegar also helps neutralize odours, so it is extra useful for towels and sportswear. Vinegar also helps prevent limescale in your washing machine, which helps your machine last longer. If you want your washing machine to last longer, read this blog.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda is a simple and effective fabric softener. It works as a water softener and neutralizes odours, so your laundry not only gets softer, it also smells fresh. This is especially useful if you deal with hard water, which can make clothes stiff.
How do you use baking soda?
Add half a cup (about 100 grams) of baking soda to your washing machine, directly in the drum or in the detergent drawer. Wash your clothes as usual. Baking soda helps neutralize minerals from hard water and helps detergent do its job better.
It prevents detergent residue building up on clothes, which results in cleaner, softer laundry.
4. Epsom salt and essential oils
Epsom salt is a natural way to soften your laundry. It works by neutralizing minerals in hard water, which makes your clothes feel softer. Add about 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt to your washing machine during the wash. For €4,49 you can buy 650g of Epsom salt at Kruidvat. That is enough for 43 washes.
Want to give your laundry an extra fresh scent as well? Then add a few drops of essential oil* to the Epsom salt.
* Do note that you should only use the essential oil in the washing machine and not in the dryer, because this can be a fire hazard.
5. Homemade fabric softener with conditioner
If you make fabric softener yourself, at least you know what is in it. By mixing hair conditioner with vinegar and water, you get a natural way to soften your laundry.
What you need:
- 6 cups of water
- 3 cups of white vinegar
- 2 cups of hair conditioner (choose a scent you like)
How do you make it?
- Mix the water, vinegar, and conditioner well in a large bowl. Stir gently so it does not foam too much.
- Pour the mixture into a sealable bottle or container.
How do you use it?
Add a small amount (about ¼ cup) of the mixture during the rinse cycle of your washing machine, just as you would use normal fabric softener.
Natural fabric softeners are healthier and environmentally friendlier. With options such as dryer balls, vinegar, baking soda and Epsom salt with essential oils you can soften your laundry in a simple way, without harmful substances. Another option worth trying is laundry sheets. Laundry sheets are natural, easy to use and soften your clothes without a separate fabric softener. Whether you choose dryer balls or laundry sheets, the most important thing is that you find a method that is better for your clothes and the environment.
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