DIY Homemade Fabric Softener, Deodorizer, and Degreaser

Add this DIY Homemade Fabric Softener, Deodorizer, and Degreaser to the rinse cycle of your wash to reduce static, deodorize your laundry (and washing machine!), and remove grease from your clothes.

I love having fresh smelling, soft, and non-static-y clothes, but I don’t like how many times I have found that commercial fabric softener has left odd stains (due to the dye in the fabric softener) or other strange spots on my clothes.

I also didn’t like how some laundry, especially towels, sometimes seemed like they were dirty and dingy even if they had been freshly washed.

They either had a faint mildewy smell or the fabric felt like there was buildup in it.

So, for a while I just stopped using liquid fabric softener before I eventually started experimenting with some homemade fabric softener solutions.

DIY Homemade Fabric Softener, Deodorizer, and Degreaser

The benefit of this DIY Homemade Fabric Softener is not only does it condition the water which leads to softer clothes and less static, it also eliminates odors (rather than simply masking them), removes grease and excess soap residue from clothes.

Ingredients in Homemade Fabric Softener

Thanks to two simple ingredients that you probably already have at home, plus optional essential oils for fresh scents, you’ll have fresh clothes that will last longer, feel cleaner, and have no static. 

Baking Soda

Baking Soda conditions the water and is a color-safe bleach alternative.

It also gets rid of any nasty smells (like boy sweat (*ahem* Logan), dirty sock stink, and mildewy, musty smelling towels!).

White Vinegar

White Vinegar helps to brighten white fabrics, reduces static, helps remove grease and excess soap residues.

It also keeps brights looking fresh and clean, rather than dingy, and eliminates bleeding from fabric dyes that may stain your clothes.

Essential Oils

Essential Oils are a great, all-natural way to add a light,fresh scent to your laundry without added chemicals.

This recipe for DIY Homemade Fabric Softener, Deodorizer, and Degreaser can be made without the addition of essential oils should you prefer no scent.

Feel free to come up with your own scent combinations using your favorite essential oils, depending on what your personal preferences are.

I liked the combo of white fir, cypress, and wintergreen.

Citrus scents or lavender are also great laundry smells.

More DIY Cleaning Solutions

Try these awesome tips for Keeping Your Whites Looking White without having to use bleach.

Read about the Many Uses of Baking Soda – baking soda is so versatile for cleaning around the house.

Try these Quick Tips for Deodorizing your Kitchen using citrus and say goodbye to stinky trash cans, garbage disposals, and microwaves.

What are your favorite DIY laundry solutions?

DIY Homemade Fabric Softener, Deodorizer, and Degreaser

Add this to the rinse cycle of your wash to reduce static, deodorize your laundry (and washing machine!), and remove grease from your clothes.

• 2 cups Baking Soda
• 9 drops White Fir Essential Oil
• 9 drops Cypress Essential Oil
• 5 drops Wintergreen Essential Oil
• 6 cups White Vinegar

1. In a very large mixing bowl or bucket, combine the baking soda, and essential oils. Stir to mix.
2. Very slowly add the vinegar – it will fizz up, so it is important to add it slowly and allow the fizz to subside in between additions. Stir well.
3. Once the fizz has completely subsided, transfer into the storage container of your choice.
4. This could be an empty and clean fabric softener container or a storage jar.

Notes: Gently shake to redistribute any settling before use. 

Add to the fabric softener slot on your washing machine.

For machines without a pre-measured slot for fabric softener, add 1/2 cup during the rinse cycle.

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