Fabric softener is amazingly expensive. It costs nearly as much as laundry detergent (which by the way you can make much cheaper!). If you love to use fabric softener and hate the high price, here is instructions on how you can make your own for less than $1 and about 3 cents a load.
To show you my breakdown, here it is:
Vinegar- $1.00 at that local dollar store, but we are only using 2/3 cup and the whole bottle is 32 oz (4 cups). This means we are only using about 18 cents of it to make it.
Conditioner, bought at the dollar store, and we are using 1/2 the bottle, so 50 cents.
Water is “free” out of the tap.
So 18 loads for around 68 cents to make and it only takes less than 5 minutes of your time! If you are concerned about chemicals, you may spend a little more for a natural or organic hair conditioner, but making your own allows you to control what is in it and on your clothes. The bottle of conditioner I used is 15 fl oz, so I used approximately 7-8 oz if you happen to get a bigger bottle.
Here is the instructions for making your own fabric softener:
- 1/2 bottle of hair conditioner of your choice in scent from the local dollar store
- 2/3 Cup vinegar
- 4 cups HOT water
To make:
In a bowl, add the hot water and half a bottle of hair conditioner. Mix well with a whisk until it is well dissolved and no chunks remain.
Add the vinegar and stir.
Pour into a large mason jar with a lid. Make sure to label it so you know what is inside.
Use 1/4 cup per load. This should give you approximately 18 loads.
Make sure to gently shake before each use as some of the conditioner will settle to the bottom over time.
The great thing about this recipe is you can customize it to the scent you want and use whatever brand you prefer. You can double of triple the recipe if you need more made at once.