Fabric Softeners

Fabric softeners are one area of my laundry room I haven’t been extremely choosy. When I went a year without a dryer, I hung my clothes out to dry, and fabric softener was a must. My towels felt like sandpaper without it. Here are a few other reasons to use Fabric Softener?

1- Adds fullness and softness to fabrics

2- Reduces static electricity on synthetics to eliminate cling.

3- Reduces linting and makes ironing easier.

Now that we know why we use them, the next question is which is better for us to use on our clothes, commercial products or more all natural alternatives? Plenty information is available online.

One such article, How to Make Wool Dryer Balls by Vanessa Romero, shares simple instructions on how to make this safer alternative, but also why it is important to do so.

My personal favorite fabric softener alternative is White Vinegar. According to the writers of The Natural Formula Book for Home & Yard (Rodale Press, Inc 1982), “Vinegar Fabric Softener” is:

…a good softener to use if you’re using soap in your automatic washer. Add 1/4 cup  white vinegar to the final rinse cycle. This will help to remove any soap curd that’s trapped. 

When I wash a load of laundry, I simply pour my white vinegar directly into a Downy ball, toss it in on top when I first start my load. This way I don’t have to listen out for my machine’s rinse cycle to add the vinegar.

Baking Soda is another great all natural option for fabric softener. The Natural Formula Book for Home & Yard advises:

 This one can be used whether you’re using a synthetic or soap detergent. Add 1/4 cup baking soda to the wash load. Clothes will feel soft and smell fresh.

No matter which product you choose make sure it is an informative decision.

For more information on this subject check out this informative article Don’t Get Slimed: Skip the Fabric Softener by Rebecca Sutton, PhD, EWG Senior Scientist.

 

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