Non-Toxic DIY Fabric Softener

Have you taken a look at the label on the back of your fabric softener lately? Or were you distracted by that cute snuggly bear on the front of the bottle? He’s there for a reason you know. A whopping 83.33% of fabric softeners get a D or F rating from the Environmental Working Group (EWG)! Yikes!!! Fabric softeners actually coat our clothes with a layer of chemicals creating that “soft” feeling.
No, thank you! Not on my kiddos! So, I decided to dabble in some recipes to make my own and I came up with a non-toxic DIY Fabric Softener that we really love. You can make it with the scented (using essential oils) conditioner that I recommend, or you can use the non-scented conditioner that I also link to below and add in your own essential oils to make your own unique scent. I switch it up sometimes and use Purification Essential Oil or Stress Away Essential Oil (because Moms need all the help they can get!).
Non-Toxic DIY Fabric Softener
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup distilled vinegar — like this
- 1/2 cup non-toxic conditioner (I prefer to use this conditioner or the Lavender Mint from Young Living, they are both great non-toxic conditioners)
- Essential Oils of your choice — I add in essential oils if I use a non-scented conditioner.
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients into a large glass jar


- Put on a plastic lid (plastic is important because the vinegar will rust a metal lid)

- Shake
- Use as you would your regular fabric softener, during the rinse cycle
- Smile and know that you are not coating yourself and your family in toxic chemicals just to have soft clothes 🙂

User tip: If you want your clothes even softer, then add wool dryer balls to the dryer with your laundry. We do this and it’s awesome! I add some essential oils directly onto the balls, too, for an extra oomph of scent. You can even make your own dryer balls following this DIY how-to.
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Hi, my name is Kate.
I love food. Real food. We eat all of the things that nursing school taught me were bad for you: butter, eggs, bacon, and raw milk.
I am a Nurse, a Mom, and a Real Food loving blogger. Just trying to save the world.