Time for another post in our Frugal Alternatives series!
This time we’re bringing you a little known, tried & true Frugal Alternative for Fabric Softener – VINEGAR.
Fabric softener keeps your clothes soft, bright and smelling fresh, but it can get very pricey – especially if you have a house full like I do and the loads are never ending!
Your average fabric softener is also full of potentially harmful chemicals.
Vinegar, on the other hand, is a natural cleanser which also softens fabrics, preserves color and also combats stains and odors. Not to mention, vinegar is also vastly cheaper than other fabric softeners on the market. Vinegar also kills germs and it prevents any mineral build up at a cost of just pennies per load! You can purchase Vinegar by the gallon and in bulk at warehouse stores and websites and most any grocery store, very cheaply. A cost of just pennies per load makes Vinegar a very frugal alternative for fabric softener in my book!
What about the smell? Vinegar only stinks when it is wet! But you can always add a few drops of your favorite essential oils – Lavendar is my favorite for laundry.
Using Vinegar for Fabric Softener:
Simply add half a cup of white vinegar directly to your wash, just prior to the final rinse cycle. If you have a large load (that’s all we have in my house!) you’ll want to increase the amount of white vinegar per load to three quarters of a cup.
If your washing machine has a fabric softener dispenser, add the vinegar directly to the dispenser at the beginning of the wash cycle. You can also utilize a fabric softener dispenser ball by simply adding the vinegar to the ball and using it as directed.
You can also get multi-uses out of this budget friendly frugal alternative ! White Vinegar is also great for whitening, cleaning hard surfaces and windows as well as shining metal surfaces. Vinegar also removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup.
Have you used Vinegar as a fabric softener? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts!
For more Frugal Alternatives, be sure to check out our posts HERE
Do you have any of your own DIY or homemade Frugal Alternatives that you are implementing at home? We’d love to hear about them! Leave us a comment below or Feel free to send any information and photos to wendy @ frugalfabulousfinds.com with the email subject line “Frugal Alternatives”. Each and every month we award one of our guest post contributors with a FREE $5 Amazon.com Gift Card ! Full Details HERE
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