Commercial fabric softeners work to soften clothes by leaving behind a film with ingredients that includes potentially harmful chemicals. What if you could make your own natural fabric softener free from toxins and save money in the process?

Now you can, and all you need is two ingredients: white vinegar and essential oils. The DIY recipe below is super simple and quick. It softens your cloths, reduces wrinkles, and leaves a pleasant scent. Since it’s made of all natural ingredients, it’s ideal for those with sensitive skin.

Which Essential Oils to Use

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s extremely flexible regarding which essential oil scent to use. The original recipe from doTERRA.com uses lemon oil, lime oil, and grapefruit oil. That’s what I used, too, when I originally tried the recipe. But since then I’ve also tried lavender oil and single citrus oils like orange or bergamot instead of a blend. Lavender is calming, and citrus oils are uplifting.

Since the whole focus of this recipe is to be free of toxins, it’s important to use essential oils that are 100% certified pure and transparent about this. I use dōTERRA essential oils because they do not contain synthetic fillers and toxins.

Unlike most other oils companies, each dōTERRA batch is tested both internally and through third-party labs that have no affiliation with dōTERRA to ensure its purity. You can even find out each bottle’s test results online. Learn more about essential oils and purity HERE.

What Container to Use

When you make your own recipes with essential oils, be mindful of the container you use. Many essential oils contain compounds that can leach into plastic. To be safe, use glass, steel, or a high-quality plastic called HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene).

For this recipe, I used HDPE containers with a pump that I found on Amazon.

In the video below, a glass container with a seal-tight lid is used. I searched on Amazon but couldn’t find one that was vertical-shaped and 16-20 oz. The vertical ones I did find were huge like 34 ounces or more, and the smaller jars were square-shaped. If you really want to use glass in a pour-friendly container, perhaps use something that’s meant to hold liquid like a wine decanter or a glass water bottle.

Short Video Demonstration

The printable recipe is at the end of this post, but you can also view the brief video below for a tutorial on how to make the Citrus Laundry Softener with essential oils. This video uses lemon, lime, and grapefruit essential oils, but as I mentioned earlier, you can use any scent of your choice.

How Much to Use in Your Wash

Once you’ve completed the recipe, it’ll depend on your washer regarding when you add the fabric softener and the amount you will use. There are 3 options:

Add fabric softener during the final rinse cycle by manually adding the vinegar mixture (top loading washers only).
If your washer has a fabric softener cup, pour the fabric softener into it before starting the wash. It will dispense at the right time.
If your washer doesn’t have a fabric softener cup, add the mixture into a fabric softener ball and put it in with your clothes at the beginning.

Depending on the size of your load, use anywhere from two tablespoons up to ¼ cup per wash. For households with harder water, you may need to use more. You can experiment with different amounts to see what works best for your washer. If your laundry smells like vinegar when the wash is done, that means you’ve used too much. Make adjustments for the next wash.

I’ve also listed the above information in the recipe below so that if you print it out, it’ll all be right there.

DIY Fabric Softener With Essential Oils

Ingredients

16 ounces white vinegar
9 drops doTERRA essential oil (lavender or any citrus oils are great options)
Citrus peels (optional)

Instructions

Add citrus peels into 16 ounce glass bottle.
Fill bottle halfway with vinegar.
Add in essential oils and shake bottle well.
Fill remainder with vinegar.
Let sit for at least one week before use.

Notes

The application of this recipe will depend on your washer. You have three options: One, during the final rinse cycle, manually add the vinegar mixture (top loading washers only). Two, if your washer has one, add it to the fabric softener cup and it will dispense at the right time. Three, if your washer doesn’t have a fabric softener cup, add the mixture into a fabric softener ball and put it in with your clothes at the beginning.

Depending on the size of your load, you can use anywhere from two tablespoons up to ¼ cup at a time. If your water is harder, you may need to use more. A good rule of thumb? Your laundry should not smell like vinegar when done, if it does, you’ve used too much.

How to Get Essential Oils in Your Home

You can purchase doTERRA essential oil directly through my doTERRA-certified site by CLICKING HERE.

Also, if you’d like to learn more about dōTERRA essential oils and how to get it into your home at at 25% discount every time, please contact me via this easy 5-question contact page HERE. or you can email biculturalmama@gmail.com.

DIY Natural Fabric Softener With Essential Oils