Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

Tip: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

Don't waste money on fabric softener! Use white vinegar instead. White vinegar is the best fabric softener you can buy and it's so cheap. Just add half a cup to your final rinse and your washing will come out lovely, soft, and free of any soap residue. Your towels will be soft and fluffy and if you use this method on towels from when they're new they don't "mat" up and will remain soft forever.

To avoid the problem of brand new towels not drying you properly, first wash them in plain cold water (do not add washing product) with 1 cup of vinegar added to the water, allow them to soak for a while, then finish the wash cycle adding half a cup of vinegar to the rinse. This method removes the fabric dressing and they will be absorbent straight away. Any vinegar odor disappears once the item is dry. The added bonus in using white vinegar, is that your washing machine will be sparkling clean inside and doesn't get that awful grime build-up. It's also very eco-friendly!

By beadiebug from Queensland, Australia

Feedback:

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I use vinegar in the rinse water, too. You could use vinegar in your softener dispenser without fear of it clogging. My dispenser is in the center of the agitator. It doesn't hold much so I usually pour in a little more vinegar into the rinse water if I'm nearby. (01/06/2011)

By OliveOyl

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I don't know why, but this just doesn't work for me! I've tried the vinegar (I'd rather use it than fabric softener) several times, and it does leave my clothes soft, but they are so full of static I can't pull some of them apart! Any ideas on what to do about this? (01/06/2011)

By lyonpridej

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

skinnyjinny: I use about 1/2 cup of white vinegar per load. That translates to 1/4 pint. White vinegar is cheap here--1 gallon for under $2 equals roughly 4 liters for a pound. Hope that helps. (01/07/2011)

By OliveOyl

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I use vinegar as a fabric softener! When I read this post, I had to put my two cents in. Yes, it DOES work! I've been using vinegar as a fabric softener ever since I read about it in a ladies' magazine. I was skeptical at first, but after trying it, I was hooked! And it DOES NOT leave a vinegary smell. Love it. (01/07/2011)

By lindylou28546

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

568ml of white vinegar costs 90p (cheapest) whereas I can get 1.5l of good quality concentrated fabric conditioner for £2 which covers 42 loads! (01/08/2011)

By skinnyjinny

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I not only use vinegar as a fabric softener, but as a laundry deodorizer as well. I measure 2-3 caps of white vinegar into my wash as it's filling, let it agitate a minute or so, and turn it off for 30-60 minutes. I add another 2-3 capfuls to the rinse, but don't stop the cycle then. My clothes are softer than with store-bought fabric softener without the gunk! I've heard a softball-sized wad of aluminum foil in the dryer also works as a fabric softener, but haven't had the courage to try that. (01/10/2011)

By JustPlainJo

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I've been using vinegar as a fabric softener for a year or so. It doesn't work quite as well as the commercial stuff for removing static cling, but it's close, in the winter I occasionally have a load that tends to cling together, generally when there are nylons in it.

I bought a pair of those plastic, knobby "dryer balls" over a year ago, and I love them! They fluff up the laundry nicely without any chemical additives. I was afraid, when the first one came apart, that they only had a year of use in each pair. Now I realize, with both of them split, that I simply have four hemispheres instead of two balls. Works just as well, if not better, and it's a little quieter. (01/13/2011)

By lieast

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

Sorry to be a spoilsport, maybe it's because I line dry in the sun and not in a dryer. The one time I used vinegar as a fabric softener, my clothes came out stinking something awful of vinegar and the smell stayed on them for days! Never again! (02/04/2011)

By cett

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I have been using vinegar for years in my wash. I use vinegar for line drying and dryer drying and it works. I would not use anything else. (02/05/2011)

By 1stborn

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I'm so glad to hear that this tip works! I have read this before and been skeptical, but now I am going to try it! Also the dryer balls. I was skeptical about them too. I hope more people will try this and stop using commercial fabric softeners, both liquid and sheets, as they contain toxic chemicals. I sent in a post about that in November, people keep trying to find uses for used dryer sheets, when they should just throw them away and not use them at all.

Let's continue to spread the word about white vinegar! I'm willing to put up with a little static cling to have laundry free of toxic chemicals. I think static is more of a problem in dry conditions, and less where it's humid. My house gets dry in the winter, so I plug in a vaporizer from time to time to add a little humidity. If anyone has a tip for cutting down on static in the fresh laundry, though, please pass it along. (02/06/2011)

By Pixiedust7

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I add white vinegar to both the wash and rinse cycles. I generally stop the washer after it's agitated a minute and soak the load for up to an hour before continuing the cycle. White vinegar is a great odor-fighter as well as fabric softener. (02/06/2011)

By JustPlainJo

Tip: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

This is more of a comment rather than a tip because I got the tip here in the first place!

I finally got around to trying white vinegar as a replacement for fabric softener. IT WORKS! In some cases I added it to a little liquid softener that I like but when I was totally out of softener a couple days ago I washed towels with just the vinegar in the softener dispenser and wow, they came out really soft and didn't smell like vinegar either!

Give it a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Vinegar is natural and is pretty cheap too! I just bought a huge jug of it yesterday for $2.08 and sometimes it goes on sale.

Oh and I also washed some tops of mine with the vinegar for softener. I let them drip dry and they came out very soft and smooth!

I am so glad I read thriftyfun because I would never have known to use vinegar in the wash otherwise!

By Debbie from Illinois

Feedback:

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

This really works! I love the way my clothes smell and feel. (09/05/2006)

By AnnMel

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

Hey. This sounds like a great idea and I'm going to try it tomorrow. Talk about pinching pennies. Vinegar is so inexpensive. Thanks. (09/05/2006)

By maggie3956

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I have used vinegar, not to add softness, but to get rid of the musty smell in the towels and it works great! (09/05/2006)

By Persnickety Paula

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I have been using vinegar as my fabric softner for a few years and love it. If you have someone who is scent sensitive then you may want to use vinegar instead of fabric softner. Zig (09/06/2006)

By Ziggee

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I tried this the other day and I love the results! Fresh smell, softness, and cheap. Also great for my front loader that has a tendency to collect water. Wonder why I never knew about it!?! (03/18/2008)

By sc from indy

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I not only use vinegar as a softener, but I use 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of white vinegar to clean all of my windows, mirrors and glass. It is much better than Windex and other cleaners which have a wax base. The first time you clean everything, add 1/4 tsp. of dish washing detergent to the mixture to remove the wax buildup. From that time on, just use the vinegar and water mix. Saves so much money and works so much better. (08/22/2008)

By Janice

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I've heard that using vinegar will destroy the elastic in things so you might want to just use it in your towels and bedsheets. I don't think I would use it ith your stretch jeans or blouses. (03/31/2010)

By eveh

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I have an HE front loader and I am unsure how much vinegar to add to the fabric softener spot. Do I mix it with water? Thanks! (09/09/2010)

By GLM1

RE: Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

I did this the other day when washing towels and I was pleased to see it works as well as this site said it would. Yay cheap vinegar, more money in our pockets! (11/24/2010)

By SuzyQ82

Request: Tips For Soft Fluffy Towels

I'm really sick of having hard scratchy towels. I have never used softener on them as that's supposed to stop them from absorbing water and I don't have a dryer so they are either dried inside on a rack or outside on the line. They weren't super cheap, just average.

Does anyone know how I can soften them up? Does anyone here use fabric softener on towels?

Thanks so much!
-X-
Clairebear

Feedback:

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I use a homemade fabric softener - 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups baking soda and 4 cups water. The terry cloth towels are still kinda scratchy when I line dry but its live-able. The velour - like towels are nice though. Both kinds are lovely out of the dryer. I would love to find a homemade fabric softener that works on line dried towels, but I think it's just going to be something I have to live with. (09/28/2005)

By Terry Lynn

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I find that if I shake the towels before they are completely dry, the towels are softer. Just hang them back up until completely dry. I use white vinegar in the rinse cycle for softening. (09/28/2005)

By Diamondee

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I also line dry all my laundry (very, very rarely use my clothes dryer) and I do use fabric softener but I will dilute it (half water, half softener or whatever you prefer). This way they do become a bit softer but without losing a lot of the absorbency. I also shake everything before hanging them to help reduce wrinkles. Sometimes it's almost a trial and error type of thing before you get them the way you like. I've been told that constant drying in the dryer will eventually wear them out. Hope this helps a little. LI Roe (09/28/2005)

By LI Roe

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I've just decided scratchy towels is the price I have to pay for saving all that money by not using the dryer. I've found that by the third "using", they are pretty soft. (09/28/2005)

By Katie A.

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I live in the Mediterranean, and we steam-iron everything that is line-dried in order to make it softer. I usually take the towels off the line when they are almost dry, (I'm way too lazy to iron towels!) and then fold them. (09/29/2005)

By Jenny

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

Been using fabric softener on my towels for years. Just use half or less of the amount called for and make up the difference in water if you use a softener dispenser in your washer. Also, is it possible that you have towels that are just plain scratchy?

Go to an expensive department store and feel the weight and softness of one of the expensive towels. Now think about your towels.

Good deals on expensive towels can be found at TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning, Marshalls and Ross. (09/29/2005)

By Holly

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

(b)My tip for softer clothes and linens:(/b) Don't use fabric softener in your washer. Instead, add some water softener (a capful of Calgon for example) to the wash water along with your usual soap or detergent. Generally, your clothes will come out cleaner and softer with little or no soap residue. Your air-dried towels will be softer and just as absorbent. In addition, you probably won't need to use bleach or other laundry additives if you add water softener. You may be able to cut back on the detergent or soap as well. (09/29/2005)

By Amanda

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

Try putting about a cup full of white vinegar to the rinse water. This seems to help make towels softer. Good luck!(10/02/2005)

By pomm594

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

A cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle works wonders! Also to freshen towels, try a 1/2 cup of baking soda in the wash cycle. Dryer sheets and softeners are horrible on towels, due to the fact they leave a silicone coating on them. Good luck! (10/04/2006)

By Jacqueline

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I tried vinegar. I don't care what anyone says, it does make it smell of vinegar. (05/26/2009)

By aley51102

RE: Soft Fluffy Towels

I rarely use my clothes dryer to dry clothes. Instead, I hang clothes out to dry then I will put them in the dryer on "no heat" and fluff up my load of laundry. It only takes about 5 minutes and it makes towels and everything nice and fluffy. (I've been using fabric softener but would like to try a recipe for homemade fabric softener.) (07/10/2010)

By dry creek

Tip: Inexpensive Fabric Softener Tip

If you want soft clothes out of the dryer, but hate the expense of a softener, just use a dash of vinegar. Just a quarter cup or a little more for a large load in the washer, does the trick. I have also added about a tablespoon of fabric softener along with the vinegar, and this has worked very well also. I might add that on occasion (the clothes have sat in the washer too long, so I know they will emerge wrinkled from the dryer) I have obtained similar softness, merely by running the clothes through the rinse cycle again! This might not work with harder water, though.

Patti- Oklahoma City, OK