So after the laundry soap success.....

I was impressed.  There are SO MANY recipes out there for DIY cleaners, soaps etc.

Laundry Soap, check.

Fabric Softener - lets go....

Same deal.  I researched for hours and came up with, what I thought, would be the perfect fabric softener.  One problem....I can't find 'Suave' hair conditioner ANYWHERE!.  Ughh.

So I substituted.  Garnier Fructis hair conditioner. Smells like lemons. I picked it up for $1.00.

It went ok.  I've used it in about 15 loads or so.  The vinegar is the fabric softener, the conditioner is really just for scent.  My clothes are very soft and even after the towels hanging on the line to dry, they don't come off stiff and crunchy anymore (I usually try to sneak in a dryer load when I'm washing towels - I LOVE ME SOME SOFT TOWELS!) and yeah, yeah, yeah....I KNOW you're really not supposed to put fabric softener in with towels but I always have and the "absorbency" of the towel hasn't changed at all.

I don't LOVE this softener yet.  I think I may be addicted to the smell of Snuggle (mmmmmm Snuggle....) but as far as performance, it does the job better than the snuggle.  I just miss the smell.  

In the meantime, I have started to become the crazy lady in Walmart smelling the conditioners.  

I will try it again.....just with a different scent.

On a side note - yesterday, my husband and I were discussing the new detergents and fabric softener -- mainly because he didn't know which was which.....yes, I do most of the laundry.....anyway, HE has actually NOTICED a difference in the feel of the clothes -- that they are softer and not hard when they come in off the line.  SCORE ONE FOR THE DIY!!

The cost difference is good but not super-crazy-amazing (yes, I'm 34 and just said that!) The store bought stuff I was using was Snuggle Ultra Cuddle Up Fresh. The jug that we used to buy was $6.29 on sale and advertises on the bottle that it does 60 loads.

Snuggle - $6.29/bottle, 60 loads - $0.10/load
Homemade - $1.28/10 cups, 83 loads - $0.02/load.

SAVINGS OF $0.08/load!  

Here is how I did it and what it cost.

Laundry Fabric Softener

Ingredients

·      2 cups hair conditioner (suave, or other favorite scent)

·      3 cups white vinegar

·      6 cups hot water

Directions

1.     Whisk together hot water and conditioner.  Make sure the conditioner is mixed completely with the water – no clumps

2.     Add the vinegar and mix well.

3.     Use 2 tbsp/load

Yield

·      10 cups

Cost

·      Conditioner ($1.00/500ml bottle) = $1.00/2 cups

·      Vinegar ($1.49/4 litres) = $0.28/3 cups

·      Total - $1.28

·      $0.02/load (2 tbsp per load)