Scented vinegar for laundry

[Marianne]

I've used it in the bathroom, wiping down cupboards, chair and table legs, ceramic tile floors...

 

[ChaneyLakegirl]

thank you

 

[the funny farm6]

Made this and it works very well! Didn't have much of the scent of the conditioner though. But clothes were very soft! And cheaper than buying the real stuff.

 

[cheepo]

Marianne thank you thank you...
this is fantastic...
because it is so cheap...I have actually been putting in two caps...
but I am absolutely amazed how soft the towells are...

 

[i_am2bz]

Made this and it works very well! Didn't have much of the scent of the conditioner though. But clothes were very soft! And cheaper than buying the real stuff.

I would agree with this. I was really enthusiastic, b/c I found some really nice-smelling VO5 conditioner for $.84 at Chinamart, but all I could really smell was the detergent. But yes, very soft!!

I was wondering if making dryer sheets would make a difference in leaving a fragrance....

 

[Leta]

I use white vinegar with essential oils for fabric softener. I put cedarwood oil in to keep bugs out of our clothes. It works! I'm not sure how it would work with commercial detergent- I made the switch to homemade fabric softener at the same time that I made the switch to homemade laundry powder.

I also use lavender and eucalyptus oils in fabric softener, but I'm going to try this citrus peel setup. Right now, I put citrus peels in a pot of water on the stove, and it cleans up the smell of our house. (I find potpourri cloying, the citrus is fresher smell. I also have baking soda, incense, and candles, but I don't buy commercial air fresheners. Bleh.)

I don't use conditioner, so I won't buy that just to put it in. (Shampoo bar + 50% ACV-50% green tea rinse. Coconut oil on the ends *before* washing, and only when they are really dry. And yes, I have long, very thick hair and this works just fine once the transitional period is over.)

 

[ORChick]

I haven't read all the replies (Maybe I ought to?), but I have to ask, does putting something scented in with your vinegar actually come through in the dried laundry? I use vinegar in the softener dispenser all the time, and never detect any vinegar smell at the end, so I have doubts that a few drops of eucalyptus or lemon would even be noticeable. But then, I've never tried it, so what do I know? I do know that I like the scent of clean clothes, and have never felt any need to add anything else to them, but that is probably just my bias.

 

[i_am2bz]

Unfortunately I can't bring myself to shell out that much for EO. I priced some at Whole Foods...

But a bottle of conditioner for 84 cents? That I can do.

ORChick - I don't think the scent came thru in my batch, but the clothes ended up softer than just vinegar.

 

[dfr1973]

A lot of us use vinegar for fabric softener replacement. I know I was shocked at how well it worked.

I never thought about scenting it until I found this elsewhere the other day:

3 C. Vinegar
2 C. Cheap hair conditioner (smell you like)
6 C. water
Mix together in an old fabric softener jug and use as you would in your washer. If you like you can use it to make your own dryer sheets. Cut up an old Tshirt and pour the softener onto the rag and toss in the dryer with wet clothes.

AND

I use one whole jug of vinegar and I peel the rind off of two huge oranges. I love that smell of citrus. You cut into strips to tuck in jug and then I set it aside for two weeks. This is fantastic stuff. I use it straight in my front loader. Nice and fresh. If you like grapefruit better give it a try. Then eat the oranges as a snack. No waste..

(*smacks forehead*)
This is brilliant. And so simple ... why did that never occur to me before?

 

[i_am2bz]

Yep, that's what I'm doing next. I read on another thread here (somewhere) you could soak softener in little pieces of sponge, too & use in the dryer.