Homemade Fabric Softener

After the huge success of my recent attempt at homemade laundry detergent, I decided to go for broke and try to make fabric softener.  I normally don't use fabric softener.  Occasionally I will buy dryer sheets if they are on sale, but I line dry my my laundry in the summer and when I do use the dryer, I can't stand finding rogue dryer sheets stuck to my shirts and socks.

I found a quick recipe on Pinterest (duh, where else?) and decided to give it a try.  Here is what you will need:

a large pot (I used a chili pot)
6 cups water
3 cups of white vinegar
2 cups Suave Almond & Shea Butter conditioner.  (I encourage you to use any scented conditioner you like.  I decided to try this one.)

In your large pot, mix the water, vinegar and conditioner.  Stir well.  I used a wire whisk because the spatula just wasn't doing it.

It may appear chunky or lumpy at first...

...but keep stirring until the conditioner is dispersed evenly.

Pour into a clean and empty container.  I used a gallon milk jug.  It makes approximately a half gallon of fabric softener.

I must be honest. At this point, the fabric softener smelled nothing like almond and shea butter and more like sour apples.  I think the scent of the conditioner was too soft to blend and mute out the vinegar scent.  Before I scrapped this batch and try a different smelling conditioner, I decided to do a load of towels to see what the end result would be.

The recipe I followed suggested using the same amount of fabric softener normally used.  For this load, I used 1/4 cup.  If the scent is too strong or too weak I can always adjust the amount later.

Another option is to spritz a good amount on a wash cloth and toss it in the dryer.  A reusable dryer sheet, in a way.  Neat!

Once the wash was done I buried my face into one of the towels as I removed it from the washing machine and took a big sniff.  The result was NOT sour apples.  It was a nice fresh scent.  I kept sniffing, thinking that I would find a pocket of sour apples, but luckily I did not.  Fresh out of the dryer I had the same result, a nice fresh scent.

I've used this fabric softener in every load of laundry since.  I like it, and so does my husband.  I think for the next batch I'll try a stronger scented conditioner like Rosemary and Mint.  I may like that even more!