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Not too long ago, a fellow Babywise mom commented that she puts vinegar in each load of laundry to use it as a fabric softener. I was intrigued and decided to give it a try. I have loved it! I have found it to be great for removing static cling from clothes. I have also noticed it is a great deodorizer and it seems like the color in the clothes is improved.
What I do is very simple. I add it to the fabric softener holder in my washing machine. Then I don’t need to use any other fabric softener or dryer sheet. Fabulous!
Since I have started doing it, I have looked into vinegar in the laundry and found the following:
- Adding 1/2 cup to the load helps prevent colors from fading (I saw on Pinterest you can soak your jeans in vinegar to prevent fading–don’t know if it is true, but I saw it).
- It is a natural fabric softener.
- Use 1 cup to wash the tub. I have done this for years. I do it about once a quarter–how often you would want to do it would vary with you. Just add it as your “detergent” and run a load. You can use some old rags in it or just run it with nothing but water and vinegar (sometimes I also do bleach).
- 1 1/2 cups is a natural whitener.
- Rub directly on clothes to fight stains.
- It is a natural deodorizer.
Try it out!
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Valerie, also known as The Babywise Mom, is the mother to four children. She has been blogging on Babywise and general parenting since 2007. She has a degree in technical writing and loves using those skills to help parents be the best parents they can be! Read her book, The Babywise Mom Nap Guide, to get help on sleep from birth through the preschool years. You can also find her writing at Babywise.life, Today Parenting, and Her View From Home. Read more about Valerie and her family on the About page. Follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for more tips and helps.
Never heard of this! Sounds wonderful! Much cheaper too than buying fabric softener or dryer sheets! Thanks for the tip!
I've heard of this but I've never tried it. I probably should though, since I already make my own laundry detergent.
In addition to using vinegar in my laundry, I also use a vinegar wash on all my fruits and vegetables (those without a skin or peel), and it keeps them fresh for waaaaaaaaay longer, I am talking weeks. I have some strawberries in my fridge right now that I picked 10 days ago and they are still looking fine. I've eaten broccoli 2 1/2 weeks after purchasing and washing it with no brown spots to speak I just wanted to pass on this awesome other use for vinegar!
I'm so glad you mentioned this! I have been using vinegar as fabric softener for a few months now and I love it, too. The clothes aren't the same type of softness as regular fabric softener…they're better. They don't get "mushy" soft and wrinkly, but rather touchable and smooth with way less wrinkles. I notice this especially with baby clothes. My burp cloths are also more absorbent since they don't have the film regular softener can often leave behind. It's the best thing.
White vinegar is a great green cleaning product! Works wonders on odors, stains and germs!
Yes to vinger! I use it for laundry also and wanted to add that I put it in the downy ball and it works wonderfully! I also use it for sanitizing toys, wiping down surfaces (half water) and more!
Thanks for all of your vinegar tips! There are so many great things! Erika, I have heard that before and would love to try it. How do you do it? Do you spray vinegar on, soak it in vinegar, pour it over, etc? Thanks!