DIY Lavender Fabric Softener: A Simple Guide to Fresh, Natural Laundry
When I saw this recipe in my homesteading book, I saw the measurements and at first was like ‘man, I don’t think I have enough at the moment’ . I was fully prepared to go out to my lavender plant, which, I don’t think is really enjoying this Redding heat, and grab some more lavender flowers, and also use the leaves from it too, just to make sure I could make this.
I love the smell of lavender, and it was so easy to do, I thought it would be a great way to help my mom. It might not be much that she’s saving not having to buy fabric softener (once this batch is done anyways) but I mean, this has my gears turning for other things I could do with this, that I don’t want to divulge into much because that’d ruin my idea!
Now, this DIY is very easy to do, and great for any newbie. You literally combine the two ingredients together, and let it sit in a darker place for 1-2 weeks. Easy Peasy! Once the time has passed, you’ll want to strain it and use 1/4 a cup per load of laundry, or maybe 1/2 if you have hard water.
The measurements I’m giving you, will yield about 6 loads of laundry. And I used Lavender flowers for my infusion, but you can use any of your favorite, but Lavender does have tick repelling properties, so if you live in the woods, it might be a good idea to at least use a blend, with lavender included, like a Rose Lavender blend fabric softener.
Materials:
2/3 cup dried Lavender Flowers
1 1/2 cup White Vinegar
Directions:
Combine Flowers and Vinegar in a pint jar. Cap with a non metallic lid, or a metallic lid with layers of wax paper or plastic wrap between the jar and the lid, preventing corrosion from the vinegar.
Let sit for 1-2 weeks, out of direct sunlight. Strain the finished vinegar. It should have turned a light shade of pink or purple at this point. If you want the scent to be stronger, repeat the process again.
When using, add about 1/4 a cup of the mixture to your machine or a dispenser ball. Again, if you have hard water at your home ,you might have to add as much as 1/2 a cup.
If you try this at your home, I would love to hear your experience in the comments below!
