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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Homemade Reusable Fabric Softener Sheet

I hang my laundry out to dry usually. (The best way to avoid static cling.) But on occasion I dry them in the dryer, like when hubby does it, vacation packing time, or too much to do to hang inside on drying racks when yucky outside, etc.

To keep from getting static cling you have to avoid over drying, for dry clothing rubbing against each other (friction) is what causes it. Setting it on the dampness sensor can help and adding a fabric softener sheet to the dryer can help too. Also, not throwing wool socks, polar fleece jammies, and anything else that usually attracts static (i.e. dries faster than the rest of the clothing) in the dryer and drying them separately on a rack helps tremendously.

Make your own reusable fabric softener sheet. Take a washcloth that is identifiably different than the rest of your towels and cheap conditioner. I either use the free conditioner I get from Walgreen freebies or large dollar store bottles.


Put in a baby wipes container one part conditioner, one part water. Make sure you are ok with your clothes smelling like the conditioner.


Put the washcloth in the container of liquid, wring it out and throw it in with the clothing. You can use this a few times before re-wetting it.

I have heard of people using vinegar and baking soda in the wash as a softener and I have tried it, but my hubby thinks he can smell the vinegar and it causes him to have a rash and to me they line dry worse with it, so I don't use it. Perhaps, in the dryer it helps, but since I rarely use the dryer, I choose to do the fabric softening in the dryer when it is used.

1 comment:

Alexandra said...

What a brilliant idea! I use vinegar in the rinse cycle on our cloth diapers, now pull-up, and they don't smell of vinegar after they are done. I've not tried this, but I wonder if vinegar with a little essential oil might be nice? I've got some orange essential oil. I might try this.