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The other day I bought some unscented fabric softener. I hadn't used fabric softeners in years because I thought they were all bad for the environment and our health, as well. But I was at the natural foods co-op and they had some earth-friendly unscented stuff, so I thought I'd check it out.
I'm really glad I did! Our clothes have been so soft and the static electricity is gone... it's been great. I'm actually using my old "Downy ball" that I've had for years and years - even though I'm not using Downy.
Anyway - today I'm trying something new... I just added a few drops of essential oil in with the fabric softener. I used 20 total drops, actually. I'm going to see if this will add a nice - natural - scent to the sheets I'm washing.
Has anyone else ever tried this? Does anyone else make DIY fabric softener? Any earth-friendly brands you'd like to recommend?
Over the years I have found various recipes for DIY fabric softener that usually call for baking soda and/or vinegar. I've tried most of them. Some of the did soften the clothes a bit, but none took away the static electricity. Works good for line-drying items though.
In a pinch, I have used a small amount of hair conditioner in the laundry rinse cycle when I didn't have any real fabric softener and it worked just fine.
Personally, I'd be afraid to put any kind of oils in with my laundry, but that's just me.
Sometimes I can be a sucker for a gadget, so on those occasions when I don't hang my clothes outside to dry in the sun and wind, I thought I'd try dryer balls (I picked them up at the drug store). To my utter shock and amazement, they work!
I've been reading reviews that say these reusable dryer sheets help with removing static, but I haven't noticed a big problem with static.
Don't forget to order a tree whenever you buy online!
I have found that going to all cotton, you don't have static cling..it is only with the synthetics....I am very scent sensitive, and just smelling other people's fabric softener can give me a headache!
I'm a "smell person", too. Better than being a "smelly person". I do not like things with synthetic fragrances. That's why I bought the unscented fabric softener. I do use organic essential oils for all kinds of different things, though... from cleaning to home remedies for headaches and colds to freshening up a room to pest control...
Vinegar does not take out the static cling, and I do wear all natural fibers (cotton, hemp, flax...) because I'm allergic to synthetics. I do wear denim (some with stretch) but we wash our jeans separately and line dry them.
I was afraid to experiment with oils, too, so that's why I tried it with old bedsheets first. They are old and if they messed up it wouldn't be such a loss. It actually worked! They smell lovely, infused with the organic essential oils I used, and they are still soft and there's no static cling thanks to the unscented earth-friendly fabric softener. I've found my thing.
I tried those static cling balls and they did not work for me. And then I felt really bad for buying something made in china packaged in all that waste and not knowing then what to do with all that... so wasteful. The balls themselves though did become cat toys... but the packaging (when we bought the balls years ago) was not recyclable.
In a pinch, I have used a small amount of hair conditioner in the laundry rinse cycle when I didn't have any real fabric softener and it worked just fine.
I have never heard of that! Maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks!
The other day I bought some unscented fabric softener. I hadn't used fabric softeners in years because I thought they were all bad for the environment and our health, as well. But I was at the natural foods co-op and they had some earth-friendly unscented stuff, so I thought I'd check it out.
I'm really glad I did! Our clothes have been so soft and the static electricity is gone... it's been great. I'm actually using my old "Downy ball" that I've had for years and years - even though I'm not using Downy.
Anyway - today I'm trying something new... I just added a few drops of essential oil in with the fabric softener. I used 20 total drops, actually. I'm going to see if this will add a nice - natural - scent to the sheets I'm washing.
Has anyone else ever tried this? Does anyone else make DIY fabric softener? Any earth-friendly brands you'd like to recommend?
Over the years I have found various recipes for DIY fabric softener that usually call for baking soda and/or vinegar. I've tried most of them. Some of the did soften the clothes a bit, but none took away the static electricity. Works good for line-drying items though.
Let's talk fabric softener...
Now that your earth friendly, I do trust that you dried your clothes on a clothesline, right?? you did didn't you??
I'm curious to know what the difference is between "earth friendly" and "regular" fabric softeners. I understand the non-scented thing. That's pretty simple.
I'm not being sarcastic, by I am cynical. I've seen way too many products labeled "green" and way too much produce labeled "organic", when in truth their only difference is the labeling.
So can somebody explain to me - for sure - how we know that a fabric softener is truly "green" or "earth friendly"?
I'm curious to know what the difference is between "earth friendly" and "regular" fabric softeners. I understand the non-scented thing. That's pretty simple.
I'm not being sarcastic, by I am cynical. I've seen way too many products labeled "green" and way too much produce labeled "organic", when in truth their only difference is the labeling.
So can somebody explain to me - for sure - how we know that a fabric softener is truly "green" or "earth friendly"?
Standard fabric softeners are petroleum-based. Earth-friendly fabric softeners are plant-based, using no petrochemicals, which makes the residue that ends up in the water, safe for marine life. Eco-friendly fabric softeners also aren't tested on animals.
Here's one example; Ecover (http://www.kokogm.com/Products/ev-17200.html - broken link).
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