Reading Time: 8 minutes DIY Reusable Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets
To put it lightly, I’m not a big fan of doing laundry, even after figuring out ways to do it faster. To save money, I try to find DIY ideas for household products. Because I want to save money on laundry, I make my own DIY Reusable Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets. If you are interested in other DIY household products, this is tip #10 from 18 Household Products You Can Make at Home.
The purpose of these DIY reusable fabric softener dryer sheets is not only to save some money but also cut back on harsh chemicals in your house. An added benefit, you get to recycle some of your old towels and t-shirts.
Unfortunately, store-bought fabric softeners work by leaving a layer of chemicals on laundry items. Because Vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener, you can rest easy knowing you are adding fewer chemicals to your clothes and saving money.
The great thing about using Vinegar as a natural fabric softener in homemade dryer sheets is that the vinegar smell goes away, but the fresh-smelling essential oil scents stay.
Items you need to make your DIY Reusable Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets
Here is what you'll need to gather to make these fabric softener sheets.
- Towels and/or t-shirts
- White Vinegar
- Essential Oils (of your choice)
- Water
- Mason Jar
How to Make Your Own Dryer Sheets
First, grab your rags, vinegar, essential oils, water, and a mason jar and then let's get started.
Step 1
To begin, cut your towels, t-shirts, rags or whatever fabric you are using into pieces about the size of regular dryer sheets.
Step 2
Then, in the mason jar, mix 3/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup water, a few drops of your essential oils. I prefer to use lavender oils, but you can also use orange, lemon, mint, or a combination of oils. After that, shake well.
Step 3
Next, fill the mason jar with the fabric pieces. Shake well again.
Step 4
Finally, let the fabric soak in the liquid for at least a few hours to be sure the fabric is fully saturated.
Step 5
Try out your new DIY reusable fabric softener dryer sheets. Toss one in the dryer, just like you would a regular dryer sheet.
DIY Dryer Sheets
Equipment
- 1 Scissors
Ingredients
- 1 Mason Jar
- 1 Old T Shirt or Old Towel
- ¾ C Vinegar
- 10-20 drops Essential Oil
- ¼ C Water
Instructions
- Cut Old T Shirt or towel into dryer sheet size rectangles
- In mason jar mix water, vinegar, 10-20 drops of Essential Oil of your choosing
- Tightly seal jar and shake contents
- Add cut up T Shirt or Towel pieces
- Replace Lid and shake until all fabric is thoroughly wet.
- Allow fabric is soak for several hours
- Use 1 DIY Fabric sheet per dryer load.
Notes
Note: You might need to tweak the amounts of each ingredient depending on the size of your jars and scent preference. Start with only a few drops of essential oils, but know you can always add more to suit your scent preference.
After each use, depending on the amount of liquid you have left in your mason jar, you can add the fabric back into the mason jar. That way, you will have them handy when you need to make more fabric dryer sheets. Or, you can keep the dry used fabric sheets in a separate mason jar for later.
Keep your new homemade dryer sheets near your dryer or laundry detergent to have easy access.
Next Up:
- 50+ Uses for Vinegar – Home, office, car, garden, beauty, health, and pets
- How to Clean Your Washing Machine with Vinegar and Baking Soda (Front Load and Top Loading)
- Laundry Mindfulness: How to do Laundry Faster
For more cleaning ideas, hacks, and guides check out Green Cleaning.
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Erin is the mother of identical twin girls and their slightly older brother. She is a domestic engineer, and previously had a career leading customer service teams for a major HVAC company. Cleaning without harsh chemicals, and cooking easy and usually healthy meals are part of Erin's daily life. She volunteers with youth leaders, and genuinely wants to help others win. Erin has a degree in Communications, with a focus on Broadcast Journalism.