Did you know you can make your own Homemade Fabric Softener Crystals like the ones Purex makes? All you need is 2 ingredients too – Epsom salts and your favorite essential oils.
If you have ever used those fabric softener crystals in the store you will know one little container of these will cost you upwards of $5.00-$6.00 depending on the size. My own homemade laundry recipe costs around $20 for a year of detergent and one of the ingredients I use is the Purex crytals. The Purex Crystals in the recipe is the most expensive ingredient, so I attempted to make my own fabric softener crystals recipe to save money. And I was able to save $4.12 off the recipe.
How to make Homemade Fabric Softener Crystals
First I turned over a container of Purex crystals to read what was inside of them.
Sodium Chloride, PEG Distearate, Bentonite, Sodium Silicate, Fragrance, Silica, Liquitint Red ST, Liquitint Blue HP.
Okay – so Sodium Chloride is salt. The rest of the ingredients are basically fragrance, colorants and thickeners. Stuff we don’t really NEED, right? The more natural the better I say, because I have a little girl who has very sensitive skin.
Epsom salts + essential oils for fragrance are all you really need!
Just take your Epsom salts, and pour them into a bowl. A 2 lb. box (a little over 4 cups) of Epsom salts only costs $0.88 at Walmart!
Then add about 40 drops of your favorite essential oils.
Order (my favorite brand) essential oils here.
My favorite scent for my homemade fabric softener crystals is a combination of 20 drops of Lavendar and 20 drops of Lime. The combination is heavenly. But you can really just add whatever scent you love the most. In fact you could probably have it be non-scented if you wanted to as well which would save even more money. The salts alone would soften your clothes.
After you add in the oils, mix it all up until thoroughly blended. It took less than 2 minutes of mixing to be totally incorporated.
And Voila!
You have homemade fabric softener crystals!
Store them in an air-tight container or just pour the whole 4 cups into your homemade laundry recipe. If you use store bought laundry detergent you can just add a small scoop (1-2 tablespoons) of these crystals to your wash to soften your clothes.
Oh and try not to sit and just sniff your jar all day long. I know it’s tempting…. I know.
While the smell is strong in the jar, it’s not as strong on my clothes coming out of the dryer. Purex crystals were stronger, but they also had a lot of strange fragrances, mine are pure essential oils that I know are good for me to be breathing in. My clothes do smell lovely still and they are so soft using this recipe.
The next time you make homemade laundry detergent make sure and also make this homemade fabric softener crystals recipe along with it to save you money. This takes the price of my detergent down to just around $16.89 vs. $20.21. Sweet!
Recipe for Homemade Fabric Softener Crystals
- 4 Cups Epsom Salts ($0.88 for 2 lb. box at Walmart)
- 40 drops Essential Oils (about $1.00)
- Mix them together and you are done.
Final price $1.88 for homemade vs. $6.00 for Purex Crystals at the store!
Instructions
Mix The epsom salts and essential oils together and you are done.
Thoughts? Have you tried to make your own fabric softener before? Have any other great homemade recipes you would like to share?
Here are more DIY recipes you might be interested in:
- DIY Burt’s Bees Chapstick copy cat recipe
- DIY Homemade Greek yogurt
- DIY Making Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
- Making Homemade Butter
- Learn to Cut your little boys hair with my tutorial
- Using Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer
- DIY Homemade Soap making
- DIY Homemade Natural Deodorant
- Making your own Homemade Baby Food
Find more frugal living recipes and DIY ideas here.
You amaze me! I will be trying this!
Will this work with already soft water?
It should!
I tried this and love it. The problem I have is that the scent is fantastic but after I wash and dry my cloths there is no scent at all. How do you get the scent to last?
Thank you,
Wanda
Heat destroys essential oils. I find it hard to believe the scent lasts once it goes through the dryer. This is reason alone I believe it will not work. No one responded to the person who commented on this earlier.
Epsom salt in not sodium Chloride. I agree with those that said it hardens the water.
i use lemon e/o and hang dry it. The smell is wonderful and fresh as well as clean and the smell lasts longer on the clothes.. my son works overnights unloading freight and perspire a lot. his clothes still smells like lemon…been using this from last year October .
You can get a bag epson salt 4 1/2 lbs for a $1.00 at the Dollar Tree Store. I definitely will be making this recipie and making some extra to give as gifts. Thanks for sharing this recipie. =)
Epsom salts are not sodium chloride!!!!!!
She does not say EPSOM SALTS are Sodium Chloride…she says SALT is Sodium Chloride which is true Reread the article The ingredients are what she claims them to be
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Mg hardens water. Salt in the commercial product acts as a water softener. This recipe reflects a complete lack of understanding of basic chemistry, which is typical of DIY sites like this.
Thank you! I was very worried I was misunderstanding the recipe!
Do you get discounts on the oils?
Yes, if you sign up with doTerra you get wholesale pricing on your oils 🙂
Wow! I’m totally going to try this. I’ve also been wanting to make home-made detergent too! I’ll have to give that a try too! And I had no idea you were a doTerra consultant. I’m totally getting some from you! I love in the same city as you so I’m going to keep it local! Woo-hoo!
Do you put this in the detergent spot or the fabric softener spot?
I put this in my detergent spot since it’s all mixed in with my dry laundry detergent. 🙂
I make the liquid laundry detergent so I just add it directly in when I add my detergent. This works great!!
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium hardens water. It will precipitate in the presence of carbonate ions. So, you’re basically wasting money. Too bad you slept through chem class!
OK Frank we get it you are the smartest person on the face of the earth. Stop commenting on DIY sites and move on to
the brain surgeons chat room. I am sure they will need your input…..FYI.
Hi, just discovered your site. Love it already!!!
So here is a silly question?
Do you put the fabric softener crystals in at the beginning when I put my laundry detergent in? I’m asking because normally I put fabric softener in the rinse cycle not in with the laundry detergent.
Thanks
Hello Laura- Thanks for the compliment to my site! I just add mine to my homemade laundry detergent recipe – so I add mine in with the wash. Here is the link to my homemade laundry soap recipe–> https://happymoneysaver.com/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-worth-the-cost/
Do you put this in in the beginning with clothes and detergent or at the rinse cycle?
Amazing Karrie. I can’t believe Epsom salt alone will act as a fabric softener. Much more natural. I will have to try this. Thank you!
It hardens water. Salt in the commercial product is there to soften the water.
I already do this in my homemade a laundry soap, I just wanted to tell those that have hard water that this will help your bright yellows and greens from graying.
This makes the water even harder. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate.
Love this…saving the recipe! It will go right along with the laundry soap I made from your recipe last Spring! I have a few questions though: Any issues with fading on your clothing when you launder them…like Jeans? Also, are the oils staining anything?
Hi Heather, no I haven’t had any issues with fading or oils staining anywhere…so far no issues at all except softer sweet smelling clothes.
Awesome…I was hoping you didn’t have any issues. Making this up today! I have some friends who want to sample your recipe before making their own big batch! Will use this! Thanks a bunch!
Love this post! We love to save money, and make our own more natural products :).
I was wondering if you’ve tried using plain table salt instead of epsom salts? In our area, regular salt (sodium chloride) is cheaper than epsom salts (pound for pound), so I’d like to try plain salt first, but don’t want to ruin the laundry detergent in case it isn’t a suitable substitute.
Hmmm.. I don’t see why not, my only concern is how quickly it can dissolve down. You should try to wash a load with just the salt in it to see if your clothes come out softer or not. I used epson because they were crystals like the Purex ones.
How about using Kosher salt or large granular salt that you put in a salt grinder? Or maybe ice cream salt? Of course, those are all more expensive than table salt.
Actually I do believe regular salt will ,, if too much is used draw dyes. It can be used to set dyes in the proper amount (very little) but if too much is used it will draw the dye to the point of fading.
Epsom salt hardens water. NaCl softens water.
Where do you find essential oils in the grocery store? Does Walmart have them? For front loading would you put this in fabric softener bin?
I believe you can find some essential oils online or at natural food stores. Walmart I don’t think carries them and if they do they wouldn’t be pure. Most likely a carrier oil soaked with lavendar, but not 100% pure lavendar oil.
You can find essential oil at AC Moore or Michael’s in the candle making department. You can buy a kit with 6 different scents for $21.99–in my area. On Labor day I used a 50% off coupon. Use the 40% off coupon that is in the paper every week and you can try it for a decent price.
Michaels does not carry 100% pure essential oils, they carry fragrance oils for candle making.
I would not use these in my laundry for fear of the oil staining my clothes. JMO
I add mine to the washing detergent dispenser in my HE front loader.
How much epson salt do you put in for your softener to a load of laundry?
I just mix the whole thing into my detergent recipe, so I am not sure how much each bit is. However if you were just adding some to your wash I would say toss in a tablespoon maybe?
It’s not a water softener. It hardens water. It’s a hydrate of magnesium sulfate after all.
I might try this. Right now for softener I put vinegar in the Downy ball. Works better than Downy I think.
I have heard Vinegar is a great softener as well! And it gets that nasty smell out of stinky clothes too.
Vinegar works really well on smell. I have used that when washing to get rid of smells.
I LOVE this idea!!! Thanks so much for posting a “greener” recipe for our homes. 🙂
I’m guessing that I would use this just as you would the Purex softener crystals? Just throw in a tablespoon inside the washer with the clothes, not the fabric softener tray? I’ve used vinegar and it’s great for fresh smelling clothes, but it doesn’t help with static cling in my dryer. Thanks for the tip!
Yes, you can throw it in with the wash just like you would with the Purex crystals. No, I would NOT put it in the fabric softener tray as I would think it would gum it up.
I know this is a really late response, but I felt like I needed to speak up. I used to manage a laundromat, and one of my biggest peeves was trying to clean out laundry pods and the softener/scent crystals out of the dispensers. It can really gum up the line, especially for people with a heavy hand.
To stop static cling in the dryer, wad up a couple of balls of aluminum foil and throw them in. Super cheap dryer balls that you can use over and over.
Epsom salts are not sodium chloride – its seems to work since you said your clothes are softer so that’s good to know but its not the same thing as salt if that is what you were originally going for. I wonder if something like kosher salt what also do the same thing?
I was going to say that, too… Epsom salt is Magnesium Chloride, which is different from Sodium Chloride, or table salt. But I remember my mom telling me as a little girl that her grandma taught her to soak clothes in water/epsom salt to prevent colors from bleeding. It might help with colorfastness.
epsom salt is magnesium sulfate not chloride
It hardens water. NaCl softens water.
I went to walmart n walgreen n did;nt find the oils where can I find them
Natural foods stores or you can order online through my doterra site – links are in the post above.
Also at craft stores in candle makeing department or Amazon.com.
The Vitamin Shoppe carries them
You can get oils in most health food stores.
Karrie!!
I am so excited that you posted this on the home page! I searched for it last week, and made it on Saturday. I love it. I have converted my Mother (very tuff sell) to the homemade laundry detergent, and we both omitted the store bought fabric softener crystals in favour of making our own. We noticed that while the laundry soap was amazing- it needed softener because we both hang our clothes out on a line. So this weekend we added it to our large tubs of soap! I really did the trick. I wished I had gone online to get the oil to save money and get multiple scents, but I really wanted to
support a local business. I will be going online however for the next batches of oil because I plan to make scrubs, etc.
FYI we are now giving out samples to friends & neighbors with a little homemade tag with your website and follow info. We love sharing GOOD IDEAS!
Thanks Much!
Wow, thanks Heather! So glad you like it and are sharing my site with others, you are so nice!
I just got done making mine! Just in time for a huge load of laundry! At my Walmart, I could only find plain epsom salts over by the first aid aisle by the bandaids. They only had a 4 lb. bag, which was $2.86. Not as cheap as I was hoping, but still much cheaper than Purex Crystals. Thanks for posting this! Gonna try making homemade soap next week!
they have them at the dollar store
Dollar tree has several different types of epsom salt….Vanilla….Rose…Etc….Not very big bags though…..I prefer to buy my stuff in bulk and make laundry soap, dish washing soap and fabric softener all at once…Even my glass cleaners and other cleaners….Just buy bulk and make everything…..Saves me a lot of money..But, if it’s just yourself and your spouse it could be more than you need….However, the stuff keeps forever!
Hi there,
I just made mine yesterday and put the directly into the washtub, but I was wondering-do you still push the fabric softener button on the washer? I can’t figure out if that button is just to flush out the fabric softener dispenser or if it creates some kind of extra rinse or something during the wash cycle. Thanks so much!
Hi, I use soap nuts for my laundry.I put some washing soda in the laundry compartment. Would it be safe to add this to the same compartment?. I have been using vinegar for my fabric softener. Would you have an opinion on which is better?
can i use warming oil instead or not thanks
I’ve been using Epsom Salts with essential oils as a fabric softener for about a month in my HE machine. LOVE IT! My favorite scent is lemon oil and peppermint oil. Smells so fresh and clean.
How do you use it in your HE? Do you just mix the salt in with your detergent or do you have to put the Epsom in water and then pour into the detergent slot? We make our own detergent so if this works for us better than the vinegar I’ll mix it into our next batch. But I’d like to try it first, just adding it in. Tips on how to do that? Dissolve first then add or just dump a spoonful in with the soap?
Have you compared the epson salt solution to the homemade recipe that uses vinegar, water and some cheap hair conditioner? I’ve been using that for a while and it works quite well. I was curious which had a lower cost per usage.
The recipe in question is here: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemade-fabric-softener.htm
Homemade Fabric Softener
2 cups cheap hair conditioner
3 cups white vinegar
6 cups warm water
Pour everything into an old fabric softener bottle or other container and mix well. If you are using a bottle, just give it a few good shakes.
Using cheap hair conditioner defeats the purpose of an all natural solution…
Does this help with static cling as well?
How much of the homemade softener crystals did you add to how much homemade powder detergent? Just looking for a ratio for mixing the two. Recommendation for ratio if mixing it with DIY liquid detergent also. Can’t wait to try this. I just used the last of my purchased softener and have the ingredients on hand.
Yes, if you sign up with doTerra you get wholesale pricing on your oils 🙂
What about Dr Teal’s Epsom Salt with Lavender? I know it probably doesn’t have pure oil, but just wondering if it would be ok to put it in a load.
I will try this next time.
love the idea of this but what about static?? i am sensitive to static electricity.
Salt is corrosive. Do you not worry it may corrode something in your washing machine over time? I know when we scuba dive we have to thoroughly rinse all equipment whether it is metal or not because the salt in the water will ruin it fairly quickly.
So if I am ready this right is goes in the wash cycle?
Hi, love your ideas. I use the Purex Crystals in my homemade laundry detergent so I was surprised to see your fabric softener idea. When I checked my bottle of PC, it says “Laundry Enhancer” for keeping laundry fresher longer. In fact, it says not to put it in the fabric softener dispenser.
I use a homemade fabric softener made from water, vinegar, and hair conditioner. It seems to work on all the laundry that I use it on. I don’t use it on towels or washcloths.
I use all my homemade laundry products in an HE washer without any issues. The homemade products seem to keep the scum and smell out of the washer. When I was using commercial liquid detergent, both were pretty bad. I would guess it’s the vinegar in the homemade fabric softener (vinegar, hair conditioner, and water version).
Hi!
I have been looking for more frugal and more natural methods for housekeeping. I have read that some people use vinegar as a fabric softener and skip the dryer sheet. If I use epsom salts in my detergent do you think I can skip the vinegar idea? (I have very hard water and have an HE wash machine)
For static cling I’ve read about using foil balls in the dryer.
Hi there- Just saw your DIY Fabric softner and was wondering – What happens to all the salt that is in the dryer- does it melt or what happens to it? Thank you
There should be no salt left on your clothes. The salt softens your clothes and is rinsed out in the final rinse.
not to worried about softness but it would really interest me to know what this recipe does for static cling. gads i hate getting zapped!!!
I haven’t had too much static cling..but I don’t think this recipe takes all of it out 100%.
I’m slowly starting to convert to natural laundry care as well as other natural products for cleaning. So far I love using vinegar as my fabric softener of choice as I feel it does help reduce static and remove any extra residue my commercial detergent (since I have yet to find something that cleans thoroughly and not fade/leave holes in my clothes). But I love, and do mean LOVE Downy Unstoppables. I was wondering if I could use this recipe in place of downy more as a scent booster than a softner? Will the Epsom salt and vinegar combo cancel each other out as a softner (like recipes that call for a vinegar and baking soda mixture as a softner)? And then one last question since I have only smelled essential oils and not used them. I love the smell of this beard balm and the essential oils in it are juniper, lavender, rosemary and bergamot; should I be concerned with this combo or is it a safe mix?
Thanks so much for this recipe! I tried it this weekend and I LOVE it! I wrote about it here (and gave you credit): http://modern-simplicity.com/2014/01/fresh-laundry.html. Thanks so much for freshening up my laundry!
You spelled lavendEr incorrectly. Also, this is not a fabric softener but a laundry booster. The bentonite clay is a natural mineral from the earth and it absorbs and adsorbs all the pollutants and dirt in your clothes. It is also very healthy to soak in with some Epsom salt for a cheap detox. For fabric softener that whitens and softens clothes, use coffee filters and out them in a baby wipes tub. Pour vinegar and your favorite essential oils in. Use one coffee filter for three loads of clothes at least. It works great in conjunction with homemade laundry soap andEpsom salt/Pyrex crystals.
I think it is both a great fabric softener and booster. Also…. *OUT* them in a baby wipes tub.?. I assume you meant put them in…….
I would think that actual salt (Sodium Chloride) would be a better choice than Epsom salts, which are not actually salts at all. Epsom salts are made from Magnesium Sulfate. I would be interested to hear if anyone has done a comparison between the two.
It is a salt. Magnesium sulfate: Mg+2 SO4-2. Actually it’s a hydrate. It hardens water. Using it as a fabric softener makes little sense. NaCl is a water softener, which is why the commercial product uses it. This recipe is flawed.
I would like to order some of the essential oils from DoTerra but I am not interested in becoming a consultant– can we order through you?
Thanks for your site — it is wonderful
Thank you! Yes, you can order them through me clicking that link! They will change your life!
I began using homemade fabric softener a year ago last Christmas (the version with water, vinegar, baking soda, & essential oils). Some things I have noticed as an improvement:
1. Our towels actually absorb water now when were drying after a shower/bath, and when doing dishes!
2. Clothes feel softer not ‘waxy’!
3. Not so much sneezing in the house (we have our dryer vented in during the winter months), though this might be in addition to added moisture in the air.
4. And the best saved for last… my husband and I along with our 2 children had bumps on the back of our arms, looked like ingrown hairs. Now, we are all ‘bump free’!
Some one mentioned a liquid version. I made a concentrated liquid 8 cups H2O + 4 lb Epsom Salt + 2 tsp of Lavender Oil. Warmed & melted salt in a pan poured into a container added oil close lid & shake. add 1/8 cup per load in the dispenser or downy ball. Works great, even better than my softner from Melaleuca which is all natural that we were using, everything is super soft for more of a scent add more pure essential oil. Thanks
Hi! I Tried your Home Made Fabric Softener Crystal Recipe & LOVE it!! I LOVE that it is SUPER EASY to make! I Followed your Suggestion of Using 20 Drops of Lavendar Oil & 20 Drops of Lime Oil, but I wasn’t too Crazy about the two scents when Combined together & I don’t like them enough to use them seperately. Do you have any Essential Oil Scent or Blended Scent that has a Nice CLEAN Scent to it….something that smells Similar to The Purex Crystals “Fresh Spring Waters” Scent?? That is my FAVORITE SCENT….the Fresh Spring Waters Scent that Purex Offers. Do you have any Scent Available to that scent that smells Similar that you would Recommend Using? Thanks!
I LOVE this fabric softener. It works amazing!! However….. I bought Epsom Salt Technical Grade from a hardware store. Would this be safe to use? I didn’t realize there were different types of Epsom Salt.
Thank you!!
Epsom salt hardens water. Contains magnesium. Recipe is flawed.
Does the Epsom Salt ruin your water pipes?
It is fascinating that Epsom Salt works, since chemically you are making hard water and making soap less effective. The minerals that make water hard usually contain calcium and magnesium. you made water hard by adding epsom salt, which is magnesium sulfate. Calcium and magnesium in water interfere with the cleaning action of soap and detergent. They do this by combining with soap or detergent and forming a scum that does not dissolve in water. Because they react with soap and detergent, they remove the soap and detergent, thereby reducing the effectiveness of these cleaning agents. This could be overcome by adding more soap or detergent. However, the scum that is formed can adhere to what is being washed, making it appear dingy supposedly.
You are absolutely correct. These DIY recipes are promoted to housewives by people who do not understand chemistry. Blind leading the blind.
I believe I bought the wrong thing. On top it says contains essential oils, but I didn’t see until I got home warming oil. This is wrong isn’t it?
I believe I bought the wrong thing. I seen at the top contains essential oils, didn’t realize until I got home it said warming oil. Wrong right?
Also, do you still use fabric softener or does this take the place of it?
Yes, you use essential oils and salt in this recipe. It does take the place of the softener! 🙂
If you are using a homemade laundry soap or any washing product containing soap, not detergent, you do NOT want to use Epsom Salt as it will cause a scum to build up. Epsom Salt is Magnesium Sulfate, not the same as Sodium Chloride (salt) and they can NOT be used interchangeably. Magnesium Sulfate will react with the soap in a way that hardens your water and the resulting scum will build up over time and can cause major damage to your washing machine, pipes, and septic tank (if you have one). You’ll also start to notice the scum on your clothing as they will start to have an almost moldy smell to them. You can however use sea salt or regular table salt without risking a multitude of problems down the road.
Hello Aibhlinn
you’ve noted here that epsom salt is different than plain ordinary Sodium Chloride (salt). Would it be better to use plain ordinary salt instead or would this too cause a negative reaction ?
OR perhaps using Baking Soda instead ?
Purex Crystals aren’t a fabric softener, they’re a fabric enhancer. Meaning they enhance the SMELL of the fabric.
In order to make the softener crystals, can I use scented Epsom salt with having to buy/add the essential oils?
Yes! In fact you could probably have it be non-scented if you wanted to as well which would save even more money. The salts alone would soften your clothes.
Oh wow! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to try this!
I guess its still messing with my head……….. seems to if its meant to soften clothes & leave nice scent that it should go into the rinse cycle ????????????
Has anyone ever tried putting it into the rinse ?
Also I’m wondering if using baking soda (cheaper) would be less expensive (here in Ontario Canada Epsom salts are nowhere near that cheap ? Since baking soda also softens water & clothes
I had this same thought. I’ve seen these laundry softener crystal recipes all over pinterest and their all using epsom salt, but epsom is magnesium sulfate and magnesium and calcium are the main contributors to hard water. Im going to try it with rock salt or ice cream salt.
How about using water softener salt–the kind that looks like rock salt? A 40 lb. bag is usually less than $6.00.
Regular salt (sodium chloride) is cheaper and should work better since it’s a water softener. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate which is actually a water hardener. Baking soda is a great laundry softener, I use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda in a downy ball. Just don’t add the vinegar to the baking soda to quickly cause it foams like crazy.
I agree with This Poster…I SO WISH More people would READ ALL the posts before actually making this as they will INDEED be spinning their wheels in the Long Run. In the SHORT RUN, they MIGHT think they are getting softer, nicer smelling clothes…but the reality is that in just a few cycles of doing this…they will start to SEE THE REALITY that they just DEACTIVATED Their Soap…and will actually end up getting Dingy Clothes with an OFF Smell to them…Whoever started this TREND On Twitter and Other sites, did NOT do the needed chemical make up homework. Science is a strong back ground for me and I will totally be agreeing with a few of the posts here that state that Magnesium sulfate IS a water Hardener…When a person does a load, using this Epsom salt mix with essential oils…it is actually the essential oils themselves that may Temporarily give the illusion of fragrance and or softness/freshness to the load…but once ALL the actual clothing has been washed a few times this way, they should begin to notice that OVERALL something has changed, and that the clothes will begin to start getting that OFF SMELL to it, and the clothes will actually begin to get a roughness to them…very opposite of the intentions wanted. This, in the long run, can actually begin a breading ground for Nasty Mold and or Other unwelcome guests as they will of DEACTIVATE their Soap by using the Epsom salts…You would of just changed your Water going from a nice soft water to a Hard water. Ya…I wish people would do the homework before just jumping in on ANY new bandwagon idea. They would save themselves allot of heartache and get discouraged down the road. Ok, that’s MY 2 CENTS Worth today 🙂
They neutralize each other. Produce carbon dioxide, water, and sodium acetate. So what’s the point of doing that?
Troll
So, I am intrigued and want to try this. I’ve been using vinegar in place of fabric softener, and while it helps with odor, sometimes the vinegar smell itself is overpowering.
My question is: How much of this do you use and when do you add it?
Use 1-2 tablespoons when you add your detergent in at the beginning of your wash!
When I make this recipe up I add it to 8 cups of water and boil until the salt is dissolved! It works great with the soft water . I only use about 1/4 of a cup, or what ever amount goes in to a downy ball.
Interesting…when Purex Crystals first came out I read the ingredients and the first one listed was sugar…now you say (I believe you, just haven’t looked) that the main ingredient is salt. Wonder why?
Hey there, I have one question about mixing these in with homemade laundry detergent. The laundry soap recipe I’m using (I’m not sure if yours is the same – zote, washing soda, borax, baking soda) makes a lot and needs to be stored in a tub. The issue I’m running into is that essential oils are not supposed to be stored in plastic because it could cause the chemicals to leech out into whatever you’ve made. So, what do you store your laundry soap/ softener mixture in?
I usually mix it up in the tub and then store it in the glass jar like this. It is easy access and stores it nicely. I also really love the jar!
Oh! I forgot OxiClean. And I looked, our recipes are basically the same. 🙂
Do you think instead of oils could you use lemon juice?
I think for this recipe the essential oils would give off the wonderful smells where the lemon juice I think wouldn’t hold over time.
CAN I MAKE LAUNDRY LIQUID DETERGENT WITH FABRIC SOFTENER IN 1… I MEAN LIKE 2 IN 1?
I know you can make dry fels naptha laundry detergent homemade with crystals but not sure about adding them to the liquid recipe.
I noticed in the original softener crystal ingredients, one was bentonite. I use bentonite clay in a lot of different recipes. Would you think about adding some to your recipe and blending the ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix? If so, maybe you could post another recipe? Or do you like us to post them in the comments?
I will have to look into betonite clay. Thanks!
i have a dorm-size washing machine that uses 3 tbsp liquid detergent for a load. how much epsom salt would be the equivalent ratio downsized from a full load machine?
I am not sure exactly. I would try out 1 teaspoon and then go from there. Good luck!
So Excited to see someone post about a liquid version. I’m going to try it out. I have heard the scent is washed out when the dry version is put in at the same time of your detergent. I use concentrated versions to save time making up batches. 4lb bag Epsom Salt + 8 cups H2O + 2tsp Now Pure Lavender Oil use 1/8 cup per load in dispenser or downy ball. 😉
Can I use my favorite perfume instead of essential oils, for the fragrance
Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride is table salt. Just FYI.
I don’t know if magnesium sulfate hardens or softens water but if you are wanting to copy the purex crystals just some coarse salt would be a better choice.
I use ice cream salt with essential oils………love it………………
Epsom salt is not salt at all, it’s magnesium chloride, which makes water harder. Your detergent won’t work as well in hard water. Do not use epsom salts in your laundry.
Hello! Just whipped up my batch. I am going to add some to my homemade powder laundry soap. The recipe I used to make my DIY laundry soap called for only 1 cup each of Borax and Washing Soda, and one bar Fels Naphtha. So how much of this DIY Fabric Softener should I add to my laundry detergent? One cup..? Certainly not all four cups 🙂 Thanks!
I use this all the time to fragrance my laundry. BUT you can’t call this fabric softener. Epson salt is a water hardener.
Also, I would not use bentonite clay if you have a septic system. It is used to settle particles out of wine and that means it will lie on the bottom of your septic tank and eventually have to be pumped out.
Can you add the Epsom salt to the detergent recipe?
Hi Karrie, little late to the green party on fabric softener! I always hand wash with laender castile, is this Epson salts safe for a gray water hole? IE no running water, we use the lake and some buckets… I really need a softener so tried of prickly towels!
I know this is a hard question, but would take a guess on what essential oils I should use to actually replicate the “well Being” crystalls from Purex? Is there a oil combination you can recommend?
Hmmm… I’m not sure, anyone else out there have any ideas?
Hi, Karrie,
One of the reasons your fabric softener crystals didn’t smell as strong when you took your clothes out of the dryer is because heat lessens the smell of essential oils. I would suggest not putting any oils at all in the Epsom salts; just use as is. However, once your clothes are dry, add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice onto a clean, dry washrag and run your clothes on air dry or low for about 5-10 minutes. Problem solved! That’s what I do (my favorite scent is orange/grapefruit/lemon for towels and sheets in the summer; in the fall, I like clove/cinnamon/orange).
Darn, I meant to also suggest using Kosher salt rather than Epsom salt. Sorry.
I just wanted to throw this out there for those wanting your clothes even softer…you can actually take a decent size square of aluminum foil and throw that in the dryer with your wet clothes to add softness and eliminate static cling!
I forgot to add that you need to ball up the piece of foil…sorry!