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!
Homemade DIY Fabric Softener Crystals
Like Purex, but much less expensive.Print Pin RateServings: 4 cupsInstructions
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.
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
michelle says
can i use warming oil instead or not thanks
Cindy Laidlaw says
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?
Megan says
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!
Jessica says
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!
Dona says
they have them at the dollar store
Jessica kiefer says
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!
Heather says
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!
Karrie says
Wow, thanks Heather! So glad you like it and are sharing my site with others, you are so nice!
frances ponce says
I went to walmart n walgreen n did;nt find the oils where can I find them
Karrie says
Natural foods stores or you can order online through my doterra site – links are in the post above.
Lisa says
Also at craft stores in candle makeing department or Amazon.com.
lisa says
The Vitamin Shoppe carries them
Heidi says
You can get oils in most health food stores.
Tanya says
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?
Jen C says
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.
cami says
epsom salt is magnesium sulfate not chloride
Frank G says
It hardens water. NaCl softens water.
Kris says
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!
Karrie says
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.
PEGGY KAYE says
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.
April M says
I LOVE this idea!!! Thanks so much for posting a “greener” recipe for our homes. 🙂
Laurel says
I might try this. Right now for softener I put vinegar in the Downy ball. Works better than Downy I think.
Karrie says
I have heard Vinegar is a great softener as well! And it gets that nasty smell out of stinky clothes too.
Maria says
Vinegar works really well on smell. I have used that when washing to get rid of smells.
cindy says
How much epson salt do you put in for your softener to a load of laundry?
Karrie says
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?
Frank G says
It’s not a water softener. It hardens water. It’s a hydrate of magnesium sulfate after all.
Carli says
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?
Karrie says
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.
Lisa says
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.
TrishF says
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
Karrie says
I add mine to the washing detergent dispenser in my HE front loader.
Minky says
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.
Karrie says
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.
Lisa says
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.
Ann Marie Forbes Jones says
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.
Frank G says
Epsom salt hardens water. NaCl softens water.
Heather says
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?
Karrie says
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.
Heather says
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!
Margie says
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.
Frank G says
This makes the water even harder. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate.
stephanie says
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!
Frank G says
It hardens water. Salt in the commercial product is there to soften the water.
Michele says
Do you put this in the detergent spot or the fabric softener spot?
Karrie says
I put this in my detergent spot since it’s all mixed in with my dry laundry detergent. 🙂
Rick says
I make the liquid laundry detergent so I just add it directly in when I add my detergent. This works great!!
Frank says
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!
Katherine Martin says
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.
Laura says
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
Karrie says
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/
Luanne says
Do you put this in in the beginning with clothes and detergent or at the rinse cycle?
Cris says
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!
Angela says
Do you get discounts on the oils?
trish says
You amaze me! I will be trying this!
Denise says
Will this work with already soft water?
Happy.MoneySaver says
It should!
Wanda says
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
Alice says
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.
ursula dutro says
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 .
Debra Whyte says
Have you ever used Vinegar and EO…it’s a good fabric softener combo too….can make re usable dryer sheets with it as well if you prefer sheets….
Gayle says
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. =)
Jeannette says
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
Frank G says
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.
Emily says
Thank you! I was very worried I was misunderstanding the recipe!