Let’s talk laundry. I know a lot of commercial, store-bought detergents and softeners are made with chemicals. So I’ve tried real hard to substitute it all by trying various brands and products, but I’m going to be honest with you. I haven’t found a good detergent swap that works for my family. We like that “clean” commercial scent on our clothes and I haven’t found a non-chemical detergent that leaves our clothes smelling “clean” enough. But in an attempt to improve at least part of the chemicals in my laundry products, I have found a substitute for my fabric softener that’s easy AND affordable. It’s vinegar!
Out of all the laundry products we use, liquid fabric softener and sheets are probably the most toxic, staying on our clothes and coating the fibers, which builds up over time. (See my article on laundry stripping here). Vinegar on the other hand is an all-natural fabric softener and cleaner. It will clean build-up on your clothes as well as in your washing machine. And no need to be concerned about your clothes smelling like vinegar. Any vinegar smell will be rinsed out, leaving your clothes smelling fresh and feeling soft and fluffy. And I buy my vinegar by the gallon from Costco, making it a lot more affordable than commercial fabric softeners.
So give it a try. I think you’ll make the “clean” swap!
Stay healthy!
