Earlier today we taught you how to make your own laundry booster with your own personalized smell. Even though it's a great way to add some extra cleaning power to your laundry, we know many might utilize a scented vinegar rinse more often. It's a great way to do away with fabric softener and even easier to make!
What You Need
Materials:
1+ cups Distilled White Vinegar
Essential Oils or Fresh Herbs
Plastic or Glass Container
Strainer (optional)
Instructions
1. Add White Vinegar To Container: This "recipe" for scented vinegar rinse can be made in any amount imaginable. We suggest purchasing the largest container possible (as you'll most likely use it every wash load you have). If you have a cabinet to tuck away the bottle, feel free to use a few cups from it (perhaps cleaning your humidifier) and utilize the same bottle it comes in. If you're laundry area is out on display, a refillable glass bottle with pour spout is a great option (we use a bottle from a brew house in Laramie, Wy!).
2. Add Smelly Things: Like the laundry booster before this, you may use either essential oils or fresh herbs for this mix. To the large gallon size jug of vinegar, you'll want to add 24-40 drops of oil. Before adding to your wash load, make sure to shake your bottle gently to re-mix your solution. If you'd like to use fresh herbs (like we do) then simply bruise or chop a full bunch of herbs. If you use a full plant, it will stay in the bottle as you use the vinegar up, if you chop them, make sure to strain it out and add it back to the bottle (no one wants to find basil in their socks when all is said and done). Try things like lavender, mint, basil, chamomile, thyme — or whatever your favorite smell happens to be!
3. Add To Wash: We use 1/4 cup of white vinegar for every wash load we do. Simply pour it into the fabric softener spot, or add it to a Downy ball for release in older washers (or laundromat use). For strongest smells, allow to sit for at least 24-48 hours, then launder as normal.
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I went to College in Laramie and spent quite a bit of time in Altitudes. Thanks for the tip
What a neat idea! I wonder if rosemary would be a good one to add? I need to prune my rosemary bush, maybe I could kill two birds with one stone.
Fern@ - Rosemary is a good one, just make sure to bruise the leaves before putting them in the bottle!
Will the smell of the herb really kill the smell of the vinegar?
De-pithed orange or lemon peels are very nice for this.
I like infusing fresh basil, lemons,and 5-8 drops of pure orange essential oil in half clear vodka and distilled water 2 tbs white vinegar and let it infuse for 2-5 days. I let it infuse in the fridge and then use it as a room spray and wipe the counter down. Smells delicious!!
I second birdablaze's question--do your clothes come out smelling like vinegar?
Does this work like fabric softener? I've got nasty skin allergy problems, so I've been using the Seventh Generation liquid fabric softener, but it doesn't leave much scent and doesn't help much with static (I live in the desert of eastern WA and have lots of fleece, so static is a concern!)
No. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar even if you use plain vinegar with no added scent. Really. Try it once and you won't go back.
Birdablaze, you don't need to kill the smell of the vinegar with anything, the water in the rinse cycle does that itself. I promise you, it doesn't smell at all.
I've started using vinegar for heaps of stuff around the house - my kitten recently did a wee on my carpet (rented place!) and I sprayed it with cheap-o white vinegar then sprinkled lots of bi-carb on top. The vinegar disinfects wet spot and gets rid of the urine smell, and the bicarb (or talcum powder if you prefer) soaks up all the moisture from both substances. Then you just vacuum it all up.
I started using vinegar as a rinse in my new front-loader recently, but have a question: I know which little compartment the vinegar/softener goes in, but is it OK to put it in right at the beginning, at the same time as the detergent? This is what I've been doing, but it occured to me that maybe I'm meant to put it in when the rinsing starts.
Like others before me commented, the vinegar smell goes away, no worries! The basil however is there to stay!
I just made my own with the zesty of a grapefruit and it smells delicious! I thought that it would be really vinagary smelling but it really is not. I cant wait to try it out.
Question: can I use a fragrance oil instead of an essential oil?
You can Marciebuttercup - though we can't tell you how many drops to use, you'll have to figure that one out. Just make sure to shake before using!
Rosiegreenie: I add the vinegar same time as the detergent and it works just as well - keeps the towels from mildewing and smelling fresh.
I use vinegar instead of a rinse agent in my dishwasher - once the load is finished, there is no vinegar smell at all. Don't worry about the smell.
STH: to deal with static, throw 2-3 balls of foil in your dryer with your clothing. always does the trick for me, and you can keep reusing them!
and as everyone else mentioned, your clothes won't come out smelling like vinegar, promise!
The only problem with using vinegar at the same time as your detergent is that vinegar can lessen the effect of soap. Better to use it in the rinse cycle.
could you just define what white vinegar means for you? does it say anywhere what percent of alcohol does it have? things are a bit different here in europe, last time I followed US pickling recipee there was no way I could eat my pickles after soaking them in "our" vinegar :D
ladara -- white vinegar in the US has no alcohol. It's acetic acid. Usually it is about a 5% solution that sold in stores.
For better information, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
would you be able to use the previously posted baking soda booster along with the vinegar rinse? i vaguely remember baking soda + vinegar = what i made a volcano eruption in elementary school. i have a front loading machine.