How to Get Liquid Fabric Softener to Stretch Further

I love liquid fabric softener.  I especially love the scent of Gain, but there are two things I don't like.  First, it's expensive (even with a coupon).  Second, the way it is manufactured, sometimes it is a little too much scent.  I've found a way to not only decrease the scent while still having soft clothes, but also make it stretch much further.  

I love white vinegar, and I like to use it in my laundry.  It is an excellent fabric softer alone, and while the vinegar doesn't leave a scent, that can sometimes be the problem:  It doesn't have a scent!  However, if you combine both Gain and white vinegar (plus a little water), the problem is solved, and the liquid fabric softener can be stretched to give you more uses.  This decreases the overall cost of buying the liquid fabric softener. For me, I like the fact that it's a frugal alternative while feeling I'm not skimping on something I like. 

Here is what you'll need: 

1 empty bottle (this one is from Purex crystals; I removed the label and washed the inside). 

1 bottle of your fabric fabric softener 

1 cup white vinegar

Enough water to fill the new container.  

Fair warning:  This will be VERY liquid/watery, so it will pour quickly, unlike regular fabric softener which has thickeners, so use caution with pouring or you might get a little more than you wanted!  

 

Start by putting 1 cup of vinegar in your container. 

Add enough liquid fabric softener to fill the container halfway. 

Fill the remainder of the container with water.  Place top firmly on bottle, and shake to combine.  

Use as you normally would, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per wash load.  

I love to use this for towels and other clothes because it leaves a clean, light, fresh scent, and because there is white vinegar in the mixture, it makes towels extra fluffy and soft!  We used to live in Colorado, where the city had very hard water, and I used this.  Guests would say we always had the fluffiest, best-smelling towels, and this is why!