DIY Natural Fabric Softener

I love this super simple but effective softener that you can add directly to the final rinse, or you can put it into your machine’s fabric softener dispenser but a little of the baking soda may get left behind depending on what sort of dispenser you have. It will make your clothes soft to touch, helps remove any harmful toxins in new clothes, is good for the planet and your wallet too.

Natural Fabric Softener

1 cup Green Goddess Premium Baking Soda
1 cup Green goddess Double Strength White Vinegar
1 cup hot water and 1 cup cold

Thoroughly dissolve the baking soda in 1 cup hot water, then add 1 cup cold water and the vinegar (this will foam up a little), stir to combine. Use 1/4 cup per standard wash. Store in a glass jar and shake well before using as it does separate over time.

This recipe won’t behave like a conventional fabric softener (no coating, no scent), but it will help soften laundry, reduce residue, and improve rinse-out in a very gentle, low-tox way.

Here’s how and why it works:

• Baking soda helps soften water, neutralise odours, and reduce detergent residue that can make fabrics feel stiff.

• White vinegar helps break down remaining soap residues and mineral buildup, which is what actually restores softness to towels and clothes.

• Diluting and dissolving first (hot water → cold → vinegar) is key. You’ve done this correctly — it prevents undissolved baking soda sitting in the machine.

A couple of helpful notes (just to keep expectations realistic):

• When baking soda and vinegar combine, they react and neutralise each other. That means this mixture isn’t “active” in the same way once mixed — but it still works by supporting the rinse phase and preventing buildup over time.

• This recipe is best thought of as a rinse aid / residue reducer, not a fabric coating softener (which is a good thing for skin, fibres, and machines).

• It’s especially good for towels, bedding, kids’ clothes, and anyone with sensitive skin.

• Always add it to the fabric softener compartment or final rinse, not with detergent.

If you ever want a slightly simpler option:

• You can also use straight diluted vinegar alone (¼ cup in the rinse) with excellent results.

• Or alternate washes — baking soda in the wash cycle, vinegar in the rinse.

Your storage advice is spot on too:

• Glass jar ✔️

• Shake before use ✔️

• Expect separation ✔️

So yes — this is a safe, effective, genuinely natural alternative that supports cleaner laundry without fragrances, waxy coatings, or endocrine-disrupting chemicals. A very Green Goddess solution 🌿