Vinegar is one of the most frugal fabric softeners around. It helps to remove leftover detergent and softens your clothing as it does so. While lavender is known for its tick-repelling properties and sweet scent, try infusing your vinegar with a variety of your favorite flowers, herbs and citrus zest to brighten up your laundry routine.
Ingredients: For 6 Loads of Laundry
- ⅔ cup (24 g) dried lavender flowers
- 1½ cups (375 ml) white vinegar
Combine the lavender flowers and white vinegar in a pint (500-ml) jar. Cap with a nonmetallic lid and let steep for 1 to 2 weeks, out of direct sunlight. If you have only metal lids, place a few sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper between the jar and lid, to prevent
corrosion from the vinegar.
Strain the finished vinegar. It will have turned a pretty shade of pink at this point and carry the faint scent of lavender. If you’d like
a stronger oral smell, fill a new jar with a fresh supply of dried lavender flowers and pour the freshly strained vinegar on top. Repeat the infusion process for another 1 to 2 weeks, then strain again.
To use, add around ¼ cup (60 ml) to the fabric softener dispenser on your machine or use a dispenser ball, available in the laundry
section of your local supermarket. You may find that you need up to ½ cup (120 ml) if you have hard water.
You can obviously choose other herbs or flower which smell you like most and try instead of lavender.
