Fabric softener

Loading the laundry into the drum of the washing machine, the hostess usually wants to get perfectly clean, soft and smelling of freshness output. But it happens that the car fooled expectations - the spots were removed, but the sheets and pillowcases were so hard that sleeping on them was extremely unpleasant. To avoid this, you need a fabric softener, and one that performs its functions and smells nice, and does not harm health. Such softeners will be discussed in the article.

to contents ↑

Softener - what is it?

There are very few soft water bodies on our planet. As a rule, certain salts are dissolved in water. Accordingly, what flows from the tap also contains mineral compounds.

The more salts, the more difficult it is to wash both manually and in the car:

• soap is poorly soaped;
• linen becomes tough;
• scale is formed on different elements of the machine, which can disable the unit.

Important! A softener-conditioner is needed in order to avoid such consequences. In modern drum machines, even a separate container in the tray is designed for such tools. A snowflake or flower is drawn on it. At the same time, it is necessary to select a fabric softener individually, because the hardness of water is everywhere different.

to contents ↑

What to be guided by?

There are a lot of industrial means for softening clothes, they are produced by almost all firms engaged in the production of household chemicals. Finding a tool that suits you personally is not easy. Maybe you don’t need to run to the hardware store at all, but you can make an air conditioner from what is at hand.

Important! In general, the problem of stiffness in an apartment can be solved by installing an effective, but not very cheap system, the cost of which will pay off over time. Read all about main water filters.

Many housewives first pay attention to aroma. This approach is not entirely true. Of course, it is nice when the linen smells good, but the fragrance is not the most important component of the softener.

Much more important indicators are:

• compliance of water hardness means;
• environmental friendliness;
• safety for health.

Important! How much the substance is suitable specifically for your region can only be determined experimentally. Not always the most expensive tool will be the best.

But how green the air conditioner can be found by marking. Phosphates, which in large quantities are harmful to health, are added to cheap fabric softeners, like laundry detergents. Especially in combination with the standard components of each household chemical product - surfactant. Often used and synthetic flavors, and various petroleum products. It is better to do without them, buying a product with a certificate of environmental safety guarantee. This can be recognized by the Ecogarantie label.

The advantages of such substances:

• suitable for washing any items, including children’s ones;
• do not cause allergies;
• do not cause skin diseases;
• do not cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract.

In addition, you can choose a product with a natural aroma, or without any smell at all, if you prefer that the linen smell only of freshness.

to contents ↑

Hypoallergenic softeners

In stores you can find several types of laundry softeners, the packaging of which will indicate that they do not cause allergies. For example, from the brand Attitude.

Such air conditioners have a lot of attractive properties:

• any fabric becomes soft;
• the thing looks fresh;
• the softener does not “eat” the color;
• ironing becomes an easy and enjoyable process;
• It does not contain substances that cause allergies - fragrances, GMOs and dyes.

Important! Such funds can be used not only in ordinary urban high-rise buildings, but also in houses with autonomous sewage. Packaging also does not harm the environment, it belongs to the category of completely biodegradable.

Attitude softeners are made either odorless or with a subtle floral aroma. These funds have all international environmental safety certificates.

to contents ↑

Eco-friendly softeners

Such a fabric softener is marked “Eco” or “Bio” on the packaging. These are air conditioners of the brands Ecover, Almawin, Mio and some others.

Their advantages:

• universality;
• suitable for any powder;
• do not contain phosphates, chlorine and surfactants.

Important! Softeners, like hypoallergenic ones, are sold in packages that are completely recyclable. They can be used in homes with autonomous sewage.

Air conditioners with light floral aromas are popular, and the BioMio brand has softeners with cinnamon and eucalyptus odors.

to contents ↑

DIY softener

Hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly emollients have only one drawback - the price. Of course, they are more expensive than those that do not have environmental safety guarantees on the packaging. But you can make a very simple, cheap and environmentally friendly air conditioning yourself.

You will need:

• vinegar (concentration 9%);
• baking soda;
• borax.

Just vinegar

The easiest fabric softener does not even have to do. If you have a standard automatic machine with a maximum load of 5 kg, take 125 g of vinegar and just pour it into the air conditioning compartment.

The advantages of this “air conditioner” are very tangible:

• he softens underwear no worse than a branded product;
• suitable for water of any hardness;
• freshens the fabric;
• does not wash off paint even from molting materials;
• prevents scale formation.

The only minus is that vinegar removes extraneous odors, but it can leave its own. If you don’t like it, just put a fragrance bag in the closet with your linen.

Important! For washing, use transparent food vinegar.

Soda

In this case, you don’t need to cook anything special either. You need to take half a standard glass of soda and pour it into the drum.

Important! Of course, if you have a small machine (say, 3 kg of laundry) or you wash in half load, you will need less soda.

The advantages of such a home remedy for mitigation:

• enhances the action of the powder;
• perfectly softens linen;
• odorless.

Important! Vinegar and soda can be used only in cases where you do not use bleach or powder with bleach, because soda and vinegar are very willing to react with bleaching substances.

Borax

Greatly softens drill fabrics. You can buy it at a pharmacy or a store for gardeners. It is poured into a container not for air conditioning, but for the main wash, along with detergent. Add half a cup of borax to 5 kg of laundry.

Advantages of using borax:

• the effect of the powder is enhanced;
• linen is well washed and softened.

Important! In addition to softening the water during washing, it will not be amiss to occasionally take care of the technique itself. Use the methods suggested in our separate article for this. how to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid.

to contents ↑

The safest softeners

The use of soda and vinegar substances can give an amazing result. You can use them in different ways, adding essential oils or cheap conditioners if desired.

Option 1

In this case, you do not need to mix anything. Just pour 125 ml of vinegar into the tray compartment, half a glass of soda into the drum. The result will surely surprise you. The underwear will be perfectly clean and soft, moreover. a static charge will not appear on it with a guarantee.

Option 2

For this method are needed;

• pan or jar;
• soda;
• vinegar;
• essential oil;
• water.

Vinegar needs a lot - 6 glasses. Soda will need one glass.

How to cook:

1. Pour a glass of soda into the pan.
2. Add a glass of water there.
3. Shuffle.
4. Pour in 6 cups of vinegar.
5. Soda and vinegar enter a chemical reaction - the process is very rapid.
6. Wait for the mixture to stop bubbling.
7. Pour in 6 more glasses of water.
8. Pour in a few drops of essential oil if you want a perfume.
9. Pour the storage softener into a bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
10. If you are going to wash right now, pour some funds into the air conditioning drawer.

Option 3

There is another way to make an air conditioner from soda, vinegar, water and essential oils. The difference with the previous one is only in the proportions:

• 1 cup soda;
• 8 cups of vinegar;
• 0.25 cups of warm water;
• essential oil.

Vinegar must be diluted with water, then a little bit of soda. After the reaction is complete, mix everything, add the essential oil and pour into the bottle for storage. Before use, shake the bottle.

Important! If you find acceptable methods of preparing environmentally friendly laundry detergents and you are ready to devote some time to this process, the following tips will probably come in handy:

• DIY washing gel.
• DIY dishwashing gel.

to contents ↑

Semi-domestic remedies

For the preparation of conditioners, you can also use some perfumes and cosmetics, such as hair conditioner. You can cook a very high-quality product with a minimum of costs - you do not need to buy any additional drugs, use what is at hand. In this case, you probably use an air conditioner that does not cause allergies and smells good.

Option 1

For this fabric softener you need:

• vinegar;
• hair conditioner;
• water;
• pan or jar.

How to cook - features:

• Take water and vinegar in a ratio of 2: 1. For example, 3 cups of water will need 1.5 cups of vinegar.
• As for the air conditioner, it will need three times less than vinegar, that is, in this case - 0.5 cups.
• All this needs to be mixed.
• If desired, you can add a fragrance - a few drops of essential oil.
• During washing, the product is poured into the compartment for the air conditioner.

Option 2

You will need Epsom salt, i.e. magnesium sulfate. You can buy it in a chemical reagent store, sometimes it happens in pharmacies and departments for gardeners and gardeners.

The tool turns out loose.

Important! You can immediately pour Epsom salt into a jar, add a few drops of essential oil and close the lid well.

When washing, lay in the compartment for the air conditioner.

Option 3

An excellent emollient effect is given by ordinary edible salt. The product is prepared in the same way as the previous one, that is, salt is poured into a jar, a few drops of essential oil are added and, during washing, they are poured into the compartment marked with an asterisk.

Option 4

An already prepared product with English or regular salt can become the basis for a liquid product:

1. You need to take 0.5 cups of the finished powder in 1 cup of water, and dissolve.
2. In another saucepan, mix soda and vinegar. Half a cup of Epsom salts with essential oils needs 1 cup of soda and 6 cups of vinegar.
3. Wait until the chemical reaction is complete, then mix the contents of both pans, pour the softener into the jar and close with a tight lid.

to contents ↑

Improving the finished softener

If you do not want to spend money on expensive air conditioning, buy a cheap one and bring it to perfection. For this we need:

• vinegar 9%;
• water;
• cheap fabric softener.

We take all components in equal amounts, pour into a jar or bowl and mix thoroughly.

Important! You can use the product both during washing and when ironing. In the latter case, it is necessary to fill it in a spray bottle.

to contents ↑

Stock footage

In this article, you learned about proven quality softeners and what they are for. We hope you liked our recipes for preparing home air conditioning, you tried them in practice and the result did not disappoint you.