Natural Alternative to Dryer Sheets & Laundry Softener

Last year, I heard a rumor that you could use white vinegar in place of dryer sheets or laundry softener. But I'd just replaced my Bounce Dryer Bar and it was, as usual, working great. Still, I thought, it would be nice to have an all natural alternative - even if I only used it in a pinch.

So last week, dryer bar now empty, I gave it a whirl.

How to Use Vinegar Instead of a Dyer Sheet or Clothes Softener

1. Fill the washing machine with clothes and add laundry detergent.

2. Measure 1/4 cup of white vinegar; pour the vinegar in the dispenser of the washing machine.

3. Wash and dry as usual.


It worked! the clothes were completely static free and didn't smell the least bit like vinegar. (That last part is very important in my household, because my husband loathes the smell of vinegar!)

Then I wondered: What if you don't have a washing machine with a dispenser that releases liquid toward the end of the cycle? What if you put the vinegar directly into the washing machine, along with the clothes and detergent? So I ran another load, pouring the vinegar over the clothes just before starting the machine. This, too, worked.

Vinegar is also a great natural fabric softener, so clothes I hung dry were not stiff at all.

Next I wanted to know if using vinegar was more frugal than Bounce Dryer Bars. My local Wal-Mart carries four month dryer bars for $6.77. (You may be able to purchase bars that last up to 6 months.) I find the four month bar actually lasts me about five months - possibly because I hang some of our clothes to dry. Anyway, each dryer load costs .21 cents in Bounce Dryer Bar.

In my town, one gallon of Wal-Mart brand white vinegar is $2.82 - which means it costs just .04 cents per load to use.

So there's a definite savings here, assuming you can get a good deal on white vinegar - plus I like that vinegar is all natural and doesn't contain smelly perfumes. Try it!