How To Make Fabric Softener Crystals

Fabric softener crystals aren’t all that different from other types of fabric softeners. They’re all designed to help soften your clothes and reduce static buildup, and most contain fragrances to make your clothes smell good too. But there are certain advantages to using crystals over the liquid stuff, like the fact that you can use them to make your own powdered laundry detergent. (More on that at the link below!)

I had never really thought to try making a homemade version of fabric softener crystals until a few years back, when the idea was born out of necessity (as most of my ideas are!) At the time I was getting ready to go out of town for a few days, but I happened to notice that we were dangerously low on homemade laundry detergent.

It seemed highly likely that my husband would use “But honey, we were out of detergent!” as a convenient excuse to avoid doing laundry while I was gone, so I figured I’d better make some more before I left. I had all the ingredients I needed on hand… except for fabric softener crystals. I decided to improvise, and ended up creating the same homemade fabric softener crystals I’ll be sharing with you today!

Create A Custom Scent With Essential Oils

One of the best things about making your own fabric softener crystals as opposed to buying them is that the scent is completely customizable! Keep it simple by adding your favorite essential oil, or use two or more oils to make your own signature scent.

For example, I like to use equal amounts of lemon oil and lavender oil in my crystals. The combination of the two is wonderfully bright, fresh, and floral all at once, like a sun-drenched botanical garden. 🙂

Now let’s get to that recipe, shall we?

Here’s what you’ll need:

4 cups Epsom salt OR table salt OR sea salt
40 drops essential oil(s) of choice
Airtight container

Add 4 cups of salt to a large bowl, then add 40 drops of essential oils and stir to mix. Add more essential oils as desired for a stronger scent.

That’s all there is to it! Transfer your finished fabric softener crystals to a large jar with an airtight lid for storage.

This recipe makes enough for about 16 standard loads of laundry, but you can easily make more or less! Just add 10 drops of essential oils per 1 cup of salt used.

How To Use Your Fabric Softener Crystals

Add 1/4 cup of fabric softener crystals per standard load of laundry along with your regular laundry detergent. Use slightly more for large or heavily soiled loads.

BONUS: 4 More Ways To Soften Fabrics!

As I mentioned at the very beginning of this post, there are tons of different fabric softeners out there! I’ve shared all sorts of options here on my blog over the years. Check out the links below for more great ways to keep your clothes soft and static-free!

Do you have a favorite fabric softener type, brand, or method?