A cleaning fan has hailed a natural alternative for making her clothes feel soft and fresh, without the need for any commercial cleaners and harsh chemicals. Carolina McCauley shared her top pick with her followers on social media, opting for a highly-touted ingredient you probably already have in your kitchen.
Carolina explained that using commercial fabric softener runs the risk of building up in your washing machine, ultimately leading to damaged clothes. However, if you swap it for one natural kitchen staple, you’ll get fluffy and soft results without the need for any harsh chemicals. In a recent TikTok video, Carolina revealed she swaps out traditional fabric softener for white vinegar.
How to use white vinegar as fabric softener
Carolina explained that she avoids traditional fabric softeners in favour of white vinegar in fear of damaging delicate clothes.
When it comes to washing your clothes, simply run your regular cycle and swap out the fabric softener for half a cup of white vinegar instead.
The cleaning fan promises your clothes will be “soft and fresh” by the end of its cycle.
White vinegar can be used as natural fabric softener as it can help to break down any detergent residue, mineral deposits, or any ‘body soil’ such as sweat, body oils, and dead skin cells. These can make clothes feel stiff and scratchy.
By adding vinegar to the washing machine dispenser, it can work to break down all of the things that can make clothes uncomfortable.
Other benefits to using vinegar for laundry include its ability to brighten and white clothes, banish unwanted mildew smells, as well as unwanted sweat or strong odours. It can even prevent pet hair and lint from clinging to clothes.
However, if the vinegar isn’t used properly or used too much, it can cause damage to fabric, or lead to corrosion in the washing machine.
Regular or excessive use of vinegar in the washing machine can cause the rubber parts and the seals of washing machines to degrade.
Jennifer Kaminshi, from Affresh appliance care, told Better Homes & Gardens: “White vinegar is an acid that can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your washing machine, leading to costly damage.”
Better Homes & Gardens also warned that white vinegar shouldn’t be used all the time with various different washes. Namely, you shouldn’t be using vinegar with chlorine bleach or any products that contain chlorine bleach.
It explained that when these two products are mixed, they create a chemical reaction that produces dangerous fumes. White vinegar may not be suitable for all types of fabrics, such as anything with elastic in it.
White vinegar’s acidity will actually break down elastic in clothes like gym wear, making it lose its ability to stretch.