Can You Mix Different Fabric Softeners? (+Things to consider)

Fabric softener gives your clothes a fresh scent while keeping them soft and comfortable. There are so many brands and fragrances to choose from, so you might be curious as to whether you can mix them or not. 

You can mix different fabric softeners. Since the main ingredients in most fabric softeners are similar, combining them is usually not an issue. However, note that if you mix too much, you may cause your clothes to become oily or stained. Therefore, always ensure you measure the mix correctly.

This article will go into more detail about fabric softener and what you can mix with it. It’ll also discuss whether mixing fabric softeners with detergent is appropriate or not.

So be sure to keep reading to learn more!

Mixing Different Fabric Softeners: A Complete Guide

Is It Safe To Mix Different Fabric Softeners?

It’s perfectly safe to mix different fabric softeners. Most fabric softeners work the same way, so combining them won’t cause any danger. Fabric softeners can also benefit people with sensitive skin since they make clothes softer. 

It’s always important to know how to mix different chemicals safely. Luckily, the chemicals in fabric softeners aren’t dangerous unless you ingest them. 

However, they can also cause eye and mouth irritation, so make sure you wash your hands after mixing.

To safely mix fabric softeners, pour them into the correct dispenser drawer in your washing machine. If your washing machine doesn’t have a dispenser drawer for fabric softener, you can apply them together before the rinse cycle.

What Happens if You Mix Fabric Softeners?

Mixing different fabric softeners has the same effect as using only one. The main difference is that the scent will differ since you’re combining different aromas. If you mix too much product, your clothes may become oily or stained, so make sure you’re measuring the mix correctly.

If you usually use one capful of softener per wash, then use half a capful of both fabric softeners for the correct mixture. If you mix the fabric softeners incorrectly and use too much of the products, you may notice an oily residue or stains on your fabrics. 

So, once you measure the mixture correctly and use scents that go well together, nothing bad should happen to your clothes!

Can You Mix Fabric Softener and Vinegar?

You can mix fabric softener and vinegar, white vinegar in particular. Mixing fabric softener with vinegar will give you fresh, nicely-scented clothes. The vinegar also keeps the washing machine fresh and clean. You can mix vinegar and fabric softener in a ratio of 1:4 for the best results.

Although you can certainly mix fabric softener and white vinegar, you shouldn’t do it often. That’s because vinegar can damage your washing machine if you use it too frequently. 

The vinegar may eventually damage the rubber in the machine, which can cause a leak. However, a leak can only occur if you frequently use vinegar in your washing machine. Using it from time to time shouldn’t do much harm.

I wrote an article on mixing vinegar and laundry detergent that may interest you as well.

You Can Use Vinegar as a Fabric Softener

Not only can you mix fabric softener and vinegar, but you can even use vinegar on its own from time to time.

Vinegar works as a less harsh fabric softener and is often used to clean and soften things beyond just clothing and fabrics. It makes clothes soft and fresh and should be used during the rinse cycle, much like a fabric softener.

Reasons for using vinegar as a fabric softener:

• Vinegar is affordable.
• It doesn’t cause stains or leave an oily residue, whereas fabric softener does if you use too much of it.
• Vinegar helps remove stains.
• It keeps clothes soft and fresh.

So, you can indeed mix vinegar with fabric softener, and it can even be used entirely by itself. If you want to mix vinegar with a mixture of different fabric softeners, you can, too. Just be wary that using vinegar with fabric softeners excessively can damage your washing machine.

Here’s an article I wrote on mixing vinegar with detergent.

Can You Mix Fabric Softener and Laundry Sanitizer?

You can mix fabric softener and laundry sanitizer, but it’s not a great idea; mixing them will hinder the sanitizer’s effectiveness. Since laundry sanitizer’s primary use is to kill bacteria, adding fabric softener will only get in the way. 

Can You Replace Fabric Softener With Laundry Sanitizer?

You can’t replace fabric softener with laundry sanitizer because laundry sanitizer doesn’t work as a replacement for fabric softener. Although you must place sanitizer in the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine, it doesn’t replace the fabric softener.

But if you want to use laundry sanitizer to kill bacteria with fabric softeners to soften your clothes, go ahead.

Can You Mix Fabric Softener and Hair Conditioner?

You shouldn’t mix fabric softener and hair conditioner. You can, however, make a DIY fabric softener using water, vinegar, and hair conditioner. Since a hair conditioner works by softening and detangling hair, it can also work well as a fabric softener.

How To Use Hair Conditioner as a Fabric Softener

Doing Laundry with Shampoo and Conditioner #shorts

Making a DIY fabric softener using vinegar, water, and a hair conditioner is easy. Here are the steps on how to do it:

1. Mix one part hair conditioner with three parts water.
2. Add in one part white vinegar.
3. Start using the hair conditioner as a fabric softener.

Can You Mix Fabric Softener and Laundry Detergent?

You shouldn’t mix fabric softener and laundry detergent because they’re used for different things. Detergent is used for cleaning, whereas softener is used for softening clothes. They don’t work well together, so you should never mix them. They need to be used during different parts of the cycle.

You should use laundry detergent during the wash cycle and a fabric softener during the rinse cycle. If you used fabric softener during the wash cycle, it wouldn’t work as well and would get washed away.

More on mixing fabric softener and detergent here.

Conclusion

Since most fabric softeners have the same primary ingredients, you can mix them to create a new scent.

If you decide to mix fabric softeners, remember:

• Mix them in the fabric softener dispenser only. If your machine doesn’t have a softener dispenser, apply the mix once the rinse cycle starts.
• Mix the correct amount; you don’t want any oily residue on your clothes.
• Use aromas that you know will smell pleasant together.
• Add some white vinegar for extra freshness.

I have also written a complete guide on everything you can mix with laundry detergent that may interest you to read next.