Without further ado, let’s get started. To soften up your stiff or scratchy t-shirts, run them through a normal wash cycle as you would, including fabric softener. Place about 3 cups of water in a quart jar, then add about a cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of regular hair conditioner. For instance, you can combine mint oil and a citrus oil, or lavender oil with another floral oil. You can easily soften your linen fabric to make it smooth and silky.Soak the linen cloth in hot water. M.H. Set the bucket aside and soak the laundry for two to three days. To make a scented vinegar, add about 40 drops of essential oils to 1 gallon (3.8 L) of white vinegar. Instead, move on to washing and drying the laundry using the other natural fabric softening methods. You can also use a moisture sensing setting instead, which will automatically stop the dryer when the clothes are dry. Popular essential oils for laundry include lemon, orange, lavender, and mint. Softening Worsted Weight Cotton Dyeing worsted weight cotton yarn can be loads of fun, but before the ball is wound and the hook is in hand, it’s worth the time to take steps to soften the yarn so it is not only beautiful, but a pleasure to work with as well. Step 3 Put the garment in the dryer instead of hanging it to dry. Allow the fabric to soak overnight. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Allow the fabric to soak overnight. Traditional fabric softeners may not work well on linen fabric; plus, they may add a chemical residue or a scent that you don't want. If, for instance, you wear size 30, you can go for a … Washing them intensely (long cycle and high heat) is the method the industry uses. Wash the sheets on a regular cycle with warm water. This article has been viewed 167,607 times. "My weight loss case manager told me I needed to stop using commercial fabric softeners to improve my health. You can even combine multiple methods during the washing and drying cycles to get the softest and most static-free laundry possible. Michael Blann/Digital Vision/Getty Images, Copyright © 2021 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Again, use the recommended amounts as too much will not produce the desired results. Can You Hand Wash Silk That Says Dry Clean Only? Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. A cup of white vinegar can be used in place of commercial fabric softener. Alternatively, place the fabric in a washing machine and add a homemade softening compound made from hair conditioner, apple cider vinegar and water. You can take your fabric softener (make sure you dilute it- 2 parts water to 3 parts softener) and pre-soften your couch or chair by 'painting' it on with a sponge. Add about 40 drops of an essential oil like lavender or mint to 1 gallon of white vinegar. As you work, the Aida will begin to soften and become more supple. Anonymous. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. To help soften stiff material, run it through the washing machine (warm wash/cold rinse), using 1 cup of nonfat dry milk in place of your usual soap. True crinoline is a stiff fabric with a weft of horse-hair and a warp of cotton or linen thread. The fibers just don't have that kind of memory. One of the easiest and most effective ways to soften stiff fabric is to place the dry fabric in a clothes dryer on the "tumble" setting. Then use the clothes dryer to dry. Firstly, you could start working with the fabric "in hand" instead of hooping straight away. White vinegar is a good acidifier for laundering purposes. Products like salt, vinegar, and borax will not strip colors from fabrics, so you can use these methods on white, dark, and colored loads. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Do not use the washing steps on clothes that are marked as dry clean only. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Naturally-Soften-Laundry-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Naturally-Soften-Laundry-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3e\/Naturally-Soften-Laundry-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid3292055-v4-728px-Naturally-Soften-Laundry-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"