How To Make A Scented Vinegar Fabric Softener Rinse

I know that vinegar makes a wonderful fabric softener, so I began to think about how I could make a scented homemade laundry rinse.  I decided to use fresh mint leaves, and I’m pleased to report that I’ve been using my mint-scented vinegar in my laundry ever since!

I love that I can have soft clothes using an all-natural product, rather than a commercial fabric softener. Here’s how you can make your own!

Scented Vinegar Laundry Rinse

You’ll need:

• 1 gallon white vinegar
• A big handful of fresh mint leaves
• A large bottle or container with a lid
• Strainer

1. Place the mint leaves inside the your container, and pour the vinegar over the top.
2. Place the lid on the container, and let it the mint leaves “steep” for 24 hours.
3. Next, pull the mint leaves out of the vinegar, or use a sieve to strain them out.
4. Then pour your fragrant mint-scented vinegar into the storage container of your choice.

Using Your Laundry Rinse

Add 1/4 cup of your scented vinegar to your washing machine’s fabric softener dispenser. The vinegar will be dispensed during the rinse cycle, which will leave your clothes feeling soft and smelling great!

Other Variations

If you’re not a big fan of fresh mint, there are plenty of other fresh herbs you could use instead. I think that fresh thyme, rosemary, and basil would all be equally wonderful choices for making a scented vinegar rinse. Whatever herb you end up choosing, just make sure to use fresh, not dried!

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5 Diffuser Blend Recipes Using Your Premium Starter Kit Oils

 

Diffusing essential oils is one of my favorite ways to use them in our home every day. I reach for different oils depending on what’s going on in our lives. We diffuse in our kitchen to get rid of strong food odors. We diffuse at night to relax before bed. Our whole family loves trying new essential oils and finding combinations that make us feel wonderful and make our home smell amazing!

I hope these 5 starter kit diffuser recipes will inspire you to try your own combinations.

Lemon and Peppermint

This combination of is perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. The bright fragrance is uplifting and energizing. I love this to give me a boost to get through those long hours after school and before dinner.

Lavender and Copaiba

I love this recipe for easing tension. If I’m a little stressed from the hustle and bustle of the day I diffuse floral Lavender and earthy Copaiba to give me some peace and dissolve all my cares away.

Frankincense and Lemon

Diffusing these two oils creates such an atmosphere of quiet reflections. The woodsy, warm, fresh aroma is an excellent choice for times of prayer, quiet, or meditation.

Purification and Lemon

Sometimes things just stink. That’s the way it is in my house anyway. When we need to eliminate odors and freshen the air we diffuse this combination. It has definitely helped us many times after a big gathering of teenage athletes or a dinner gone way wrong.

Stress Away and Lavender

For soothing and relaxing, my family’s #1 choice is this combination of Stress Away and Lavender. The vanilla and cedarwood in the Stress Away blend along with the classic, herbal peacefulness of Lavender are perfect for bedtime. Diffusing this before bed is a great way to wind down after a long day.

Get started diffusing essential oils today right from your Premium Starter Kit!

This Old House

When we lived in Indiana we owned this house.  A 1913 farmhouse that the previous owners had bought for a $1.00 and moved to this location. A 2.5 acre plot of land that butted up against a creek and row of beautiful mature trees. It needed TLC but we loved it as soon as we saw it and placed an offer right away.   It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and in the winter had such bad drafts/insulation that we had to install a space heater with a auto on timer in the bathroom so when we woke up in the morning we could pee without freezing. lol. Ah, old houses….pretty on the outside, full of mischief on the inside…..

In the seven years we lived there we did A LOT of renovations. Basement, bathrooms, gardens, and my favorite renovation, the kitchen.  I am very lucky my husband is DIY and knows a lot of trades. We were able to do all the renovations ourselves over the years and the kitchen was no exception. We didn’t have the money to spend on a complete kitchen remodel and I didn’t want to take away from the history of the kitchen.  So what to do?  The cabinets were solid hardwood and didn’t need torn down, just updated and made more functional. So we decided to replace the cabinet doors. We measured all our cabinets and I found a great place online to order them.  We shaved the top cabinets up to give us more counter space height.  On the drawers, we put in rollers so the drawers were easier to open and close. We installed a microwave over the stove. These little changes gave the kitchen more function and space.

The BEFORE photo. Quaint, but not my style.

Here is another angle of the old kitchen

Notice the lack of counter space?

 

 

When the cabinet doors came we painted them a cream white and installed new door handles that we found at Lowes.  We splurged on black granite for the countertops and installed a beautiful tin like backsplash that gave the kitchen an updated historical look. We also installed trim on the top and bottom of the cabinets and gave everything a fresh coat of paint.  A new sink and faucet completed the fresh look. The whole renovation cost less than $4000.

This was the result:

Fresh Looking

 

I loved the cabinet handles and backsplash – gave it the historical touches it needed

 

And this pot rack – I miss it. Our current home does not have one and now that I see it again I am thinking how can I install one in our current kitchen? lol.

Finally got the microwave OFF the counter and above the stove!

 

When we moved to Florida I wanted NEW. No projects, no drafty cold bathrooms.  So we built a new house.  I love it, and of course love that we don’t have fix or rehab something every other week. But this old house will forever hold a special place in my heart. Old houses just have SOUL to them. And it was our first house we owned together.

What has been your favorite home remodel?