DIY: Make Your Own Febreze-like Fabric Spray for Pennies

Although I am rather a connoisseur of scents in all forms: incense, essential and perfume oils, room sprays, and the like, until recently I have been rather perplexed by the hype over Febreze fabric spray. I likewise have never payed particular attention to laundry products, usually going for the $2.99 -zillion-ounce-drum store brand to offset the outlandish cost of my landlords’ pay machines, and the other tenants’ help-yourself-washing-room-communalism.

And what’s this thing called fabric softener? Do I mingle in delirium with the charmed, gossamer-winged denizens of the fairy nation, dancing dazzling jigs on delicate dew-laden petals of buttercream colored snapdragons? No, fabric softener and its mysteries were the stuff of fantasy.

Having recently moved into a house with my own washer and dryer, I have begun delving into the world of higher quality laundry products, with pleasing results all around: Tide, Cheer, Gain. Behold: I even use fabric softener now. Unfortunately, no fay folk have been spotted.

However, I have discovered fabric softener can do far more than lend your clothes a more pleasing texture and fresh scent. It can be used to make a Febreze-like fabric freshener. I finally smelled that ubiquitous, highly touted household product in person, and realized it had a similar smell and lingering scent like fabric softener does. My long-established DIY sensibilities translated that into a no-brainer. In just a few seconds, I had a bottle full of fabric freshening spray that beat the pants off the name brand.

Supplies

Empty, clean spray bottle

Fabric softener

Tap water

Sharpie

Directions

Pour 1 -2 ounces of liquid fabric softener into a clean spray bottle. Fill the bottle up with tap water. Label the bottle “Fabric Softener” with a Sharpie in large, bold letters, so there’s no mistaking it for something else. That’s it.

Notes

Be certain the spray bottle you use is completely empty, clean, and free from any other cleaners or chemicals. If there is a question of lingering chemicals or any other concerns, it may be best to use a brand new spray bottle. These can be found very inexpensively at the Dollar Store, and they last a long time.

I recommend the ‘better’ fabric softeners. The store brand softeners may soften your clothes, but they just don’t have as strong, a pleasant scent as some of the others. The scent is the whole point of the fabric spray, so choose your fabric softener based on that criteria. The best I have tried are Ultra Gain Fabric Softener, and the Snuggle Exhilarations in White Lavender Sandalwood Twist. While these fabric softeners may cost a bit more than others, you are getting double (and then some) duty out of them, since they are working both as your fabric softener, and your fabric spray replacement.

If you like a very light scent, start by mixing just �½ ounce of fabric softener into the bottle. Fill it as usual with water, but leave a couple inches of water at the top for adjustments. Spray the bottle in the air to smell, and adjust the strength by adding more fabric softener (or water) as desired.

Uses

You can use the DIY fabric spray just as you would use Febreze. Although homemade fabric spray does not contain the chemical cyclodextrin, which does not just mask odor, but entraps compounds that cause odor, it really works well, with similar surface results. It can be used to freshen bedding, shower curtains, area rugs, clothing in closets and drawers, car seats, and just a couple squirts in the air makes a long lasting air-freshener that smells just like clean laundry. It leaves a fresh, noticeable, but decidedly non-perfumey scent that far outdoes standard aerosol air fresheners.