Evidence for safety of vinegar on fabric?

Loadsabob

Hello all...

Now, I am a convert to vinegar, and I've been happily using it as fabric softener for the last month or so. But my boyfriend is very vary. And about the Essential oils I use with it, too.

His point, and I understand it, is that he doesn't have a great deal to spend on clothes, and he's just bought a bit of clothing to be going on with, and if it gets ruined, he can't really afford to replace it.

His worst case scenario is oil marks from the EO's and disintegration from the vinegar. I only use about five drops of EO, and a teaspoonful or two of the white vinegar per full load.

His point, and it's a fair one, is that not everything natural is by definition not dangerous (forgive the double negative!). And I agree, we are talking about acid here.

BUT, short of using vinegar on my clothes for 20 years and then showing him the results, is there any evidence I can point him to? Anecdotes? Heaven KNOWS what's in some fabric softeners anyway...Did our Grannies use vinegar to soften the wash?

Anyway, I'd appreciate your help winning him over. He's a very alternative guy, and not at all stuck in the mud. He's just being very cautious on this, and he's fully prepared to do all of his washing separately so that I can carry on using vinegar on mine and he'll go without softener, which would be a terrible shame, really.

Queenie

I don't use neat vinegar or EO in my wash anyway - I have a bottle of water, vinegar and EO mix in the utility room and use a capful just as other use a fabric conditioner.

Loadsabob

Queenie wrote:

I don't use neat vinegar or EO in my wash anyway - I have a bottle of water, vinegar and EO mix in the utility room and use a capful just as other use a fabric conditioner.

Thanks Queenie - do you know what quanities / ratios you use? Do you find the softness and fragrance enough for your washloads? I think perhaps a diluted solution might make him feel a little happier!!

Mado

I would say any small quantity of vinegar would be fairly diluted by the time it reaches the washing machine.
And as for the acidity of vinegar... well yes, but it is known as a weak acid. Otherwise we probably could not consumme it.
Also soap/washing powder is alkaline (pH =10-11, water neutral at 7, vinegar about 4)... so all in all even in the rinse it should neutralise it!!

Lillibet_2

I've been using both for about 5 eyars, I have clothes that old which haven't rotted or shown any signs of oil stains yet, send BF round to inspect them if you like:D
I use a splash of vinegar in the fabric softner compartment & a couple of drops of essential oil in the the powder if required (not everytime though, I just don't see the point!) The water to vinegar/oil ratio is so huge that I seriously don't think there is any chance of damage.

Not very factual I know but based on experience, HTH;)

squeaky

Indeed. There's not much point in diluting one tbsp of vinegar with one tbsp of water if you're then going to chuck it into five GALLONS in the drum

( or however much water they use these days)

Queenie

Loadsabob wrote:

Thanks Queenie - do you know what quanities / ratios you use? Do you find the softness and fragrance enough for your washloads? I think perhaps a diluted solution might make him feel a little happier!!

The solution is half and half with several splodges of EO (haven't counted them )

Yes, I find the softness and fragrance is fine, but then I also have a spray bottle of "lavender" water which I use when ironing too LOL

There's not much point in diluting one tbsp of vinegar with one tbsp of water if you're then going to chuck it into five GALLONS in the drum

The reverse would also be true ... one extra Tbsp of water added to the vinegar won't do any harm either

To clarify: when I buy vinegar ....

~ I make a bathroom cleaner solution and that goes into one spray bottle and sits on my bathroom shelf.
~ I make my "softener" solution (half and half then add EO) and keep that in my utility room.
~ I make up my window cleaning solution and I keep that in a spray bottle under the kitchen sink

and so on.

So, in the case of the laundry softener, I can grab one bottle of solution, quick shake, one capful, put it way again; move on to the next job. I don't have to uncap/recap two different bottles each time I do the laundry (one of vinegar, one with EO) because I've already prepared ahead. Call it a "Time and Motion" thing

Chipps

Hi, I do the same as Mado - just a splash or so into the dispenser. None of our clothes have rotted in the time I have done this, nor has vinegar stained anything - and I usually use ordinary brown malt vinegar. (I did start using white, but it was dearer & harder to come by so tried brown & have continued to use it.)
I dont use essential oils, but that does sound like a good idea, so might give it a go.

Loadsabob

Thank you for all your responses.

Chipps - I find it hard to get white vinegar, so I may try the brown! The white smells just as pongy from what I can tell anyway!!

Queenie - thank you for the ratios! And I'm impressed by your organisation with the vinegar!!

Lillibet, I will extend the offer to my bf!! Five years experience is quite a good record to be able to cite to him, thank you.

Mado - yes, I would use the same logic!

Perhaps I WILL win him over...?!