How to Make a No Salt Water Softener

A no salt water softener can be easily made by combining borax and washing soda with water. This water softener can be used in place of liquid or mechanical softeners and is especially inexpensive to make. Hard water can cause clothes to fade and come out of the dryer stiffer than usual. This recipe makes one gallon of no salt water softener that can be added to a normal load of laundry.

Things You'll Need

• Milk jug
• Dish soap
• Permanent marker
• Borax
• Washing soda
• Dowel

Instructions

1. Rinse out a one gallon milk jug with water several times. Add a small amount of mild dish soap and fill halfway with water. Place the cap on the jug and swirl the soapy water around to cover every portion of the jug. Continue until the milk and soap smell is completely gone.

2. Use a permanent marker to label the jug as no salt water softener, and eliminate any possible confusion about the contents and prevent accidental ingestion. Remove any tags or previous labels that identify the jug as milk.

3. Add a quarter pound of borax and one half pound of washing soda to the jug. Fill it up the rest of the way with warm water, and then mix thoroughly using a thin dowel. Stir until the powders are completely dissolved in the water.

4. Add one cup of the no salt water softener to each load of laundry. For especially hard water, add two cups to each load. While using this water softener, reduce the detergent used by half of the regular amount, as too much can contribute to the hardness of the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Borax and washing soda can be purchased at retail stores near the laundry detergent and detergent additives.

• If you own borax and not washing soda, or vice-versa, you can add a small amount of either to the load of laundry to enhance the outcome of the clothes.