Name: Natural Laundry Scent Booster
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 cups kosher salt, Epsom salt or rock salt.; 1 cup baking soda; 50 drops essential oils

Jump to Recipe

Homemade laundry scent booster is all natural, helps remove odors and softens your laundry.

This non-toxic alternative to commercial fragrance boosters is scented with your favorite essential oils.

a glass jar of scent booster for laundry with a cup measure of the mixture in front of it and a pile of blankets and a dryer ball behind it

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.

What You Need To Make natural scent booster for laundry:

supplies

Salt – Epsom salt is the most commonly used salt in homemade scent boosters, but kosher salt and even rock salt (the kind used in making ice cream) work just as well.
Baking Soda – Baking soda is one of my favorite ingredients to use in homemade cleaning supplies. It’s a strong cleaning agent but not harsh or abrasive.
Essential Oils – You can use any of your favorite essential oils in this recipe. Choosing oils that are known for their cleaning benefits makes the scent booster act as a satin remover as well!
Glass Jar – This recipe makes a quart amount of laundry booster. If you double it, you’ll need a half gallon jar.

There is some concern that Epsom salt can potentially cause damage to your washing machine over time if you have hard water. If you’re worried about that at all, go with one of the other types of salt instead.

How To Make natural scent booster for laundry:

Combine – In a mason jar, combine the baking soda and salt. Add 50 drops of essential oils.

Mix – Stir the mixture together until the oils are well dispersed. Seal with a lid and it’s ready to use!

Tips For Success:

To Use – After getting a load into your washer, sprinkle 1/4 cup of laundry scent booster around on top of the dirty laundry. Run the wash cycle as usual. This recipe is enough for 16 loads of laundry.

To Store – Laundry scent booster is good for a couple years so you can make a large batch all at once to save yourself some time. Just make sure it’s sealed well to keep the essential oils from becoming weaker.

Variations – Epsom salt, kosher salt and even the type of salt used for making ice cream are good options for this recipe.

Epsom salt has the potential to cause damage to your washer over time if you have hard water. So it’s safer to use a different one of the salt options if that concerns you.

Substitutions – Any essential oil or combination of oils will work in DIY scent booster. Use your favorite blend or choose from the oil recipes in this post.

a glass jar of scent booster for laundry with a cup measure of the mixture in front of it and a pile of blankets and a dryer ball and essential oil bottles next to it

about This DIY Scent Booster For Laundry:

all natural ingredients

Store-bought laundry products contain artificial fragrances that are can result in various health problems, trigger allergic reactions and cause skin irritation.

Using commercial fragrance boosters in your laundry is harmful for you as well as the people around you since they get into the air we breathe.

Making your own laundry scent booster, you can avoid any synthetic fragrances and toxic chemicals since all of the ingredients are completely natural. Baking soda, salt and essential oils are even edible! (in small amounts of course)

Read about how I clean my toilets with baking soda.

easy to make

Making homemade scent booster couldn’t get any easier. You literally add the ingredients to a jar, stir, and it’s ready to use!

lavender essential oil being added to a glass jar of baking soda mixed with Epsom salts

super cheap

You only need three ingredients to make this recipe. Kosher salt (or Epsom salt) and baking soda can be bought in bulk at Sam’s Club or Costco for just a few dollars.

Essential oils aren’t cheap, that’s for sure, but you only need 50 drops to make a large batch of scent booster.

Even with the cost of essential oils, making your own laundry scent boosters is just a fraction of the cost of store-bought natural scent boosters.

doubles as a laundry softener and stain remover

The coarse salt in this recipe acts as a laundry softener in the same way water softener salt does.

If you aren’t sold on this recipe yet, it’s also a stain remover! Both salt and baking soda help to brighten whites as well as keeping colors from bleeding into each other.

safe to use in your washing machine

All of the ingredients in this recipe are safe to use in regular and HE washing machines.

There is some concern that over time Epsom salt can cause damage to your washing machine if your house has hard water. If you’re worried about it, just use kosher salt instead.

can be made in bulk

Because none of the ingredients really expire, you can make a double batch to save yourself from making it again for awhile (since it’s so much work, right?) Just make sure to seal it well that way the essential oils stay good and strong.

easy to customize

One of the best things about making your own scent booster, is the fact that you can make up your own personal scent! Change it up each time for fun!

Any essential oil or combination of oils will work in DIY laundry scent booster. Use your favorite blend or choose from the oil recipes later on in this post.

FAQ About this DIY natural scent booster for laundry:

what is scent booster for laundry?

Fresh scent laundry booster makes your laundry smell extra fresh and clean. Baking soda in homemade scent booster acts as a natural deodorizer as well.

what does salt do in laundry?

Salt is not only important in the kitchen, but it’s less known that it’s a powerful ingredient to use in your laundry routine too! Salt boosts whites and brightens colored laundry. Salt can also keep colors from laundry in the wash.

Using coarse salt in the washing machine doubles as a fabric softener in the same way water softener salt does softens hard water.

does baking soda work for scent control?

Baking soda is a deodorizer that can helps keep laundry from smelling musty. It lifts dirt and grime out of the fibers of your clothing, making them look clean longer.

is it safe to put essential oils in the washing machine?

Essential oils are safe to use in both regular and HE washing machines.

laundry essential oil blend recipes:

so clean

sweet orange + eucalyptus + lime

happy home

orange + lemon + clove

beachy breezes

eucalyptus + rosemary + tea tree

citrus fresh

orange + lime + bergamot

bright and cheery

geranium + tangerine + eucalyptus

fresh linens

eucalyptus + lavender + lemon

Check out my 10 tips for keeping up on your laundry.

More Homemade Natural Cleaning Products On The Blog:

If you liked this post, I think you’ll really enjoy these other natural DIY recipes on the blog!

I hope you love this recipe for non-toxic homemade scent booster for laundry! If you make it, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like it!

Pin these steps to try later. Tag @athomeontheprairie on Instagram to share what you’ve made with us!

Natural Laundry Scent Booster

Yield: 1 quart

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups kosher salt, Epsom salt or rock salt.
1 cup baking soda
50 drops essential oils

Instructions

In a mason jar, combine the baking soda and salt. Add essential oils.
Stir the mixture together until the oils are well dispersed. Seal with a lid and it's ready to use!

Notes

To Use - After getting a load into your washer, sprinkle 1/4 cup of laundry scent booster around on top of the dirty laundry. Launder as usual.

To Store – Laundry scent booster is good for years so you can make a large batch all at once to save yourself some time. Just make sure it's sealed well to keep the essential oils from becoming weaker.

Variations – Epsom salt, kosher salt and even rock salt used for making ice cream are good options for this recipe. Epsom salt has the potential to cause damage to your washer over time if you have hard water. So it's safer to use a different one of the salt options if that concerns you.