Scented water makes clothes and linens like pillowcases and bedsheets smell nice. To make linen water for ironing, all you need to do is add a few drops of essential oil to some clean water and allow the mixture to settle for a while.
That being said, it is not out of place to use water to dampen clothes when you iron. Dampening them makes it easier to remove the creases and makes them look crisp and sharp.
But with scented water, you get to kill 2 birds with a stone — dampen your clothes to get the crisp look and add some fragrance for a nice smell.
So, instead of buying ironing water, you can make your own in the comfort of your home by using just a few ingredients.
In this article, we will show you a simple recipe for a DIY scented water to keep your clothes smelling fresh when you iron.
Ingredients Required
What are the ingredients required to make linen water?
Ingredients you need to produce your linen water include distilled water and a spray bottle. Some of the sweet-smelling essential oils you may want to add are lemon, peppermint, rose, and lavender oils.
Linen water is made from essential oils and natural flowers, which makes them very good for your fabrics.
Making Ironing Water — The Recipe
Mix the ingredients
How do you mix ingredients for ironing water?
First, pour some distilled water into the spray bottle. Then, add about five drops of the essential or fragrance oil to the water. Once you add the oil, close the lid of your spray bottle and shake the bottle properly to mix the ingredients.
Refrigerate the Mixture
After swirling the bottle, keep it in your refrigerator and leave it to cool for about 30 minutes.
You can also use your ironing water by pouring some into your iron or by spraying it from the spray bottle on your clothes before ironing.
What to Use Instead of Ironing Water
If you do not want to use ironing water on your linen, then a linen spray like this lavender spray below will be perfect.
How to Make Clothes Smell Fresh
How can you make your clothes smell fresh after washing?
To keep your clothes smelling fresh after washing, always do the following:
i. Wash your clothes often.
ii. Use laundry detergent and scented oils with fragrances like lavender.
iii. Don’t leave your clothes in the laundry basket for long after washing them.
iv. Clean your washing machine at least once in 6 months with vinegar.
How can you keep your clothes fresh after drying?
To keep your clothes smelling good in your drying routine, do the following:
i. Ensure that your clothes are completely dry before you store them away.
ii. Put some dryer sheets or essential oils in the dryer.
iii. Clean your dryer periodically.
iv. Alternatively, you can hang your clothes on a line to air-dry after washing.
How can you keep your clothes smelling fresh when you store them?
To ensure that your clothes smell nice when they are stored away:
i. Put some store-bought or DIY scented sachets in your dresser or closet.
ii. Use perfume or essentials oils in your cloth storage.
iii. Spritz air freshener or some fabric-friendly disinfectant in your closet frequently.
iv. Use strong wood like sandalwood as a natural freshener.
For more ironing tips, check these articles:
- How to Get Wrinkles Out of Curtains Without Ironing
- What is a Pressing Cloth for Ironing? [A Detailed Guide]
- How to Remove Ironing Stains from Clothes
- How to Wash Dress Shirts Without Ironing
- How to Iron Without an Ironing Board — A Guide
- How to Make Starch for Ironing in Easy Steps
Conclusion
Making linen water is something everyone can do at home.
Moreover, it doesn’t cost much.
All you need is some essential oil of your choice and some distilled water (if the water in your area is hard).
Scented water is not only great for your clothes but it also helps you smell good. If you don’t use perfumes or body sprays, then a lovely lavender scent on your clothes will be nice.
Need another DIY challenge? Check out our post on how to make starch for ironing.
How to Make Linen Water for Ironing in 2 Steps — Related FAQs
How Do You Make Lavender Linen Water?
To make lavender linen water, you need lavender essential oil, witch hazel and distilled water. Pour 6 cups of distilled water, ½ cup witch hazel and 4 teaspoons of lavender, into a bowl.
Stir the ingredients properly and pour it into a glass spray bottle. Plastic spray bottles should not be used since chemicals can leach into them. Witch hazel is added to the mixture to preserve the lavender oil. If you do not have witch hazel, use alcohol instead.
Shake the bottle every time you need to spray the linen water. This is because the oil will always separate from the distilled water when the bottle is at rest.
How Do You Use Linen Water?
To use linen water, simply pour into a spray bottle and spray on the material when you are ironing it.
You can also spray linen water on your washed clothes when you want to fold them away or to hang them up in your wardrobes.
Additionally, you can spray linen water on bedsheets and towels that have been in storage for a long time. Spray linen water on your curtains and in your car to freshen them up, too.
In summary, linen water is used to make laundered clothes and beddings smell fresh.
How Do You Make Linen Spray with Fabric Softener?
To make your linen spray with fabric softener, you need a spray bottle, baking soda, and fabric softener.
Boil distilled or filtered water. In a bowl, add ½ cup of fabric softener and 4 tablespoons baking soda and stir thoroughly. Add the hot water to the mixture and stir for 1 minute. Pour into the spray bottle and shake gently before use.
Remember to ensure that everyone you are living with is not allergic to fabric softeners because a lot of people react to one or more ingredients used in making fabric softeners.
Cat owners should substitute fabric softener with isopropyl alcohol. This is because most cats react negatively to essential oils and fragrances.
Does Alcohol Destroy Essential Oils?
Alcohol does not destroy essential oils. Instead, it helps to bind essential oils to water when they are mixed. Alcohol can mix with water and essential oils can dissolve in alcohol.
Since oil and water do not mix, essential oils are first dissolved in alcohol before they are mixed in water so that they don’t separate.
Different essential oils take different lengths of time to dissolve in alcohol. Some light and volatile oils dissolve in alcohol in minutes. Some oils take hours or even days to dissolve while some heavy oils do not dissolve in alcohol at all.
Can I Put Fabric Softener in My Iron?
You can add drops of fabric softener in your steam iron and use it in ironing your clothes. If the fabric softener is not white in color, be careful about using it on white clothes.
In the case of non-white fabric softeners, rinse the container of the fabric softener before filling it with the water you want to put in the iron. The color of the fabric softener will no longer be present, but the fragrance will be.
Pour the water into your steam iron to generate steam that smells like the fabric softener.
Can I Put Essential Oils in My Iron?
It is not a good idea to put essential oils into your steam iron. This is because of the following reasons:
1. Oils can be heated up to high temperatures by your steam iron and might damage your fabric.
2. When the oils are heated up, they might become too volatile and damage your steam iron.
3. Oils can stain your fabric. Therefore, they are usually mixed with alcohol and water and applied on clothes in smaller quantities.
If you want to use essential oil in ironing, use a spray bottle to apply the oil to your cloth.
How Do You Make Homemade Ironing Water?
To make your homemade ironing water, pour 3 teaspoons of any fragrant oil of your choice into a spray bottle. You can use vanilla, rosemary, or citrus oil. Add ½ cup of vodka to the oil and swirl the bottle to allow the ingredients to mix. Allow the mixture to stay for 24 hours.
Add water to the mixture and shake thoroughly. Spray on your clothes while you iron to freshen them and keep them smelling nice. Store this ironing water in a refrigerator and use up within six weeks.
