It’s true, people always look at me like I’m crazy and think I’m off my rocker when I tell them I make my own laundry detergent! I know they laugh and mumble under their breath, “Who has time for that?” Well I can tell you, you do!! YES YOU! It only takes about 20-30 minutes to make a batch, just like a batch of cookies. But let me tell you, this detergent will last you way longer than those cookies. I’m talking at least 4 ENTIRE MONTHS!!! It is well worth the investment! It is cheaper and so much safer for you!!
The holistic approach encompasses not only thinking about what your are putting on the inside of your body, but also what you are putting on the outside too! Just recently I’ve switched many things in my home from the traditional, store bought products and cleaners, and I have started making my own concoctions!!
About 2 years ago, I started making my own homemade laundry detergent. Store bought laundry detergents actually have quite a few chemicals that pollute not only the air in your house but also have chemicals that are being absorbed into your skin. Yes, even the ones that say “fragrance free!” Remember biology class taught us that our skin is the largest organ in the body? So, let’s start protecting it!
I encourage you to visit: www.ewg.org and check out the laundry detergent you currently use. If you have not checked out this website yet, you really need too! It will give you the low down on almost any product you use in your house. It rates the items on how toxic they are. So use it to check out any cleaning items you use or even things like your make-ups and shampoos! I looked up Tide with Febreeze and it was rated “F.” It was at the highest category for toxins. It showed high risk for asthma, skin irritation, and even a slight risk for cancer! Check it out!
I hope I’ve gotten those gears to start turning and have helped you to consider making a change! So if you’re ready, you’ll need to round up the following items to get started! You can buy your supplies at your local grocery store and even on Amazon! It just takes a little pre-planning!
Earthy Girl Laundry Detergent
- 1 (4 lb 12 oz) box of Borax- found in the detergent aisle (got mine on Amazon)
- 1 (3 lb 7 oz) box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda– found in the detergent aisle. (I got mine on Amazon.)
- 1 (3 lb) container of Oxi Clean- can find on the detergent aisle.
- 2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap– I used lavender, but there are several scents to pick from. (I ordered on-line at Amazon and got 6 bars at one time.) Have seen them at Target too.
- 1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- found on the cooking aisle. I found a big bag at Sam’s and Costco. It was a 13.5 lb bag. I’ve been able to use it for several batches. It was about $7.00.
Supplies:
- A cheese grater/shredder. I bought an extra one to use only for the soap.
- A large bucket with a lid. I recycled one of my wheat buckets (6 gallon) The ingredients only fill it up about 1/2 way.
Well, get your elbow grease ready. You actually are going to shred 2 bars of soap!! When you shred the soap, it’s a little bit of a work out. You might actually feel your triceps working, that’s basically going to the gym right?! Be safe when you’re shredding the soap to make sure you don’t cut your fingers! Ouch!
Instructions
- Grate soap with a cheese grater or food processor. I do both. I grate first, then, put it in my food processor; so it’s super fine. I found it works best, especially if you use cold water in your laundry loads.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.
- Use 2 -4 Tablespoons per laundry load. I put it right on my clothes or in the soap dispenser. Sometimes both!
- Add a few drops of cleansing blend (from my favorite Essential Oil company) if you have smelly clothes, towels, or shoes. While the laundry is filling up, just add a few drops right in the water. It eliminates odors!! Sometimes I have kitchen towels that just have a weird odor. After I use this blend of essential oil, the smell is gone! You can also add your choice of essential oil to your laundry for additional fragrance. A couple of my favorites are lemon oil and wild orange oil.
If you’re going all natural you might as well get rid of your dryer sheets too! Switch over to using wool dryer balls! I bought a pack of six and I typically use 4 in each load. I place a few drops of whichever essential oils that I would like that day on each dryer ball! I usually like to add the Wild Orange or lavender oil. Start your dryer and let the balls do their magic. It may sound like you put tennis shoes in your dryer, but your clothes will be softer than ever, and even better, there will be no chemical residue. It’s a great change! That means no synthetic chemicals on your skin or pollutants in your house!
I made my last batch of laundry detergent on September 10, 2015 and I just made a new batch on January 20, 2016. It lasted a little longer than 4 months! I have a family of 4 and do on average 6-8 loads a week! Talk about bang for you buck! Just think, if you have a smaller family it will last you longer!
These minor changes have been a positive change in my life!!!
I hope I have inspired you and maybe you’ll try it too!
Next week I’ll talk about de-polluting the funk in your house by using a simple product called a diffuser.
Naturally, Lisa
Making this detergent is now on my to-do list !! I can’t believe I still have my old hand grater and we have lots of buckets with lids sitting around. Excited and looking forward to your next post.