DIY Laundry Detergent
I've been piddling around at the idea of DIY laundry detergent, but never took the time to really do some solid research to find a decent recipe that wasn't going to utilize crazy random ingredients that also came with great reviews. I finally dove in, and I can honestly say... I wish I would have sooner!
I finally found one from Wellness Mama. This recipe is ONLY 3 ingredients (4 if you add essential oil, like I did), and it smells so good and actually works.
Also, according to Wellness Mama, this recipe is safe for HE washers!
I'm not kidding, I was SO excited and was chomping at the bit for my first load to finish. As soon as it did, I smelled my clothes, and had that cliche "Ahhhh" feeling when you close your eyes and smile: FINALLY, a non-toxic wash that actually cleans, AND it smells naturally fresh AND I feel good about washing my kids clothes with it.
In case you didn't know, most commercial store-bought laundry detergent contains a load of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
As a result of cleaners and other toxic household products, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the air inside the typical home is 2-5 times more polluted than the air immediately outside—and in extreme cases, 100 times more contaminated.
I used to LOVE the smell of laundry being ran, especially when you walk up to a house and can smell it from the outside. Now, it concerns me.
Combine that aroma of smell-good laundry toxins with a plug-in air freshener {in every room}, your favorite {artificially} scented candle, and maybe a spritz of your favorite 'air spray' and you're living in a constant cloud of toxins that are going straight into your family's lungs.
This isn't meant to scare you. I simply hope to open your mind and realize that what's in the air could be causing things like rashes, dizziness, athsma, headaches and much more. It's the little things that you really never think about (and which is why I LOVE my essential oil diffuser)
Not only can you come in contact with chemicals via your clothing, from having been laundered in them, but you can breathe them into your lungs once they become airborne in the process of doing your laundry.
The detergent you're using may contain cancer-causing chemicals, some of which the manufacturer doesn't even have to list on the label.
Four of the worst offenders are:
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)/sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
1,4-dioxane
NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylate)
Phosphates
Not only are these chemicals potentially damaging to your health, but they are also harming the environment...
...which is why I was interested in making my own. Thankfully, because of the internet and the unlimited resources it provides, we are now figuring out that A LOT of what we've been living with (and think are normal) are actually damaging to our health... especially when they are on our clothes and we breathe them in every second of every day!
What you see in the pic above is exactly what I used (minus my essential oil)
DIY Laundry Detergent recipe
1 cup washing soda (picked up at Meijer in laundry isle)
1 cup Borax (got this at Walgreen's a while back but pretty sure you can find anywhere)
1 natural soap bar, grated well - I used Dr. Bronner's Lavendar Pure Castile Soap (picked this up at Kroger)
20 drops essential oil (optional) - I used Lemon, which most of my DIY cleaning supplies contains, so I love that everything smells alike. Plus, the smell of Lemon is just so refreshing on laundry.
Combine dry ingredients, then add essential oil and stir to combine. Store in a glass jar with tight-fitting lid. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.
**I have a top-loader, so I put my powder in first, then add my clothes. This way I know all the soap gets in the water from the beginning.
After reading some of the comments about this recipe (you can check them out here), here are some notes I took from them:
1 - Some people mentioned that their soap didn't dissove all the way in cold water. I wanted to make sure that I grated mine really good so this didn't happen to me. First, I grated it on a cheese grater, then I stuck it in my food processor to really get it even smaller. From there I added it straight to the Borax and washing soda. I've had no problems (and have ran many cold water loads), and I haven't found any residue at all.
2 - It may be a good idea to wear gloves to mix it together, as the Borax and washing soda can be an irritant on the skin. I was really careful with my spoon and made sure not to get it on my skin, but it's just something to consider.
3 - Some people noted they couldn't smell their essential oil... mine gives a great scent. I haven't tried it with just the Lavendar soap bar, so if you do, let me know. I'd love to know if it still smells good!
I hope you have as great of results as I've had. Do you have your own DIY recipe that you love? Please share with us!
