Tox-free home: How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
Laundry is an essential and never ending chore. Supermarket shelves are lined with colorful brands that promise to banish stains and clean away soil and dirt, but toxic chemicals and fragrances are common.
You can eliminate a common source of toxins (and frustration) by mixing your own laundry detergent with just a few basic products.
Why make your own laundry detergent?
Making from scratch ensures your detergent is free of any harmful toxins or chemicals usually found in store-bought detergent.
You can control the amount of fragrance you add and there are no dyes that can often irritate sensitive skin.
Homemade laundry detergent can be used safely in both standard and high-efficiency washing machines because of its low-sudsing formula.
What Can I Use To Make My Own Laundry Detergent?
You only need four ingredients, which can be found on the laundry aisle in many grocery stores.
(These instructions are for making powdered laundry detergent.)
Washing soda (sodium carbonate), A naturally occurring mineral, it is an natural cleaner and water softener, and is very effective at deep cleaning clothes and removing grease and tough stains. It is used in many commercial laundry detergents to treat hard water and remove stubborn stains.
Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is a natural softener.
It is used to neutralize odor-causing acids and is a stain remover. It also helps soften the water to help the detergent work more effectively.
In fact, baking soda is one of the top two best products (along with distilled white vinegar) for making your laundry brighter and reduce dependence on harsh chemicals.
Optional: Bar soap – a natural, toxic-free bar soap is the only type that should be used for this recipe. Lavender Pure Castile Soap is an excellent option, as is Homestead Laundry Bar Soap.
Optional: Borax is an excellent laundry aid and booster. It is gentle, cleans, deodorizes, helps remove stains, and boosts the cleaning ability of mild detergents.
Optional: Sea salt, to soften the clothes.
Optional: Epsom salt. This will clean and fresh your clothes.
Optional: Essential Oils
If you want your clothes to have a scent, you can add 20 to 25 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Explore essential oils that are excellent at deodorizing and are antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial. They add a great all-natural scent without the worry of harsh toxic chemicals.
How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
For a basic detergent, use equal parts washing soda and baking soda. Add a third of that of salt and Epsom salt.
For example: I usually mix 1.5 cups each of washing soda and baking soda. Then I add 0.5 cups each of salt and Epsom salt.
Pour the ingredients into a medium-sized container and mix them well.
You can store it in a glass jar.
Here is another recipe that includes borax and soap. Step-by-step instructions for making homemade laundry detergent:
Grate the Bar Soap – Grate the soap bar using a cheese grater. Add the grated soap to an airtight container.
Mix the Ingredients – Add washing soda, baking soda, and borax in a container. If using essential oils, add 2-30 drops.
Shake – Place the lid on the container and shake the ingredients to mix thoroughly.
Store – Store the homemade laundry soap in an airtight container.
Tip – If you have a food processor, add the grated bar soap, washing soda, baking soda, and borax and grind into a fine powder. Add the mixture to an airtight container.
How to Use Homemade Laundry Detergent
Use 2-3 level tablespoons of homemade laundry soap per load of laundry. Use one tablespoon if you have a high-efficiency washing machine.
Start by using the recommended amount of detergent based on this recipe.
Observe the cleanliness and freshness of your laundry after each wash. Hereon, it is only a matter of troubleshooting to assess your true needs for your very own bundle(s) of laundry!
FAQ / Common laundry issues
If your clothes are not getting clean enough, you can increase the detergent slightly and see if it makes a difference.
If you notice residue or a soapy buildup on your clothes, you may be using too much detergent, and you can decrease the amount accordingly.
By making small adjustments, you’ll be able to find the perfect amount of laundry powder that suits your water quality and washing machine capacity.
Commercial detergents contain anti-caking ingredients to keep ingredients from hardening or clumping. Make small batches to prevent clumping and keep it in an airtight container!
Otherwise, the detergent becomes hard or develops clumps due to moisture. Discard it. It will not dissolve well in the washer and can leave soap residue on your clothes.
Especially if you choose to add soap flakes... Add the detergent directly to the washer drum before loading the dirty laundry. Do not use it in an automatic dispenser because the soap flakes may cause clumping that clogs the dispenser.
For heavy odor problems like underarm perspiration stains or environmental odors like cigarette smoke, use baking soda and water as a pre-soak.
If your clothes feels stiff, more baking soda helps to regulate the pH level in the washer's rinse water by keeping it from being too acidic or alkaline. Try 1/2 cup of baking soda to each rinse cycle as a balance to suspend detergent or mineral deposits in the water and keep them from redepositing on clothes, which can make clothing feel stiff.