I’ve been reading up on various recipes and tips for saving some money and making my own laundry detergent. Here’s what I came up with for my first attempt:
- 100% Natural Ingredients: 2 bars of Clearly Natural Honeysuckle Glycerin Soap (yield: 4 c. grated), 2 c. All Natural Borax and 2 c. All Natural Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (both found in your laundry detergent aisle at your local grocery store), 30 drops lavender essential oil. (Note: This is WAY cheaper than normal laundry detergent!)
- Grate the soap. I started with a box grater, but it took a while, so I used my food processor to start and finished with the box grater. Measure Borax and Washing Soda.
- I poured too much Borax. Hint: Use a flexible funnel if you do this.
- Mix all ingredients together (you can use your hands if you want). Add 30 drops of lavender essential oil. Optional: add 1-2 c. OxiClean at this point.
Seal in a labeled, air-tight container. Use 2 Tbsp. per load. (Optional: add up to 1/2 c. white vinegar in rinse cycle for natural fabric softener.)
Here are some more websites with other Homemade Laundry Detergent recipes:
http://www.goinghometoroost.com/2010/handmade/make-your-own-laundry-detergent/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/09/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-a-detailed-visual-guide/
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/make-your-own-laundry-soap.html
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
What’s up next? Homemade Dishwasher Detergent:
Wash: Equal parts Borax and Baking Soda (NOT Washing Soda; 1-2 Tbsp. each)
Rinse: white vinegar (+ lemon juice), optional
Yep, it’s that simple.
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FYI, just found out lavender is a natural anti-fungal, so that’s a great reason to toss those essential oils in this mix!
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