Homemade Laundry Detergent Impacts More Than Your Wallet



Below is a great guest post from a dear friend of my over at Our Motherhood. I have always been impressed by the tips and tricks she has for remaining thrifty and eco-conscious. She is someone I truly look up to, so I asked her to write a post about something that I think other people would find value in: making your own laundry detergent!

Homemade Laundry Detergent Impacts More Than Your Wallet



It’s something so many of us are particular about: laundry. From how it’s sorted, washed, dried, folded, and even put onto hangers, we all have our own way of doing it.

I grew up with sensitive skin, so when I went off to college, I used the perfume-free version of detergent my mom did. And all my roommates did the same thing with their softeners and fabric sheets. It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first child that I really started to think about all the chemicals that remain on my clothes, permeating the largest organ of my body: my skin. I wanted something safe and healthy for my family.



Photo courtesy of healthyoates.com

So I started doing some research on the health impacts of laundry detergent. Did you know that optical brighteners – found in so many name brands – have potentially high toxicity to humans? And don’t even get me started on the dangers of the fragrances found in detergent and softeners. Not to mention, this stuff is getting into our waterways, our sources for consumption, as well as all God’s creatures. Furthermore, I can’t even begin to tell you how much money we’ve save making our own laundry detergent.


If you want to learn more, I highly recommend starting your research with Deirdre Imus’ Green This! For additional information about the chemicals found in your laundry detergent, visit the Environmental Working Group’s site and search for the ingredients on your detergent label.

And if you’re already convinced about making the switch, happy concocting!

How to make your own laundry detergent, an easy laundry detergent recipe

Laundry detergent ingredients and materials:

Borax

Washing soda (find Arm and Hammer brand in the laundry aisle)

Vinegar

Liquid castile soap (I love Dr. Bronner’s baby mild, unscented)

¼ cup measuring utensil

Directions

Start your washer, but do not add laundry. Add, in this order, to the water:

• 1/8 cup washing soda



• 1/8 cup borax

• 1/8 cup vinegar

• 1 ounce castile soap

Add your clothes and launder as usual! If you want to mix a batch ahead of time, you can combine the ingredients above with 1/8 cup of hot water (make larger batch by using these proportions) and adding ½ cup of your detergent to each wash cycle.

DIY dryer sheets

When you aren’t line-drying, give your laundry a nice, fresh scent by adding 5 drops off essential oil to a 5x5 inch piece of scrap fabric and adding it to your dryer. I like organic lavender, orange, or peppermint, depending on the season.