This mixed with the price that goes along with these products I thought why not just make it myself. If it doesn't go well I could always go back.
After doing alot of research I decided that I would go the powder route. The liquid detergent making just seemed a little more difficult than I was willing to try my first time.
I bought my ingredients: 20 Mule Team Borax, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, Dr. Bronner's Castille Bar Soap (unscented), and Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap Liquid in Peppermint.
The hardest part of the was shredding the bar soap. I used my cheese grater on the fine side so I would be able to shred the soap as small as possible. Once the soap is all shredded it will look like grated parmesan.
I then added 1 cup of borax and 1 cup of the washing soda. I mixed them all together very well put them in a container and TADA! laundry detergent.
But the real test was how well it would clean my clothes.
I put two teaspoons of the "detergent" into the drawer of my front loader washing machine where detergent goes, I put a 1/2 cup of vinegar in the fabric softener area and I put a half tablespoon of the Dr. Bronner's liquid soap in with the clothes. I put the machine on a cycle that included prewash and let it go.
As I took the clothes out after the cycle they had a slight nice pepperminty smell. Once I took them out of the dryer (I only use wool dryer balls, no dryer sheets) the clothes were clean and soft!! Really soft.
I have now done about 10 loads of laundry with this combination with the same results. I LOVE IT!
It was really easy to make, except for the grating of the soap, and will end up being much cheaper than all the other products I have tried. My clothes also feel softer than they have in a long time.
I did research on borax and discovered that the toxicity of it very minimal. One of the articles I read compares it to the toxicity of table salt. Plus the amount being used is small that it really didn't concern me. It's definitely safer than the chemicals "regular" laundry detergent has.
So there you have it! My homemade laundry detergent. Give it a shot, you will be surprised how easy, and cheap it is. And there is something so satisfying about doing it yourself.
I for one am never going back to commercial "non-toxic" detergents again!
Till next blog.....
