How to Make Environmentally Safe Laundry Detergent
Environmentally safe laundry detergent need not be an item found only at natural-food markets. You can make your own with old-fashioned ingredients readily available in the laundry and cleaning aisles at many stores. Making your own laundry detergent can also save you money in the long run -- the cost per load averages only pennies. Homemade laundry soap is also more gentle on the skin as it doesn't contain many of the harsh chemicals and additives found in typical commercial laundry soaps. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Bar of castile or other natural soap
- Cheese grater
- Large bowl
- Borax
- Washing soda
- Wooden spoon
- Airtight plastic container
Instructions
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1
Grate a bar of castile or other natural soap into a large bowl until you have 2 cups of finely grated shavings.
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2
Add 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of borax to the shavings. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
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3
Pour the homemade laundry detergent into a container with an airtight lid. Keep the container sealed and stored in a cool, dry place.
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4
Add 2 tbsp. of the homemade laundry detergent to a standard load of laundry in the washing machine. Use an additional 1 tbsp., if desired, for heavily soiled laundry. Use slightly less detergent for high-efficiency machines, based on the manufacturer's recommendations.
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Tips & Warnings
One batch of this homemade laundry detergent washes 32 loads of laundry.
Castile soap contains no animal fats.
Do not rub your eyes while making the soap mixture; the soap may irritate your eyes. If you do get soap near your eyes, rinse with cool water until the soap is gone.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
