Since the dawn of time we have been using the Earth to our benefit to nourish, heal and clean our bodies and provide for us in all aspects of life. I believe it is still true today, but we are following dangerous trends and frankly if you are not questioning all these things then I either assume you are a mega genius already who is so in tune with your body and mother earth that nothing phases you in the slightest, or you are still in the dark. The concept “beauty is pain” takes on a whole new meaning when you investigate what your household products really contain. Today I will be going over laundry detergent and show you some safer, environmentally friendly options as well as making my own at home!
Along my journey to cut back on spending and surround myself with cleaner, safer products –anything from personal hygiene to cleaning—I came across a Homemade Laundry detergent recipe. This was years ago and unfortunately I cannot seem to find the blog post I had originally based my recipe from, but I wanted to share my experience with my homemade laundry soap and start a conversation around this topic of Do It Yourself items.
Switching from a conventional home cleaner to a DIY version is something that intrigues many for the simple fact that it can cost just a few cents to make, this can end up saving many larger families hundreds to thousands of dollars in the long run. Others may be attracted to this DIY method because the alternatives provided in store are not appropriate for them, such as those who have more allergies. Whatever the reason for the switch, there should be research and experimentation. Sometimes products have been tested by others and you can watch free videos online, but what happens when you learn something may be wrong with your new DIY creation? For example, I myself have found that I was not using the safest ingredients in my initial mixture—it seemed credible enough—I tested it on my clothing so I was happy with it. I have since tweaked the recipe and made a whole new batch to use, only to find out the mixture may cause issues with my washing machine. Sometimes it feels like the battle is never ending and the whole truth about my products will never be found. So I aim to break it down and tackle it step by step.
Why do people want to change from the conventional laundry soap in the first place?
Expense: It is no secret that the majority of people’s decisions are based on their budget. This is what I usually see when it comes to any type of products, the majority of Americans purchase the cheaper version despite ingredients, where it was manufactured, packaging, etc.
Ingredients: toxins, allergic reactions, harmful to aquatic life and their environment.
Packaging: zero waste/low waste alternatives to cut down on production of single-use plastics.
Customizable: You are in complete control.
Many of you are familiar with the Tide Pod Challenge phenomena since news everywhere blew up about teens eating Tide Pods. of course you should not be eating these types of things and just taking a look at the ingredient list for a pod is enough to keep me from putting it anywhere near my mouth, but I cannot say the same for every other human. Regardless of what anyone else’s opinion is on the matter, pods or any detergent or soap for that matter is not to be ingested. Many cleaning products advise that you keep them up and locked away from children who may get curious as to what these products are and what one can do with them, but is this not a cause for concern? Not until a child eats a Tide Pod and it goes viral does anyone pay attention to the ingredients list or the wide spread effects some of these products can have. Maybe it is time to take a closer look at what we are letting into our homes. What EXACTLY are we using to clean the surfaces that we then eat off of? What is in the products that are meant to clean the clothing we then wear on our most private parts?
Some key factors of any detergent use “surface active agents” or “surfactants,” and these help to reduce surface tension between your clothing and the water in your washing machine. These surfactants help the water to soak into your clothing evenly so that it can soak into the fibers (attract water) and then pull out the dirt and grease (attract grime), break it down and with the aid of your machine the gunk and water is washed down the drain and you are left with clean clothes. Surfactants are what makes up 15-40% of detergent products. The most commonly used surfactant (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, or LAS) has many scientific studies examining the effects in waterways and aquatic life from the runoff of these common detergents. The good thing about our very diverse planet is that it can heal itself. These pollutants that run off from detergents are mostly decomposed by microorganisms like bacteria. This is not to say that these conventional laundry detergents are redeemable because they still contaminate the waterways and cause harm to marine animals and their entire ecosystem. If it were not for microorganisms cleaning up after us, much of the water would not be viable to sustain life because the concentrations of these toxins would be too great. When concentrations are quite high even the microorganisms cannot fight the battle and too much has proven to kill the cell.
Phosphates are another common ingredient in laundry detergents that is used to soften hard water and aid in the separation of dirt and water, but when the phosphates are done with your clothes they run off into main waterways with the rest of the gunk. This run off is dangerous because it can cause freshwater algal blooms which release toxins into the water. When this algae decomposes it uses up much of the available oxygen in the water, so much so that other organisms cannot survive.
Read more about algae bloom here.
Beware of “fragrance” when you see it listed in items because it can be a whole chemical cocktail that does not need a description apparently, according to FDA rulings.
When it comes to cleaning products regulations seem too lax for me, so I recommend reading up on your own laundry detergent and checking your ingredients before purchasing or creating your own. Some brands list their chemical components on their websites if they are not already listed on the product itself, but not all companies will be so transparent. Here for example is the ingredients list from a well-known brand and their concoction of smelly smellness. I was put off by how long the list is and the fact that none of these items would be listed on my products… So what are they?
Here is another helpful site to breakdown more of what these perfumes and fragrances contain. This is especially important if you or someone you know suffers from allergies to fragrance. It can be very difficult to pinpoint the exact chemical that caused an allergic reaction because so many of these fragrances are a combination of several different chemical ingredients. Those who suffer from exposure to fragrance often have to patch test themselves for certain products or buy unscented items because it can cause skin rashes, loss of voice and more. If your laundry detergent contains the active ingredients to clean your clothing then no fragrance is needed, people just enjoy the smell of “fresh laundry” or a spring meadow, but these perfumes do nothing by means of cleaning.
Now that I know more about this issue I did not want to post information about my own powdered soap mixture without all the information. This is a disclaimer to all those who want to follow and use their own homemade laundry soap: I am not an expert and I recommend doing your own research into this topic. I have done a bit myself and this is what I will share with you.
I had been using this recipe for my laundry and decided it would be a good idea to share with you folks on the internet and give measurements for my version of the homemade stuff when I came across some information stating similar powdered solutions that I had been swearing by—and saving a ton of money with—could possibly be clogging up my washing machine. I was devastated and went searching for more information. Here is a link to a blog post from another blogger who tried a different homemade laundry soap recipe and what she found out shocked her.
Some say this powdered version of laundry soap is not good for all washing machines or it leaves a buildup in your machine over time. I have been using this recipe (although I have changed it to adapt cleaner, environmentally safe ingredients) for over 2 years now and have never had a problem with it. Yes it does take some extra steps to make the mixture, and yes you need to prepare the wash a bit differently from the conventional brands of laundry detergent, but this has been a cheap, safe alternative for me.
If the Castile soap is of any concern in the laundry this may clear things up.
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is an 18-in-1 product and made to clean various different areas of your life. This is not the only soap that works, but it is what I have been using and I am satisfied. I have also used Kirk’s brand and they vouch for using it as a laundry soap too.
I will continue to use this mixture until it runs out and have my machine checked. I have concern, but have never had an issue with any machine I have used. This seems to work for me and other options right now are not in my budget. I have heard that running your washer with white vinegar only and no clothing will wash out leftover soap or any residue. This will also help if you have a shared laundry room and the other people are a bit stinky (trust me).
Ingredients & approximate cost evaluation:
3+ bars Pure Castile Soap—UNSCENTED Dr. Bronner’s or Kirk’s are ones I have used and liked ($3.18-$17+ depending on brand)
3-4 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda ($11.44 for 55 oz.)
1 cup Baking Soda ($1.79 for 16 oz.)
2 cups BioKleen Oxygen Plus Powder ($7.50 for 32 oz.)
Approx. 30 drops lemon essential oil* ($2-6/bottle depending on brand)
Approx. 12 drops Eucalyptus essential oil* ($2-5/bottle depending on brand)
Total: ~$27.91-$48.73 (whole mixture)
When your mixture is gone you just need to purchase more soap bars to replentish another batch, or you can double this and plan for that if you have a larger container. I have learned to be more conservative with my laundry when it comes to environmental issues as well as the cost-effectiveness. I do not think my clothing needs washed every wear unless its underwear or I make a mess on it that I cannot remove with an old tooth brush, soap & water and elbow grease.
If you have a food processor now is the time to bring it out. Chop up your soap bars until they are fine enough to be processed easily into your food processor (I chopped mine more fine since I have a fairly small food processor) and process until powdered. This will make approx.. 2 cups of powdered soap. *Would be wise to cover your face for this process with a rag or some fabric so you do NOT inhale the powder! *If you do not own a food processor chop very very fine. The finer, the better.*
Combine all dry ingredients into a sealable container and add your choice of essential oils. My first batch was not very fragrant so I increased the amount of essential oils I used. This is optional. You do not have to add any essential oils. Alternatively, Lavender is a great essential oil for the laundry and I have used it in the past.
2 TBSP+ to each load. Do not overload.
I usually use 2 TBSP mixed when the hot water is running on my clothes. Alternatively you may mix the powder with boiling water to create a liquid and then add to the wash. I usually do my laundry+ my boyfriend’s laundry every three weeks and this mixture has lasted me well over a year. If you do more laundry or wash for more people you may end up making the mixture a few times per year. When I buy these ingredients I try to get it in bulk because it is more cost effective and I can use these ingredients to clean other spaces in my home as well as adding a little more baking soda to my laundry if things are extra dirty. When I run out of my laundry soap mixture all I have to buy is soap to recreate another batch. This is still more economical and low waste friendly in comparison to the standard laundry detergents.
Let me know if you have used your own mixture and how it went. If you have any brands you recommend using or the way you do your own laundry, I am curious to know.
If you are concerned about your own laundry detergent or are just curious how your own stands up you can check the EWG website for various different cleaners, including tons of laundry detergent brands with ratings and other information. I have heard great things about soap nuts as a laundry cleaner as well. After reading more about the laundry detergent I used in the past, I think it is safe to say that this homemade mix is safer than the conventional brands.
The Topic of Homemade Laundry Soap—Is It Safer To Use? Since the dawn of time we have been using the Earth to our benefit to nourish, heal and clean our bodies and provide for us in all aspects of life.
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