Everyone loves the way laundry smells coming out of the dryer. That fresh linen scent. But did you know that scent is usually made up of hundreds of harsh chemicals that are all just lumped into the category of “Fragrance”? Along with fragrance, many laundry detergents on the market contain phosphates, formaldehyde, and chlorine bleach. These ingredients are known to be hormone disrupters, skin irritants, and even cancer. Make sure to check out our blog post to learn more about all these chemicals.
In this blog I will walk you through how to make homemade laundry detergent in just a few minutes that will last you months. It only takes a few ingredients and will leave your clothes fresh and clean!
Ingredients in Homemade Laundry Detergent
Borax is a compound made from naturally occurring minerals. It has been used since the early 1900s as an additive to laundry detergent to help brighten clothes and remove stains. Though it can irritate skin if it is used in high doses directly on the skin. It is totally safe to use in small amounts in laundry detergent.
Washing Soda is the next ingredient in the laundry detergent. Washing soda is similar to baking soda but is more abrasive and better at removing stains. Use it to remove grease, coffee, and other common stains.
Castile Soap is the final ingredient in this homemade laundry detergent. Castile soap is gentle on skin and great at lifting dirt out of clothes. It is a soap made from natural substances, so you know it is great for the whole family! Castile soap comes in a variety of scents but you can also get it unscented if you do not want any smell to your laundry. That is totally up to your personal preference.
How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
Making the laundry detergent is simple and only takes a few minutes. First you will start by bringing 8 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the cup of borax and cup of washing soda. Stir these well until they are completely dissolved.
Once that is dissolved, take the pot off of the heat. Add in the other 7 cups of water and add in the Castile Soap. Stir for two minutes to make sure everything is well mixed together. Now let the mixture cool and then pour into a gallon jar. To use, simply add 1/4 cup of the detergent to each load of laundry.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 1 cup Borax
- 1 cup Washing Soda
- 1 cup Castile Soap
- 15 cups Water
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil.
- Add in the Borax and washing soda. Stir until dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and add in the Castile Soap and 7 cups of water.
- Stir for 2 minutes.
- Let cool and pour into a gallon jar.
- To use, add 1/4 cup to each load of laundry.
