Homemade Laundry Detergent
>> Friday, February 5, 2010 –
Environment
One of my weekend to-do's (last weekend!) was to make a batch of laundry detergent. I got a bunch of questions about it, so I'm going to post the "recipe" here.
I must add a disclaimer though, that I've not used this detergent yet so I don't know how well it will work! I have heard many (many!) good things about it though and considering it is more environmentally responsible and SO MUCH CHEAPER, I thought I'd give it a shot!
The recipe I used comes from the Duggar family... I am sure they are not the creators of it, but that is where I got it.
Liquid Laundry Detergent
(The Duggar's actual recipe site is down)
Ingredients
4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar (I couldn't find this in the store, so I used a natural soap bar)
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax
10-15 drops essential oil (lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil- I used the tea tree oil. It is anti-bacterial and I had it around)
-Grate the bar of soap
Cheese?
-Add the shredded soap to a saucepan with the water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved.
Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (It will gel.)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
Top-load machine: 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads).
Front-load machine: ¼ cup per load.
**You can find the tea tree oil in vitamin stores. I couldn't find it in CVS or the grocery store, though some people have had luck there. I got mine at GNC.
**Another use for the tea tree oil is in cleaning. I fill a squirt bottle with 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water and put 10 or so drops of tea tree oil in that and use it as a daily shower spray. The tea tree oil has anti-bacterial properties and fights mildew.
I must add a disclaimer though, that I've not used this detergent yet so I don't know how well it will work! I have heard many (many!) good things about it though and considering it is more environmentally responsible and SO MUCH CHEAPER, I thought I'd give it a shot!
The recipe I used comes from the Duggar family... I am sure they are not the creators of it, but that is where I got it.
Liquid Laundry Detergent
(The Duggar's actual recipe site is down)
Ingredients4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar (I couldn't find this in the store, so I used a natural soap bar)
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax
10-15 drops essential oil (lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil- I used the tea tree oil. It is anti-bacterial and I had it around)
-Grate the bar of soap
Cheese?-Add the shredded soap to a saucepan with the water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved.
Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (It will gel.)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
Top-load machine: 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads).
Front-load machine: ¼ cup per load.
**You can find the tea tree oil in vitamin stores. I couldn't find it in CVS or the grocery store, though some people have had luck there. I got mine at GNC.
**Another use for the tea tree oil is in cleaning. I fill a squirt bottle with 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water and put 10 or so drops of tea tree oil in that and use it as a daily shower spray. The tea tree oil has anti-bacterial properties and fights mildew.
I was just thinking the other day that I wanted to make homemade laundry detergent! Maybe I'll do it when we're out of the stuff we have. :)
I'm excited to hear how it works!