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If you’re around here often, you might have noticed that I have been slowly moving from fresh-faced suburban nerd to urban eco-concerned hipster, complete with skinny jeans and summer scarf.
It was a slow transition, culminating in my latest endeavor: homemade laundry detergent. Add this to the list of what I’ve already tried (including, but not limited to: homemade toothpaste, homemade shampoo, homemade body wash, homemade deodorant, homemade dishwashing detergent — all recipes to come soon, if you guys seem interested) and I am full on approaching be-dreadlocked, Birkenstock-wearing, ripped-jeans-wearing hippie.
Brad will not be proud. He does work in Corporate America, you know.
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Well, I thought he wouldn’t be proud. But then, the weekend before last, we got (mildly) intoxicated over local beer at our house (that Sunshine Wheat is some tasty stuff) and had a long talk about our long-term priorities. I said I wanted to have babies and a garden. (Lots of babies… but that’s another story for another time.) Now, the Brad I *thought* I knew from our college years probably would have smirked at me, and maybe even belly-laughed at my hankering for domesticity. But, unbeknownst to me, apparently B has a soft spot for homegrown vegetables. He said that he thought my aspirations were “capitalistic.”
Uh… ‘scuse me?
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And then Brad went on to explain that, in his mind, having a garden, and by extension, making homemade laundry detergents and homemade body care products – is capitalistic because it’s a way to reduce your dependence on commercial products. Interesting. His version of capitalism (keep in mind that he works for a Fortune 500 company, and all the irony that might entail) means that you not only support private enterprises rather than government-owned enterprises, but also that you take ownership of the commercial products you use in your home. And if you can replicate those products with homemade, DIY solutions that approximate (or are even better) than their commercially-produced counterparts… then you’re being capitalistic.
There’s that husband of mine… using that damn UVA education again.
I’m so proud. *tear*
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I’ve been using this laundry detergent for 4 weeks now, and I’m very pleased with the result. For the record, we have an High-Efficiency washer at our apartment. Granted, we don’t have kids so I’m not dealing with mud-stained jeans or anything, but we do deal with the usual stinky, sweaty gym clothes. This doesn’t leave behind a scent, so your clothes smell clean… not like fabric softener. (That’s something you’ll want to keep in mind, if you’re addicted to Downy Mountain Spring scent.)
Speaking of fabric softener, you won’t need it with this laundry detergent. I have heard that if you use the detergent alone, you might start to get a build-up that is related to how hard or soft your water is, so it’s recommended that you use white vinegar as a substitute “fabric softener.” Just fill up the fabric softener bowl in your washing machine with white vinegar instead of fabric softener – all you’re doing differently is using a different liquid. Or you can use one of those plastic balls with the opening in the top for fabric softener (looks like this) and just fill it to the line with vinegar. The vinegar does not, let me repeat, does NOT make your clothes smell. What it does do, however, is remove any traces of laundry soap from your clothes/towels/linens, so they are soft and fresh when they come out of the dryer (or off the line, if you’re being super environmentally conscious), rather than being crusty from soap scum build up on the fibers.
All in all, not only is this a very eco-friendly move to make in your cleaning routine, it’s also SUPER cheap. The bar of soap is about $2, and then the washing soda and the borax are maybe $5 each, but you’re only using a 1/2 cup from each box, so maybe… 50 cents each? So $3 for the entire batch… and you’re looking at about 50 loads from each batch made. Add to that, the cost of the white vinegar (maybe a few cents per load from a $2 litre of vinegar) and you’re in business.
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Homemade Laundry Detergent
Adapted from DIY Natural
Yields about 48 loads’ worth
Keep in mind, y’all – You can grate the laundry soap bar on a box grater. I chose to use my food processor, because damn, that bar of laundry soap was kind of really difficult to hand grate, and I thought I was going to hand-grate some of thumb by accident. Whatever you use, just be sure to wash off the soap residue before sticking your grating instrument in the dishwasher – the extra soap could cause your dishwasher to over-foam, leaving you with a mess. Use a scrub brush on a box grater to save your sponge, too.
Gather:
1 5.5-oz bar laundry soap, such as Fels-Naptha (see Note)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup washing soda (see Note)
Note: Both laundry soap and washing soda can be difficult to find. If they aren’t in the laundry aisle of your grocery store, try your nearest hardware store, like Ace Hardware (where I got mine).
Prepare:
Grate the bar laundry soap using either a box grater, or a food processor. Add in the Borax and washing soda, and mix until combined with the laundry soap. (If using a food processor, just pulse until combined.) Transfer to a container and mark clearly. Use 1 tablespoon for each load of laundry, or use 2 tablespoons for a particularly dirty load.
Feel free to play around with the proportions used here; depending on the type of laundry you’re doing (i.e. muddy kids’ clothing, barely-dirty t-shirts) you may need more or less of an ingredient.
All research I have done indicates that this detergent is perfectly safe for high-efficiency washers.
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April Smith and the Great Picture Show / Colors
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I have been thinking about doing this. I’m wondering how well it actually works. Give us an update when you have used it for a while. I have bought all the ingredients, I just haven’t been quite brave enoungh to make the leap.
Carol
Carol, thanks for pointing out a MAJOR missing part of my post. I’ve been using this for 4 weeks now, and I’m very pleased. I’m updating the post with my findings, so check back if you want to!
like.
sounds like a lot of work and i don’t think david will let me do that to our emulsifier (yes. that) but i’m glad you’re going green! i support small eco friendly companies by buying their expensive detergent. and there’s a new place down the street where you can fill up an empty bottle with eco friendly detergant for like .10/ounce!
It wasn’t that much work, haha, but then again, I think I have low standards – I like to make pasta from scratch and wait 5 hours for apples to boil down to apple butter.
*like*
This is awesome Carter! I’m going to try & see if I can convince my household to try this.
And I don’t think there are enough way to express the love I have for vinegar. I use it for everything! I like to clean my washing machine with it once a month or so, just run your washer on the hottest setting & dump in a cup or two of white vinegar. Same goes for the dishwasher, set a pyrex or dishwasher safe cup full of vinegar in the bottom rack & run through a hot wash cycle. I know it sounds like wasting water (and it kind of is) but it removes all of the icky soap buildup from your washing machine & dishwasher. Your dishes & clothes will come out cleaner! (Also works great for removing soap scum & water stains from wine glasses, etc)
Also, I just started doing a vinegar rinse in my hair…LOVE!!! Because I have long hair I use 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 c hot water. After you shampoo & condition do a final rinse with the diluted vinegar, don’t rinse with water, towel dry & style as usual. It removes all of the product & mineral buildup from your hair & conditions the cuticle as well as being antibacterial & generally good for your scalp & hair.
Also, I want you to have a passel of babies and a big garden. Soon please, I need more babies to spoil.
This just proves we are soul mates when it comes to our love of vinegar.
Oh, dude. I’ve been shampoo-less (and conditioner-less) for 5 weeks now? And I’ve been using the ACV rinse every time I shower! It’s absolutely great I think. I’ve heard the ACV restores the PH of your hair, which makes the hair cuticle lay flat, which makes your hair feel silky… like conditioner does. Except is 4 cents a use instead of a dollar haha. My post on the “no-poo” method will be coming along soon, I suppose… as soon as everyone is ready for it!
I’ve heard of cleaning your washing machine and your dishwasher with vinegar, although I haven’t tried it. Right now, all I use is white vinegar for the rinse agent in the dishwasher, and then I use it for “fabric softener” in the washing machine (see last paragraph of post above). And then I also have a multi-purpose household cleaner of 1/2 water, 1/2 white vinegar, plus 2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid. It’s super super effective, for little to no money.
I’m planning on hitting all of these things in upcoming posts… at least I know SOMEONE will be interested =)
yay – so excited to see this post! I switched to homemade shampoo and ACV rinse after chopping off my long hair this summer. Lately I’ve been thinking I’m up to the challenge of switching out our detergent and… voila! What a lifesaver you are!
Hi Lisa! Thanks for visiting =)
I’m very happy with this detergent, so I think you will be too. If you try it out, let me know how it works out for you, please? I would like to know other peoples’ experiences.
I’m really excited to see you’re doing homemade shampoo and ACV rinses! I am on my 5th week of a baking soda solution as shampoo, and using an ACV rinse as “conditioner.” I was going to write about it, but I wasn’t sure if people would be interested… at least I know you and Chelsea will be interested!
Hope to see you around here again =)
Okay, now I get to feel downright creepy and admit that I’ve been loving your blog for over a year now and have only commented once before. (hanging head in shame) I am a bad blog reader. Seriously though, keep up all your good work – I get so much inspiration here.
Almost a year? I think that makes you the longest-reading member of the blog ever… unless you count my mom, which doesn’t really, because she’s legally required to read the site. And you’re not allowed to feel creepy OR like a bad blog reader! There is no feeling bad around this site… there’s only cooking delicious things, the occasional sarcastic remark, and the regular ogling of good-looking male actors. =)
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So sis, this looks like it rocks. I will have to give it a try and can be your tester for the gaggle of kids clothing. And if it can beat my clorox color bleach, I will be sold forever. I hate having to have the chemicals but they sure do the job and with the 4th on the way, I love the idea of the natural way being cheaper. I’ve always wanted to be Martha Stewart minus the jail time (well, it depends on what I’d be in jail for!) just reality sets in and buying the store stuff makes life so much easier sometimes when it gets the job done. Anxious for you to join the mommy crowd for sure since I’m getting too old and am passing the baton to you and our Amy. Plus I have the secret desire to become P!NK and I need to be done making babies so I can start getting tattoos…lol! Love you sis and thanks for being so creative and taking such awesome pictures. I love you! xoxo, When-Dee
hey c-genius,
this sounds amazing! will have to try this since it is scent free — and you know how the boys are about smells…
where can you get — Fels-Naptha soap?
<3
amy
oh my goodness thank you. i had to buy a pink laundry bar soap, that has quite a fragrance, but was only $1.67. my local hardware store didn’t have the fels naptha bar, nor did my grocery store, nor did the home depot!!! also, i didn’t put this in the food processor, just bravely grated it. (no major incidents.) so it was hard to mix with the “dry” ingredients. i think i’m just going to dump it all into the processor – seems like it will work better. my first load came out clean but with a few little pieces of soap on it. THANK YOU so much for giving this recipe. i’m so over buying countless bottles of detergent. oh, and thanks also for the vinegar tip. if i can hang my hubby’s white t-shirts on the line without them getting stiff, he’ll be thrilled!
Oh yay! I’m glad you liked the “recipe.” I would definitely throw this into your FoPro if you want to. You can totally just grate it as is, and mix with the dry ingredients. But I did think that whizzing it in the FoPro made it a lot more… homogenous.
And I’m glad you like the music! I never know how people feel about it, but you know, I include it because I love it… =)
(and lastly, thank you for the music! i didn’t even realize it was there, at first, but you just turned me on to april smith, so now i have to go listen to all your other music!)
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I made homemade laundry detergent in May I think. I just ran out a couple weeks ago. Though my recipe is to make it for liquid. Same ingredients as yours too. I think I’ll try your for the powder and see how that works. I do love my Downey, buy I also use vinegar.
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I’m so excited to try this! I have all my ingredients, but I got one question, how much do you use in a HE washing machine?
Hi and thanks for visiting the blog! I am also using an HE washing machine, so the tablespoon (or 2 if it’s a REALLY dirty load) will work fine!