I’ve been on a journey the last 15 years to eliminate toxins in my food and life. It’s been slow at times. Sometimes you have to go through a lot of recipes to find something that sticks and fits into your lifestyle. That’s how it was for me and laundry detergent.
I grew up using Amway’s SA8 so I was familiar with laundry detergent that is biodegradable and has no phosphates – even though I had no idea what phosphates are.
When I moved out of the house and started choosing my own detergents, I just bought what was cheapest – except Tide. I’d seen too many “demonstrations” about how much of that detergent is made up of fillers to buy it. I chose to buy a liquid detergent called ALL, Free & Clear. I was okay with it. It cleaned my kids’ clothes fine.
Then I thought about how little I knew about the ingredients in that detergent, even though they called it “free and clear.” I didn’t know anything about it. I figured I could do better.
So, I chose a couple recipes online and started experimenting. I made the powdered soap with grated Ivory bars. I made several different versions using the Fels-naptha soap. I didn’t like any of them.
For whatever reason, the powdered soap would never fully dissolve in our water or washing machine. I was left with white residue on dark clothing so I returned to the ALL for a few years.
I tried again in 2015 but this time I decided that liquid detergent was the way to go. I figured if it was already dissolved, it wouldn’t leave residue on the clothes. Again, working from several different recipes, I developed one that I love and have used ever since.
I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I buy ingredients once a year to make all our laundry detergent – each batch costs pennies to make, saving you a lot of money over time.
In the interest of transparency, I do also use Oxi-clean as needed for stained towels and clothes. I also still use bleach sparingly. And, I still use Amway’s Prewash spray because I’ve not found anything better for ring-around-the-collar. I also use a fabric softener that is not natural because the natural ones contain vinegar and there’s nothing quite like clothing that was rinsed in vinegar sitting in a drawer for a few weeks – or having to rewash your whole wardrobe to remove the vinegar smell. If you have a great fabric softener recipe with no vinegar, send it my way!
The recipe is only three ingredients and I understand what each of them are.
A few notes:
- This recipe uses Borax. If you’re hesitant to use it, here’s an article to help you understand why I think it’s safe.
- I use Dr. Bronner’s castile soap for many things around my house. This is just another way it’s amazing!
- Feel free to add your favorite essential oils to the detergent, although I’ve found that I’d rather have the smell in the fabric softener. If you don’t use softener, then lavender or geranium would be lovely here.
- 2 Tbls. Borax
- 2 Tbls. Baking Soda
- 3 Tbls. Castile Soap (unscented)
- 10 drops of essential oils (optional)
- Fill half gallon glass jug ⅓ full with hot water.
- Add 2 Tbls. Borax
- Add 2 Tbls. Baking Soda
- Stir until dissolved.
- Add water to fill the jug.
- Add 3 Tbls. Castile Soap (and essential oil, if using.)
- Stir.
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- Use ⅓ cup per load of laundry.