Homemade Laundry Soap

When I first started using a made-from-scratch laundry detergent, it was mostly for the case of saving money. I went online and searched for the most reliable homemade laundry detergent. Most of the options were about the same with different ratios of ingredients. I even had a couple of friends share their love of eco-friendly soap nuts. It was apparent that doing at least one load of laundry a day with six people in the house wasn't going to get any easier with a newborn. After a few days of using my homemade detergent, I could see that this was NOT the same as my favorite detergent matched with my oh-so-smelly-good fabric softener. It's been a month now and I'm happy to say that I've worked out why my clothes were coming out dingy and still covered in whatever meal was eaten prior to the wash.  After viewing the EPA's site about detergent facts there was no way I was going to put those chemicals next to my newborns new skin! One major problem I had with the fabric softener I was using was that it was causing a build-up that made the area where softener is added moldy. Yes, moldy! I was always having to bleach it out and clean it. I haven't had to do that one time since adding a splash of white vinegar to the softener area instead. I was very happy when I took my clothes out of the dryer and they did not reek of vinegar. You can trust me on this, the pregnant nose knows!

This detergent is great because I can put it right into the drawer of my front load and it doesn't cause any clumps. I was a bit concerned about using a powder after using a liquid for so long. Change is hard.

There are some downfalls to giving up expensive detergent and really good smelling fabric softener. One being that my towels now shock me. I mean of all things those towels should be grateful, yet they shock. If you eat mustard and suddenly food falls from your mouth onto your shirt, it's NEVER coming out.

If you can get over those hoops then this laundry soap might just be for you!

Here is the recipe for my homemade powder laundry detergent:

1 4lb box of borax
1 4lb box of baking soda
1 3 lb box of Arm and Hammer washing soda. (The only place I could find this was Walmart)
1 container of Oxi-Clean (dye-free, chlorine-free)
4 bars Dr. Bronner's castille soap
20 drops Doterra Orange Essentail oil (optional)

You will have to grate the soap like cheese or use a food processor. I grated mine and then pulsed it in the magic bullet. Add all of your ingredients to a huge container and give them a good stir. My tub has a lid so I just shook it around. If you are adding any oils, I reccommend taking a bit out and mixing it with the chosen oil and then adding it back in.

I need 2 Tablespoons per load. I do usually have pretty big loads, so if you are just washing a couple of things you could get away with less.

I also recommend adding a splash of vinegar to your softener area. This helps with keeping everything nice and bright. If you're on the fence about adding vinegar, click here for some more benefits!