Today, in the midst of a busy day caring for a sick baby, we’ll delve into the art of making your own non-toxic liquid laundry detergent. This DIY approach not only saves money but also ensures you know exactly what goes into your detergent. Commercial laundry detergents often hide toxic ingredients behind their appealing labels, but with this simple recipe, you can have peace of mind. Join us on this informative journey as we explore the ingredients and steps involved in crafting your homemade laundry detergent.
The Benefits of Homemade Laundry Detergent: Homemade laundry detergent offers numerous advantages over store-bought alternatives. Firstly, it is significantly more cost-effective, with a fraction of the price per load. Secondly, you have complete control over the ingredients, eliminating the risk of hidden toxins commonly found in commercial brands. While non-toxic detergents on the market can be expensive, making your own is both economical and environmentally friendly.
Ingredients: To start crafting your non-toxic laundry detergent, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Borax
- Washing Soda (not to be confused with baking soda)
- Castile Soap (or another non-toxic soap of your choice)
- Water
- Optional: Fragrant herbs (such as lemon balm) for a natural, pleasant scent
The Infusion Process: Begin by selecting your preferred fragrant herb, like lemon balm, from your garden or purchase fresh herbs if needed. Lemon balm, for instance, emits a delightful lemony aroma perfect for laundry. You can experiment with different herbs for unique scents.
- Collect a handful of fragrant leaves, approximately a cup’s worth.
- Place the leaves in a quart-sized mason jar.
- Boil four cups of water.
- Pour the boiling water over the herb-filled jar.
- Seal the jar and allow it to steep for a few hours or longer, depending on your preference.
Note: Steeping the infusion longer intensifies the scent.
Making the Detergent: While the infusion steeps, you can prepare the rest of your detergent. Follow these steps:
- Grate approximately six ounces of Castile soap. This equates to one and a half bars, more or less.
- In a five-gallon bucket filled halfway with hot water, add one cup each of washing soda and borax.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly until the powders dissolve.
- Pour the melted Castile soap (or your preferred soap) into the bucket.
- Stir again until all ingredients are well combined.
Completing the Detergent: Now that you have your soap mixture ready, complete the detergent-making process:
- Top off the five-gallon bucket with hot water to dilute the mixture.
- Seal the bucket with a lid and let it sit for a day.
Note: While it may look cloudy, this is how your detergent should appear, especially if you used Castile soap.
Usage Instructions: To use your homemade detergent, simply measure out half a cup for each load of laundry. There’s no need to dilute it further, as it’s already concentrated. Shake the container before each use, as some sediment may settle over time.