I was on the hunt for a good laundry detergent that works, safe, and did I mention WORKS? I've tried a variety of detergents, but on my road of wanting to make healthier choices for my family and using the safer options I was having problems finding detergents that worked. I like my clothes to feel fresh and smell fresh and have that soft feeling. I also want a detergent that can be used for everyone in the house, including our infant son, Jace. I found the perfect solution and mixture that I tried and fell in love with! Now I originally was going to do liquid, but that has to be stirred prior to use. I'm busy. I'm usually rushing. I just don't have time to do that. Powder you scoop and dump so it's much more convenient!
What you'll need:
- 16 cups of baking soda (2 boxes of 4lbs)
- 12 cups of washing soda (2 boxes)
- 8 cups of grated castile soap (I used 3 soap bars)
- Dr. Bronner's is recommended for the top quality - You can purchase it for $2.69/bar through my wholesale Coop Group Frontier, email me to join, or you can get it just about anywhere for $4.99/bar.
- *optional* 10-16 drops of an essential oil (I do this many drops of EACH if you choose to mix oils)
- I used Lavendar, Rose Geranium, and Melaleuca Tea Tree (for the Melaleuca Oil I only used a couple drops)
- Make sure these oils are 100% PURE for a better quality
- 1 large container
- I used a 30lb bucket that cat litter had come in, the mixture in these amounts filled that bucket about half way.
- Cheese grater (the soap washes off easily so no need to buy a special one)
- Large spoon/object to stir your ingredients
How to Make:
- Grate your Castile Soap - the smaller the better. Some have success using a food processor, I thought it was more of a pain in the butt to be quite honest.
- Mix your grated soap with your baking soda, washing soda, and essential oils in your container
- Stir until all your ingredients are incorporated together.
- WASH YOUR CLOTHES!
Now here in the South, at least where I live, we have hard water so my results may vary from yours. I found my clothes came out much softer, the fragrance was very subtle and I used 2 scoops (4 tablespoons) for each laundry load. Those who have soft water are probably fine with 2 tablespoons of the mix. If anyone has their own homemade goodies for laundry or tips I'd love to hear them! What did you do to boost your laundry scent? I love my mixture, but I want to have that "gain fresh" sort of scent I guess if I can!