Simple Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder

Hola friends!

Ya know that amazing feeling when all the laundry is washed folded and put away, yeah me neither!

I'm going to do a three part series that will cover laundry detergent powder and liquid versions, dryer sheets/ dryer balls, and softener/ vinegar rise.

After becoming aware of all the junk that was in my every day products I started to do some research to find alternatives. One of the first things I wanted to changed was my laundry detergent. I couldn't find one that was 'clean' and didn't have fragrance in it, so I decided to make my own. As my Dad always says if you want something done right, do it yourself!

I have been making my own laundry detergent for over a year now. I have been very pleased with how it has worked! It is gentle and doesn't irritate my skin (see notes below) but is tough enough to cut through all the grease, grim, and dirt that gets on my farm clothes and my boyfriends shop clothes.

The recipe is super easy to make! The longest part is grating the bar of soap, which is maybe 10 mins.

Supplies for Homemade Laundry Detergent:

• 3 cups Borax
• 2 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
• 3/4 cup Baking Soda
• 4 1/2 cup Oxiclean
• 1 bar of Castile Soap- grated (see notes below)
• 1 Gallon Canister (see notes below)

Directions for How to Make and Use Homemade Laundry Detergent

1. Mix the Borax, Washing Soda, Baking Soda, and Oxiclean in your jar, stirring after adding each ingredient.
2. Then shred the soap bar with the finely shred side of a cheese grater and add it to your jar and mix.
3. If the jar still isn't evenly combined you can place your lid on it and shake/ roll your jar on its side. If your jar lid does't completely seal you can pour the powder into a bowl or a big paper bag then back into the gallon jar till it is evenly combined.
4. To use all you'll need is 1 Tbsp for a small load and 2 Tbsp for a L/XL load. I have my washer set on the warm-cool setting for the water.
5. I pour roughly half a cup of distilled white vinegar into the softener portion of the washer and turn the machine on.

Notes:

1. My cousins Dad has super sensitive skin when it comes to fragrances. He has a hard time finding laundry detergent, softener, and dryer sheets that are fragrance free. When he heard about the one I make he was more than happy to try it! A few weeks later he said he loves it and it doesn't irritate him like the conventional stuff did! Talk about a win!!
2. For Castile bar soap I use the Dr. Bronner brand. You can get them on Amazon and every once in a while I can find them at Walmart. I myself like the lavender one for laundry.
3. I found my glass canister with the wood lid on sale at one of our little local stores. Of course I haven't been able to find one like it since! So in turn I have been getting gallon glass containers (pictured below) from our little hospital kitchen and a restaurant here in town. I believe the jars had olives in them and once empty they just throw them away. I'm all about buying used and Upcycling items instead of buying them new. So go out and check thrift shops and your local hospital and or restaurants and see what they have because odds are they will give them to your for free or charge a tiny fee. But either way it is totally worth it when it comes to helping the planet!

If you don't feel going through the hassle of making your own, I would be more than willing to help ya out! You can order this product from my Facebook page. I currently only sell to places in ND. I am working on expanding my radius.

Until next time, happy trails my friends!