I grew up in a small home with the very standard store bought essentials. Not once did I even consider what those items were or what was put into them to make them effective. That all changed when I became a mom myself. During each pregnancy I got very sick with everything I was eating and not having a clue on what caused. There is a lot more to say on this topic but that comes later! For now, the basics. It starts with starting with small changes.
Lets talk about Laundry Detergent. Have you looked at the ingredient list. Full of chemicals that may lead to skin irritations, hormone distruptors, possibly cause different forms of cancers. If you don't take my word for it check out the ingredients and look them up.
It is easy to erase all those chemicals and make an all natural detergent for yourself ! Who doesn't love to make things and have the pleasure of seeing all the ingredients included and knowing that they are safe for you. This recipe makes your laundry so soft too!
Ingredients for Living Up North Laundry Detergent:
8 Cups of Baking Soda
6 Cups of Washing Soda
2 Bars of soap, grated (I use Dr. Bronners castile soap, I like this one: Dr. Bronners All-one Hemp Citrus Orange and Dr. Bronners All-one Hemp Tea Tree)
10-15 drops Essential Oils
That is it!
So only 4 ingredients unless you use more than 1 type of essential oil. Also, did you know that you can make Washing Soda out of Baking Soda? Who would of thought? When i started out I mistaken baking soda for being the same thing as washing soda but they are different! They have different properties.
Here is a link that can tell you more about the differences:
As for which oils to use, I like anything citrus, Lemon for example can help boost the cleaning power of this homemade detergent. I use Tea Tree Oil for a lot of different things, as for laundry use it has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. As for other oils to use for scents and different properties I came across another blogger that had different ideas on how to use them and really like them. So below is the attached link, definitely check it out!
Now that you know the recipe for your homemade laundry detergent, you are going to want to know how to use it. I have a front loader HE washer. I load 2 scoops (equals about 4 tablespoons) into the top powder location. My loads are usually very full! If you have a smaller load I would only use 1 scoop (equals about 2 Tablespoons). Also, when I am washing clothes I add 1/4 cup of Vinegar as a softener.
A bonus of making this detergent is that it not only is good for you, it is a lot cheaper in the long run! I buy a huge bag of baking soda from Sam's Club. Which is going to last making this recipe at least 2 times ( which is both baking soda, and washing soda!) great deal! I know some of the HE detergents cost almost $30 and this 1 batch is near a quarter of that. The only thing that can add up is just the starting stages of getting everything including your oils. This recipe can last about 3 months depending on how many loads you do. If you want to make more you can double the recipe and only have to worry about making laundry detergent 2 times a year! Isn't that awesome?!
I hope you enjoy the recipe! Feel free to ask any questions! I'll soon be adding in more posts for turning baking soda into washing soda and making homemade dryer sheets! Stay tuned! **I added the link to the bottom of this page
Below is what the start of Grated Soap Looks like and the final result of the powdered laundry detergent.
Here is the link for turning baking soda into washing soda:
http://livinglittleupnorth.blogspot.com/2016/01/baking-soda-into-washing-soda.html
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