laundry detergent
Emily Oster
image via joy ever after
We ran out of laundry detergent this past weekend....not exactly a newsworthy statement but it did inspire me to want to make my own which I have been meaning to do for quite some time. I did not have a preference whether it was liquid or dry so I researched both. For dry detergents, I basically came across the same recipe over and over again - some variation of a shaved bar of soap, borax and washing soda. For liquid, it was a similar set of ingredients with additions of white vinegar, castille soap, boiling water and essential oils. I was about to just go with a standard dry recipe (seemed easier than the liquid) but then realized I wasn't sure what borax was and should probably look into it if I was trying to be more eco and health friendly. What I learned was that the use of Borax is rather controversial - some sources say totally safe, others say not so much. So I decided I would rather be safe than sorry and find a recipe that didn't call for Borax. Here is the one I found via Thank Your Body
1 bar castille soap (shaved)
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/4 coarse sea salt
Unfortunately, the ingredients were not as easy to find as I had hoped. I found the castille soap at Trader Joe's and the sea salt and baking soda at my local grocery but was not able to find the washing soda or citric acid. This means that I will have to order the supplies online and consequently, did not end up making my homemade laundry detergent. However, I plan on ordering the necessary supplies this week and making my attempt as soon as they arrive so keep an eye out for a follow up post.
Any readers make their own detergent? Suggestions for me?