This is a great recipe for a natural laundry detergent that is both cost effective and free of chemicals. A big focus of this site is avoiding salicylates and mitigating ADHD, but this recipe is still beneficial to anyone who wants to decrease the chemical load for themselves and their families. One of the things I found most fascinating when researching natural alternatives to food was the fact that some of the biggest offenders aren’t things we actually put in our mouths. Laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, shampoo, soap, deodorant and things like makeup can cause a massive detriment to our health. This is based off of the fact that common items we buy for these purposes are loaded with harmful chemicals and additives and the irony is, we really don’t think of these items as a problem.
I was stunned to realize the level of chemicals that are present in various household items that I was using, so I sought to find some alternatives. This is a great replacement to store bought laundry detergent and is a better option if you are looking for a more natural approach to household products. Additionally, it’s absurdly cost-effective and would be practical for anyone that is looking to decrease their monthly or yearly expenditure on household products. Keep in mind, there are recommendations that come with some of these recipes that include various additives that are not practical for things such as the Feingold Diet. For example, a lot of similar recipes suggest adding essential oils, such as lavender. Lavender is high in salicylates and is going cause a problem to anyone that is looking to mitigate ADHD and similar issues. Similarly, a lot of recipes call for the addition of Borax, which can be great, but also has the potential to cause issues for those with skin sensitivities.
This recipe is a natural alternative that is applicable for anyone that is following the Feingold Diet, as well as anyone that is simply looking for a more cost-effective and natural option to laundry detergent. The specific measurements listed below will make a gallon of laundry detergent, but you can use it to scale if you want to make more or less to suit your needs.
Ingredients
4-6 ounces baking soda
4-6 ounces washing soda
1/4 cup coarse salt (i use canning salt, but make sure it doesn’t have anti-caking agents)
4 ounces of liquid castile soap (i recommend Dr. Bronners baby unscented). You can also use grated bar soap, which is cheaper if you are looking for the most cost-effective option.
*20-30 drops of essential oils* make sure this is appropriate for your diet or nutritional needs before adding this – i personally don’t add this to my mixture.
Instructions
Add the dry ingredients and the liquid soap to a gallon jar. You can use hot water from the tap if you want, but it tends to mix together better when you boil water, or use nearly boiled water to the mixture. If you are using bar soap, you are going to want to first put the grated soap by itself to the jar and add boiled water. Mix the soap and water until it is dissolved and then add the dry ingredients. I also add about a quarter cup of epsom salt to my mixture, as this will help to soften the clothes in the wash.
It’s really as simple as adding the ingredients with hot water and making sure everything is dissolved and mixed together. I find it beneficial to run the jar under hot water in the sink before adding any boiling or very hot water so the jar doesn’t get shocked and break. Once mixed, you can use the solution immediately, or let it wait for a bit to slightly thicken up. You are going to want to use about a quarter cup for an average load, and slightly more if washing a larger load. One of the great things about this recipe is also the fact that baking soda naturally reduces static, so you may or may not need to use dryer sheets. I find it convenient to transfer to smaller 32 ounce jars and refill when necessary. There are also mason jar lids that have a spout, which can make dispensing much easier.
When I first started making this detergent, I had no idea what washing soda was. Washing soda is actually extremely similar to baking soda, as it is just sodium carbonate as opposed to sodium bicarbonate. If you have baking soda and can’t find washing soda in the store, or if you want to save a few dollars, you can simply put baking soda in a oven-safe dish and cook it at 400 degrees for around an hour. This will convert the baking soda to washing soda and you can use it just like you would use store-bought washing soda. All the ingredients in this recipe are extremely cheap and the end product works as well or better than store bought detergent. The added benefit is the fact that decreases the chemical load that we are bombarded with in our every day lives. The last thing I’ll leave you with is that the measurements don’t need to be exact and the mixture doesn’t need to be perfect. I’ve found various mixtures I’ve made with these ingredients to work far better than store bought alternatives.