The Laundry Room

One fateful day a couple of years ago, I briefly scanned a post on Facebook about making your own laundry soap.  I had no idea such a thing was possible!  I remembered an off-hand comment another friend had made probably 10 years earlier, while working for a detergent company, about all the bad stuff in commercial laundry detergents.  At the time, though, I thought there was no other option except dirty clothes.  I became a little bit obsessed with the idea of an alternative.

A couple weeks after I first saw the post I was still thinking about it.  I went back through the old posts to read it more thoroughly.  I started researching the idea and found several similar recipes.  I bored my husband to tears talking about it.  I decided to give it a try and started looking for the ingredients.  I had a little trouble finding a couple things locally, so I ordered them on-line.  When the package arrived it felt like Christmas and I couldn't wait to get home and try it out.  I had fantasies of starting a no-detergent revolution.  It’s silly how excited I was.

I made my first batch about 18 months ago and never turned back.  I have seen no difference in the feel or cleanliness of my clothes.  I think my whites are staying white a little longer and my colors may be fading a little less, but it isn't a drastic change and I haven't done a side-by-side comparison to make sure.  The soap handles my 7-year-old son's messes as well as anything commercial I've used, though I do still occasionally pre-treat a stain.

I spent about $20 dollars on ingredients including shipping for the on-line purchase.  I'm about halfway through the last batch I'll be able to make from that original purchase, so I've spent $20 on laundry detergent in 18 months.   I’m actually only out of one ingredient and I've since found everything I need locally, so my next batches will be even cheaper.  I make liquid and pour it into old gallon milk jugs, so no more wasted packaging, either. The make-it-yourself hook is set for me.

Now I needed a fabric softener alternative.  In the warmer months I don’t really need softener at all with this soap, but winter months mean static.  I tried several green varieties which were just fine, but it was always in the back of my mind to find something to make myself.  I'm also not a huge fan of lavender and it seems everything "green" is lavender scented.  Recently I read that some people use white vinegar in place of fabric softener.  I was skeptical but figured it probably wouldn't hurt and I could always re-wash the clothes if they smelled like salad dressing.  I've now done about a dozen loads with vinegar in the softener dispenser and am quite impressed.  No smell at all and the clothes feel like they were washed with softener.  Even my fleece was free of static and I can't say the same with traditional fabric softener.  I’ve read the vinegar will also help the soap rinse cleaner, help balance the ph of the water and help prevent fading (many dyes are “set” with vinegar).  I'm sticking with it!

It takes me about 15 minutes every 3 months or so to make laundry soap.  Here's the recipe I use:

Liquid Laundry Detergent (2 gallons): 2 quarts hot water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated (I've read you can use other vegetable-based bar soaps - several suggest Ivory or Zote. I'm going to try castile soap for my next batch.)
1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)
1/2 cup Borax
1 quart hot water
Additional Hot Water to make 2 gallons

Mix grated soap in a saucepan with 2 quarts hot water and heat on low until melted. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax until dissolved and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture cools and thickens. It will separate and gel a bit as it cools. This is normal. Mix well when cool – I use a wand mixer to really smooth it out - and transfer to tightly covered containers for storing.  Mix/shake well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

I prefer liquid for my HE machine, but the powder variety is even easier to make:

Powdered Laundry Detergent 1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap (again, the other options should work, too)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon.  For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

You may need to tinker a bit to get the right recipe for you.  Washing Soda and Borax are water softeners and help boost the effectiveness of the soap. You may need to bump those up if you have really hard water or step them down if you have really soft water. You can also add essential oil if you like scent, but I was surprised to find I prefer the no scent results. 

So how does this balance for me?
Heart/Body/Mind: Fairly neutral – I do feel better in my heart about having fewer chemicals in my laundry, but I believe the direct impact on our health is minimal.
Time: Pretty neutral on time as well.  It takes a few minutes to make, but I can skip the laundry aisle when I'm shopping.
My Wallet: The laundry soap is cheap and vinegar is even cheaper - definitely a huge savings over time!
The Earth:  A definite improvement for the earth in both chemicals and packaging.