Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

OK . . . as much as I have enjoyed using my gel-type laundry detergent over the years, I'm often asked if I have a recipe for a liquid laundry detergent. And I have to admit, I'm interested in trying it, myself.

Well, my friend, sweet Nanny Dearest, was the one who pushed me over the edge & caused me to research an easy-to-make, easy-to-use, EFFECTIVE liquid detergent recipe. And I believe I have found it . . . with, as always, a little tweaking of my own. lol ~ you KNOW I have to. O:-)

***This recipe makes 2 gallons, it's VERY EASY to cut in 1/2 if you only want to make 1 gallon.

You will need:

~3/4 c. LIQUID castile soap ~I always use Dr. Bronner's because it's a product that I trust for quality & effectiveness. If using "green" products is important to you, this is the one for you, too. I also usually buy the UNscented/Baby soap. These products are available at health food stores & many major grocery stores that are adding "healthy" areas (like Kroger) now carry them.
~1/2 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!!!)
~1/2 c. 20 Mule Team Borax
~25-50 drops of your favorite essential oil. I usually use Lavender b/c it is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal & it smells lovely. If you would like some ideas of other essential oils for the laundry check out this post.
~2 gallon bucket, dedicated only to making soaps & laundry products. Be sure to LABEL it so that no one in your family accidentally uses it for cooking. 
~HOT water
~Measuring cup for liquids
~Large-mouth Funnel
~large spoon or whisk
~2 empty gallon jugs or old liquid laundry bottles OR 1 if you are using the 1/2 recipe. 

Directions:

1) In the bucket, mix the 2 powdered products WELL. Whisking blends a little better than using a spoon.
2) Add enough HOT water to cover the dry products. Whisk or stir until the powders are COMPLETELY dissolved.
3) Slowly add the Castile soap; if you add it too fast it will suds. Using a large spoon, stir to mix completely.
4) Using HOT water, slowly fill to the 2 gallon mark OR 1 gallon mark for 1/2 recipe.
5) Add your favorite essential oil & mix well, using the spoon.
6) Use the measuring cup & funnel to fill your container. As these photos (from Google Images) shows, you can use nearly anything that hold liquid & has a good cap/lid for your detergent. :-)

 To show you what you can use, this is what I used to keep my gel-type detergent in. It would work for the liquid, too.

To Use:
1) Shake well before each use.
2) Use approximately 1/3 c for each load. 2 gallons is good for about 90-100 loads!!  

I will up-date this next week w/my own photos. :-) 

Let me know how you LOVE this!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Essential Oil Chart for Laundry

In her book "The Naturally Clean Home," Karyn Siegel-Maier has a great list of suggested essential oils for our homemade laundry detergents ~ gel or dry. I usually use 30 drops of Lavender per gallon b/c it is "just enough" fragrance & it is antibacterial.

Here's her list of suggested essential oils with their benefits:

~Cedar: adds a clean, woodsy scent
~Chamomile: soothing
~Eucalyptus: excellent for colds & sinus trouble
~Lavender: relaxing & antibacterial
~Lemon: stimulating, helps whiten laundry
~Peppermint: good for colds & sinus trouble
~Rose geranium: adds a romantic scent
~Rosemary: calming - but often stimulating on its own [**NOT suitable for wool, silk or satin]
~Sweet orange: helps remove stains & whiten laundry
~Tea tree: antibacterial & antifungal

Here's an idea: make the laundry detergent, as usual, but do not add the essential oil & then, for EACH load, add your desired scent to the softener dispenser of your washing machine. This would be especially good for adding eucalyptus or peppermint for colds or for adding chamomile or lavender for babies or someone undergoing some sort of stress.

Blessings from Ohio...Kim<><

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is one of the simplest and most effective recipes for homemade laundry detergent. Our family has used this for quite some time and we love it. Once the initial purchases are made my laundry only costs about 3-5 cents per load! It's my understanding that you CAN use this in front-loading machines b/c it's a gel and not a liquid; plus it is low suds.
And you know you have something good when your almost 22 year old DD says, "One of these days, when I leave home, will you still make this for me?" lol

First, you must to collect the things you'll need to make your soap:

A large pot and a WOODEN spoon DEDICATED to ONLY making soap; I label mine w/a Sharpie marker so that no one will confuse them for cooking utensils - even though I don't actually keep them in my kitchen, you never know and you want to be safe. You also need a box of Arm & Hammer WASHING Soda and 20 Mule Team Borax, along w/a bar of Fels Naptha Soap - these items are found in the laundry isle of your grocery - and Lavender essential oil - it's antibacterial AND it smells SO good! And while you're in your kitchen, grab a hand grater and med-sized dessert-type plate.

And don't forget a container w/a good lid to keep your finished product in! This is what I use - an old popcorn bucket - so it doesn't have to be anything fancy.

Pour 16 c. of water into your pot and let it be warming on MEDIUM heat while your are preparing your other ingredients.

Grate 1/2 of the Fels Naptha bar...

Add 1/2 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda...

Then 1/2 c. 20 Mule Team Borax...

Mix them together a little...

And w/the wooden spoon, scoop the ingredients into the warm water...

Bring heat up to MED-HIGH and...

Add approximately 30-40 drops of Lavender essential oil, stir until soap bits are dissolved and then stir occasionally while this heats up for about 20 minutes...

After it has all dissolved and is well stirred, remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour.

You can see that after if has sat for 1 hour that it is starting to gell-up.

Then just pour the partially gelled detergent into your storage container, top w/the lid and let it finish gelling. If you made your detergent in the morning it should be ready to use by the evening, other-wise, just wait until the next morning.

Use a 1/2 c. or so in each load - if I'm doing a large load I will add a little more. I use the screw-off lid of an old detergent bottle. **DO NOT put the gelled detergent in your washer's detergent dispenser!! Simply put it in the washer w/your clothes.

This has gotten out all sorts of stains for me. If the stain is really bad - and if "someone forgot" to tell me that their favorite shirt has some sort of stain on it and it has set in - I take an old toothbrush, get a little detergent on it and brush WELL across the stain and then let it sit for an hour or so, after that I wash it as usual and the stain is generally gone.

I have never had any desire to go back to store-bought detergent. I hope you enjoy this.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

**NOTE** 5/24/12 ~ I know some ladies really like to use Zote soap in their recipes instead of Fels Naptha. I thought I would try it & see which I liked better & I have to say that I will be going back to using the Fels. I was UNimpressed w/the Zote. I didn't like the sharp, industrial smell of the Zote, so I had to add more lavender essential oil & it also seems that it took longer to melt. Thought you'd like to know. **5/27/12 ~ 2nd update ~ my family so so displeased w/the detergent I made w/the Zote bar that they have asked me to throw it out & make a new batch the way I always have w/the recipe above, using a Fels Naptha bar. ~worth knowing~