No need to move on to batch #2. I love how batch #1 worked! The first load of clothes came out smelling and feeling clean and fresh. When I checked on my homemade laundry detergent this morning, it had thicken up a little. I gave it a little stir and measured out about one cup. It smelled clean, not perfumy or chemically.
I began filling up the washing machine with cold water and added the detergent. I allowed the water level to rise before adding the clothes. There weren't many suds, which is good for the environment, and I believe good for front loading machines as well. Ours is a top loader though, and our water is on the hard side because we haven't added softener salt in forever.
I moved the wet clothes to the dryer without adding any fabric softener. I try not to use fabric softener because of the dangerous chemicals its made with. My mom uses special made dryer balls so she doesn't have to use softener either and they work great. I'm hoping to get some, but in the mean time, clean tennis balls are working great too.
The clothes came out without any static cling, and they smelled clean and fresh, even the unmentionables!
I'm sold on making my own laundry detergent using this recipe. I think using the Ivory bar of soap helped keep the liquid looking white, not a dyed color. I saw online someone who used Lever 2000 and his laundry detergent looked like green slime. Personally, I don't feel the need to add essential oils for scent, but I suppose you could. I liked the clean smell of the Ivory just fine.
I should mention our clothes were dirty but not stained. I may just continue to pre-treat with Shout when we have stains to deal with. Maybe my second laundry test should be to try and develop a cheap, natural stain remover?
13 comments:
glad you had such good luck with it.
Great!!!
Fantastic! I was wondering if this would work in front loading machines. :)
What do you do with tennis balls? Do you just put them loose in dryer with clothes? I'm glad you liked your new laundry soap.
Glad to hear the new laundry soap worked out so well.
Dawn, I usually pretreated with my regular liquid clothes detergent. I put some in a spray bottle, dilute some and treat as needed. :)
I'm sure you could do the same with your new detergent.:)
yay!
You do place the tennis balls in the dryer with the wet clothes. They bounce around helping to fluff up your clothes without chemicals.
I think I've heard of that before. :)
I am SO jealous!! I have been wanting to try this recipe for a long long time but I can't find the Washing Soda ANYWHERE!!!
You can stain treat with plain old dishwashing liquid. Let it sit and then rinse. Also, I have been impressed lately with the many many uses for baking soda and vinegar. I have been using it to supplement my commercial detergent as it is much cheaper, makes the detergent go much further, and makes my clothes smell very fresh and clean. BTW, I have a baby and a Kindergartener, so our clothes get plenty Dirty and Stained.
I wonder if you'll still be okay without those dryer sheets in the winter??? Keep us posted on any alternatives you figure out. I am so curious...
Yeah, washing soda is hard to find around in my area too. Fortunately I'm able to find Lectric soap powder here.... I use it for homemade dish soap too.
Careful with the Borax if you use your waste water on the garden...not good for the veggie patch!
We use an environmentally friendly fabric softner that I really like. Here's a link. I have to use fabric softner.
http://www.ecover.com/us/en/Products/Laundry/20050707+Fabric+Softener+USA.htm
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