Laundry is an unavoidable task. Whether you use a laundry service, do it at home, or take it to the dry cleaners, clothes get dirty and need to be washed. The market offers various options, some expensive and highly polluting, so why not try producing an eco-sustainable detergent at home? Not only will we lend a hand toenvironment but costs will also be reduced.
How to produce an eco-sustainable detergent at home
Most traditional laundry detergents also contain chemicals including dioxane, bleach and ammonium sulfate, which impact both human health and the environment. The phosphates in these products enter waterways and cause harmful algae blooms, while the surfactants that help remove dirt and stains from clothing are toxic to aquatic life. Scented detergents contain even more dangerous chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Homemade eco-friendly detergent, on the other hand, does not contain these harmful chemicals. Making it yourself also offers the opportunity to avoid the dyes and fragrances of traditional laundry products that can irritate sensitive skin. You can also choose which ingredients to buy based on the recyclability of the packaging and avoid those huge jugs of detergent.
Here are the steps to produce an eco-sustainable and economical homemade detergent:
Step 1: Assemble the 5 ingredients to produce the eco-friendly detergent.
Probably the most time consuming part is assembling the ingredients. You can find most of them at your local grocery store, but some ingredients (particularly baking soda and Fels Naptha soap) are better when purchased online.
Borax (1 box)
Sodium bicarbonate (1 box)
OxyClean (this is the only plastic you will use)
Fels Naptha soap (2 bars)
Step 2: Grate the soap
You will need to break the soap into small powdery bits, then you will need to grate it. You can do it by hand with a grater (annoying and time consuming!) or use a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, skip this step entirely as it isn’t necessary for the eco-friendly detergent to work but will instead require you to waste some of your precious time grating the soap by hand.
Step 3: Mix everything together
Really, that’s how it is. Take an appropriately sized container and mix. I usually add half the ingredients, mix, then add the other half and mix some more. If you have it, you can use an immersion blender.Done.
Final Tips:
You don’t need to use a lot of this detergent. I use one scoop of coffee (⅛ cup) per load. If the clothes are really dirty, I might add an extra scoop.
By the way, you’ll need a scoop. Simply use the measuring cup provided in OxyClean. It’s ⅛ of a cup.
This is a non-foaming detergent. You’ll have to get over the idea that boiling = clean. We have been cleaning our clothes this way for over a decade and I can assure you that our clothes are clean, no bubbles needed.
This is an eco-friendly, fragrance-free detergent. Once again, you’ll have to get over the idea that chemical scents = clean. In fact, the chemicals in scented laundry detergents are toxic. (You know, in case you needed another reason to do this DIY stuff.) You can, however, add some scented essential oils that will give a very pleasant fragrance to your fabrics without hurting anyone (lavender oil, lemon, orange etc.).
#Ecosustainable #detergent #heres #home
