After learning more about the chemicals in commercial cleaners and the harm they can do long after they go down the drain, I decided to start making my own household cleaners.
During some online research, I found a great homemade laundry soap recipe. It has only three ingredients: 2 cups borax, 2 cups washing soda and 4 cups grated homemade bar soap (or Ivory or Fels Naptha). Mix these ingredients together and store them in a container, and use one-fourth to one-third cup of the homemade laundry soap per load.
It costs pennies to make and works fine for my family’s laundry. There are no harsh chemicals in this recipe, and no need to use laundry softener. You can add an essential oil for fragrance if your soap bar isn’t scented.
At first, I had a hard time finding the washing soda that the recipe calls for, but after a little more research, I discovered it’s the same thing as “pH PLUS” (sodium carbonate), a swimming pool compound found in the pool section of stores during summer. Some stores carry it in the laundry section, too. Happy greener cleaning!
Lisa Ifland
