I have always had sensitive skin. Growing up, I would always get eczema on my inner elbows and rashes on my body from my clothing [actually from laundry detergent and fabric softeners], which led to doctor visits for special creams. If you suffer from eczema, try replacing the toxic ingredients that come in contact with your skin (laundry detergent, fabric softener, skin cream, body wash, etc) and watch your skin clear up! The smell was also way to much for me and caused headaches. I cannot and will not walk down that aisle at the store – without a proper gas mask of course. Oh the never-ending toxin cycle… anyhow, my lovely Mama would try to help by decreasing the amount of detergent used, buying “more natural” detergents or cutting the fabric softener sheets in half.

Fast forward to high school where I started to experiment with and make my own natural products: Homemade Natural Laundry Detergent was born! Finally! An all-natural allergen-free laundry detergent that is safe and effective! No eczema here 🙂 Clothing now smells like clothing… not like a fake spring breeze.

What is in commercial laundry detergent?

• ethanalomine (skin irritant, allergen, organ toxicity)
• fragrance (this ingredient is so horrible it makes me want to scream from the rooftops)
• surfactants (carcinogen, hormone disruptor)
• 1,4-dioxane (carcinogen, organ toxicity, skin irritant)

That’s just a few of many other toxic ingredients used. Why should this matter to you? Interested in having allergies, skin and eye irritations, organ toxicity, respiratory issues, possibly cancer, or other health problems? Clean laundry may not be that ‘clean’ after all.

How to make Natural Laundry Detergent

Start by grating 1 bar of castile soap right into the container of choice [do not choose plastic if including essential oils]. There are unscented or scented versions to choose from. This adds the cleaning power! I use the regular size on my grater but I have read that others use a food processor to break up the soap.

Next add 1 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Washing soda is a great stain remover and boosts the effectiveness of detergent. Baking soda helps to deodorize, remove stains, whiten white clothing and brighten colours. Both ingredients help to soften water for maximum cleanliness!

Add 1/2 cup of coarse salt. It helps to prevent the bleeding of colours from one piece of clothing to the other.

Add in 10-20 drops of essential oils. My favourites for laundry include:

• Purification EO Blend (Young Living)
• Deodorizing EO Blend (Plant Therapy)
• Lemon EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy)
• Lavender EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy)
• Patchouli EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy)
• Juniper EO (Young Living or Plant Therapy)

{I use and recommend Young Living Essential Oils and Plant Therapy Essential Oils because they are 100% pure quality essential oils. There are other reputable essential oil companies to purchase from. Your local drug store’s cheap essential oil can give you a rash and not have the same positive effects because most only contain about 10% of the pure oil and the rest is filled with synthetics. Do your research and find a company you feel comfortable purchasing from.}

Finally stir the powder well to distribute everything equally. Voila! Add about 1 tablespoon to an average load [adjust this depending on your load size and dirt level of clothing]. I add the detergent right into the washer with the clothing.

Enjoy clean clothes!

Psst… some extra tips

Pour white vinegar in fabric softener dispenser (or in one of those dispenser balls) for soft clothes. No it will not make your clothing smell like vinegar AT ALL. Vinegar will help to deodorize clothing and any smell will be gone by the time the laundry is finished.

The detergent can be added right into the washer (doesn’t matter if top or front loading) or into the dispenser for powder detergent.

I usually triple or quadruple this recipe and it lasts forever. However, one batch of this recipe will last for about 60 loads of laundry!

I have tried this recipe in cold, warm, and hot water, and it works effectively in all.

This recipe is safe to use in HE washing machines since it is low sudsing [I have one!]

Not a DIYer? Here are some natural alternatives to purchase

• MamaSuds Laundry Detergent Soap
• Better Life Laundry Detergent

Happy Laundry Days 🙂

Have you made your own laundry detergent? What’s in your recipe?