Hello. My name is Mandy. And I’m a Pinterest addict.
It shouldn’t surprise you that I am on the DIY bandwagon as well. With my son and I each being diagnosed with asthma in the past two winters, I’m especially interested in the homemade cleaning products that are currently making their rounds. I can’t help but wonder if there might be some chemical in our lives that is exacerbating our breathing problems. I’ve always had a bit of a nagging cough in the winter time, but this year, it seems like I’m fighting a never-ending battle to keep bronchitis at bay.
Needless to say, I’ve become very interested in all of the DIY homemade cleaning product recipes I’ve encountered on Pinterest. Many of these recipes call for natural ingredients like vinegar and lemon juice instead of the many unpronounceable chemicals found in most store-bought cleaning products.
But it’s not just the asthma/chemicals in our laundry detergent that has me concerned. Have you purchased laundry detergent lately? It’s outrageous! There’s no reason why laundry detergent (which is mostly made of water, by the way) should be as expensive as it has become. That’s why I chose homemade laundry detergent for my first DIY cleaning supply project.
First I tried a liquid laundry detergent recipe that required I go buy a stock pot ($30, yikes!) which I ended up returning to the store because the non-stick coating peeled off the first time I used it. My homemade liquid laundry detergent refused to congeal, and I ended up with a watery mix that separated between each use. It was still useable, but didn’t work as well as I had hoped. And since I was having second thoughts about purchasing another $30 stock pot when one of my main reasons for making my own laundry detergent was to save money, I decided to look for alternate recipes.
I finally stumbled upon a powdered laundry detergent recipe that I just love. This one requires just 3 ingredients:
- A bar of grated soap (I prefer the fresh scent and cleaning power of Fels Naptha)
- 1 cup Borax
- 1 cup washing soda
I made some cute little labels for my laundry detergent containers: one telling me what’s in the container and how much to use, the other reminding me of the ingredients so I don’t have to dig around for the recipe when the time comes to replenish my supply.
I’ve never really been a fan of dry laundry detergents, but I love the scent of this mixture, and it’s so much easier to make than the liquid versions that require cooking in large, expensive pots. This also works well in my HE washer, and I love that I only need a tablespoon per load. All in all, I’m happy with my new homemade laundry detergent, and I will not be buying those expensive store-bought detergents anymore!
Have you tried any new DIY projects you’ve found on Pinterest? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Related articles
- Homemade Laundry Detergent (brandemaeskitchen.wordpress.com)
- All Detergent Powder – The Safest And Most Effective Laundry Detergent (ruralstops.blogspot.com)
- Mrs. Money: Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent (savings.com)
- Stay away from Pinterest (writeontheworld.wordpress.com)
- Dropps Laundry Detergent – Review (thebeautifullagoon.com)
- Laundry Freebies (savings.com)
- Soap Nuts and Other Green Laundry Detergents (myessentia.com)
- Rockin’ Green Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent 4/22 (US) (formulamom.com)
- DIY Dishwasher Detergent [Household] (lifehacker.com)
- DIY Dishwasher Detergent (angsays.wordpress.com)
- A Clean Recipe (seraphim6.wordpress.com)
- All-Natural, Cheap, and Easy Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener Recipes (heallovebe.wordpress.com)
- How to make your own cleaning products in under 5 min (ssimplyme.com)
- The 3 Best Eco-Friendly Non Toxic DIY Laundry Cleaners (mysweetgreens.com)
- Homemade Laundry Detergent (florenceandmillie.com)
- Time For Spring Greening! (mommybusinessowner.wordpress.com)
- Watch and Learn: Make Your Own Spring Cleaning Products (dailysavings.allyou.com)
- 10 Eco-Friendly DIY Spring Cleaning Ideas (thefrisky.com)
- DIY Laundry Detergent – for those of us that like to smell RUGGED Mid-Afternoon Mental Moment (runningnakedwithscissors.wordpress.com)
Write on the World 
I’m loving all the homemade cleaning products I’m finding on the web.
You’re on to something there about the asthma and toxic cleaners. My son and I had problems breathing and I cut out all of the toxins in our house ~ we’re both breathing just fine and have been for many years.
Have fun on Pinterest!
Were you ever able to pinpoint any particular toxins that seemed to trigger your breathing problems? I’m working my way through the house looking for chemicals to remove, and it’s just overwhelming once you realize just how many chemicals there are. I’m searching for alternatives for everything!
No, that would’ve been smart. I just got rid of everything that was toxic and replaced it all with ecofriendly cleaners. I really like Seventh Generation products but use a mix of things. They take a little more elbow grease, but it’s worth it to breathe better. Good luck in your search!
Oh, vinegar and baking soda are amazing cleaners. I use vinegar in my laundry as a softener and it works great.
I am loving my homemade laundry detergent! Wish I had switched earlier.
Reblogged this on Brande Mae's Kitchen and commented:
The labels are such a nice touch. I have my detergent (liquid) in a butter tub.
Cleaning supplies are really cheap on the internet…
<a href="Hottest article on our very own blog page
http://www.melatoninfaq.com/
Borax is banned in the UK but I find the washing soda and soap work just fine on their own,I have been using this for years,I would never go back to buying powder,I use pure vegetable soap and add a few drops of lemon oil because I love the smell.