DIY Week: Earth-Friendly Laundry Soap

It looks like flour with cheese in it.  But it is actually my laundry soap.  Or should I call it my laundry mix, since its only part soap?  Its not a detergent; surprise, surprise, I'm allergic to those.  Whatever we call it, it is what I use to do my laundry.  Since Wednesday is laundry day, our DIY is about my laundry mix! (that doesn't sound right, need a new name.)

The mix I make is a bare bones washing mix.  It has 3 sometime 4 ingredients.  It works well, has no strong perfumes, and is not bad for the environment.  Three-way win!

This batch used:

1/2 bar of Castile laundry soap

2 cups of borax

2 cups of baking soda

(and usually 2 cups of washing soda, but I didn't have any.  It will still work without it.)

Grate the soap.  I use a grater that I don't use for food.  I bought it at the dollar store for DIY-ing, not cooking. 

Mix the grated soap with the other ingredients.  And that's it.  I store the soap in an old Soy-Protein powder jug because it is a great size and has a 2 tbsp scoop in it.  Perfect for storing our laundry mix.

To use it, scoop 2-4 tbsp of mix per load into the washer while the water is running before you add your clothes.  We has always used liquid detergents, so I didn't know this gem of information.  Let the mix lather and dissolve, add clothes and launder as usual.   The best part about this recipe, is that you don't need to use any of that toxic fabric softener either.  Baking soda acts as a water softener, and makes your clothes really soft afterwards.  

 

There are still 3 more days of DIY Week left!  

Every day this week I will be sharing a new DIY project.  I hope you find them useful!