Posted in Home, Home Archive, Home Recipes | Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Here’s one that will save you tons of money and it’s better for you, your home, the environment, your clothes AND your washing machine. (Even if it’s one of those new fangled HE ones).
Directions:
1. Grate the soap. I use the medium grade side.You can use the smallest grade if you want, but it takes longer. (I usually do this while watching TV or simmering dinner or even on the phone.)
I found this FAB grater at IKEA. It’s basically a container with grater top. Perfect for containing the grated soap!
2. Pour all dry ingredients into an airtight container and add 3 drops of essential oil (I like lavender) shake vigorously to mix. This makes about 3.5 cups of detergent, BUT you don’t need to use as much as you would if you were using conventional detergent. You could always double or triple this recipe if you want.
How to use:
Even though I have a front load washer, I like to let a little water in the washer first, then add the powder and then the clothes. For particularly large dirty loads,stop the washer and let the clothes soak for a little while, and then continue the cycle. This soap powder does NOT gets very sudsy because there’s no sulfates in it. Don’t worry, your clothes are getting clean.NOTE: Even though these ingredients are better for you and the environment than traditional detergents, THEY ARE STILL CLEANING PRODUCTS. Please use the same “common-sense” precautions you would as with other cleaning products. (In other words, don’t eat it, ok?)
I'm a little obsessed with how things work, how things are made, how things grow and how they affect us. I am not a doctor, hairdresser or nutritionist. I'm a wife and a homeowner with a job, a crazy cat and not enough hours in the day. I believe being healthy doesn't have to be complicated, being green can be easy and being broke isn't an option. Enjoy!
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[...] So here’s what I do: What you’ll need: 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide or Ecover 3 tbsps Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent 2 scoops Oxo Brite dissolved in warm water (I have a 3lb container that lasts for months, but you [...]
This is great! Lumberjack is gonna like this… Sexy and Savvy Brown… I love it!
@Oju “Lumberjack” I love THAT!
Hi,
I just subscribed to your blog. I love it. I have a question about the Ikea grator shown in the blog entry on Jan. 30th. I have searched their site and have not found it yet. Can you help me locate it by giving me the measurements of this grator and possibly the name?
Thanks so much! I am a big fan of all things homemade!
@Lowbudget hi there! Thanks so much for subscribing! And I’m glad you like the site! I don’t know the name of the grator, but I didn’t find it online. I found it at the Ikea store in the Marketplace section in one of those bins out in the middle of the floor. They come two in a pack. One blue and one red. The red one has bigger grating blades on it. HTHhttp://savvybrown.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?p=753&approved=1#comments-form
Thanks for replying to my comment. My friend is going to IKEA in Ohio and she is willing to try and locate this item for me.
Great! Lemme know how it goes!
My friend was able to locate the grater for me. Thanks so much for your help. Making the homemade laundry detergent will be less messy now.
@Lowbudget Great! It does make it infinitely easier. Good luck!
I just made my 1st batch of laundry powder. I used Dr. Bronners citrus soap and I added 2 drops of geranium ess. oil and 1 drop of lemon oil…smells sooooo good. Washing a load of sheets with it now. Will let you know how it turns out
Please do! I’d love to try it! I just made some with Dr. Bronner’s lavender castille soap and that smells good too! I never thought of using geranium, that would make a good air freshener too!
Worked like a charm. Sheets came out clean and smelled as fresh as if I had dried them on the clothes line. Love it.
Yaaaay!!! I KNOW you’d put me on blast if it didn’t work! LOL Thanks for coming back and telling us the results!