These days, there’s a plethora of laundry detergents available on the market, each one claiming to be better than the other They come in all sorts of formulations to provide all sorts of needs by, allegedly, modern-day consumers. However, at the end of the day what the average consumer wants is clothes that are clean and nice-smelling.
It’s not just confusion and headache that you may end up with while choosing from among the hundreds of laundry detergents that line today’s supermarket aisles, but also a lot of other problems the minute you start using them — skin irritation and hormonal imbalance are the top ones. Some of them can even be poisonous when ingested, which makes them unsuitable for households with children.
Then there’s also the fact that a lot of them can harm the environment. Each time they are used, they end up contaminating soil and water, thus poisoning plants and animals that come into contact with them.
If all you want is to clean your clothes without endangering your skin, health, little children and plant and animal life, then it’s a good idea to steer clear of detergents that guarantee to change the way you launder your clothes. What you need to do instead is switch to something that contains all-natural ingredients, like herbs. Unfortunately, they are very, very rare these days! You usually have to comb the entire city or internet just to find a good one.
Fret not if you cannot seem to find a really nice all-natural laundry detergent after spending hours and hours asking around, behind the wheel or on the internet. That’s because you can actually make one from scratch using ingredients that you can buy at most supermarkets and health food stores.
Here are some simple recipes on making superb herbal laundry detergents:
Recipe #1
Ingredients:
2 cups of washing soda
2 cups of borax
1 cup of grated castile soap
2 to 3 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil
Directions:
-All you need to do is combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
-Place in an airtight container and store in a cool and dry place.
-Use 1/4 cup for extra dirty loads. Otherwise, 1/8 cup will already do.
Recipe #2
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of washing soda
1/4 cup of borax
1/4 cup of liquid castile soap
2 teaspoons of lemon grass essential oil
3 liters of warm water
Directions:
-In a large pail, dissolve all of the ingredients in warm water.
-Divide into several plastic or glass containers that are clean.
-Use 1/4 cup for every load. Opt for 1/2 cup for heavy or dirty loads.
-Before using, shake very well.
Recipe #3
Ingredients:
2 cups of washing soda
1 cup of grated castile soap
1 teaspoon of lemon essential oil
Directions:
-In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
-Transfer to an airtight container. Keep it in a cool and dry area.
-Use only 1/8 cups for regular loads. For heavy or really dirty loads, use up to 1/2 cup.
Recipe #4
Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water
2 cups of liquid castile soap
1/2 cup of methylated spirits
3 teaspoons of eucalyptus essential oil
Directions:
-Combine all of the ingredients in a basin.
-Transfer to a clean plastic or glass container.
-Use 3 to 5 tablespoons per load.
-Shake very well before using.
If you know of a really amazing herbal laundry detergent recipe, feel free to share it in the comments section below so that others may give it a try, too!
