DIY Laundry Detergent: Tips for Success, and Things to Consider
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DIY laundry soap was trending hard last year, and I jumped in, hook, line and sinker. Yes it was pre-made recipe. But a really good one. The book has a THIRD EDITION available; I bought the original almost 7 years ago, and never looked back. The Naturally Clean Home, by Karyn Siegel-Maier is brilliant, thorough, and easy to use. From hardwood floors, to dish soap, window wash, dryer sheets, silk, wool, she has covered everything.
I have been making my own detergent for about a year, and I love it! I have tried other sustainable brands, but I have to say, they haven’t compared. However, there were some adjustments I’ve had to make since doing it myself; not so much in the formula; the recipes are solid. Managing my colours and the load itself isn’t harrowing, it just means I have some things I need to pay more attention to:
My laundry retained more moisture, thus, the dry cycle can be longer, especially for towels, but it really depends on your machine.
Soap flakes are not commonly sold in the stores in Toronto. So I got laundry soap bars, (Linda, Nature Clean or The Soap Company), and grated it myself. As with many things DIY, if you’re going to make it yourself, a little exercise never hurt. If you are prone to the path of least resistance, try amazon for soap flakes.
Since the emergence of front-loading laundry machines, soap makers have had to re-engineer the detergents to work in an upright hamster wheel alignment without the centre agitator that has been the standard of all and original top-loader machines. You know – that centre cone-thing in the old-school machines that grandma refuses to get rid of? Yeah. The laundry cycle has since ballooned from a 30minute cycle to a “standard” 1hr wash.
Front loaders are also engineered to wash with a minimal use of water. This means that your laundry detergent also contain chemical agents that help your garments either to hold less water, or dry faster in the dryer. (I want to say it with a tinge of “conspiracy”, but I was actually taught this in fabric sciences class, AND noticed as soon as I switched). Europe was ahead of the laundry technology and the first front loaders launched in 2001.
To the point listed above, you should get to know your fabrics, and make the effort to read your clothing tags when you shop. You will notice that all, if not most of your tags will instruct you to dry clean. Don’t. There should also be a list of fibers. If its high end, natural fibers, you should see a list of symbols for washing instructions. I already know that if you are under 30, you (generally) most likely have no idea what they mean. I linked it for you from the consumers office (Canada). You can even download it if you like. You’re welcome.
That being said, SEPARATE YOUR LAUNDRY. I always separate my laundry. Each time you do this you win non-lazy points while extending the life of garments! Whites go with whites; colours with colours, separate bath towels from rags/cleaning towels, etc. Your modern front loading machines are engineered for specific loads. Take advantage of it and don’t just shove it all in, hoping for the best. Your filthy work clothes must stay away from dress clothes and underwear that get minimal use by comparison; there’s only so much soap to go around and mixing filthy clothes with underwear is just nasty!
I should remind you that making dry laundry soap is flexible! It’s equal parts washing soda, baking soda and soap flakes and 20 drops of essential oils per 3 cups of detergent. If you’re addicted to liquids because you’re superstitious, the book also covers liquid – but for a simpler read, lets stick to dry soap. I also had to make provisions for other laundry soap users. I made sure the bucket contained clear instructions, while the measuring cup was the standard unit of 1/2 cup.
To clarify, when using the soap, it’s 1/2 cup for regular load, and goes up by 1/4 cup depending on the size and soil. Knowing the family I have, I made sure to specify exact amounts per load type – forget educating, just give directions – no one wants to stand there with their laundry. As a bonus, the detergent added directly into the drum.
Bonus: Washing soda and how to make that too (why not?):
I recently ran out of washing soda during a holiday weekend and was not motivated to get more (because where the hell am I to find that, when everyone is closed?). But I did have an excess amount of leftover baking soda squirrelled away in the house…
To make matters so much easier, or more tedious, depending on your constitution for labour, I did find a brilliant solution to getting washing soda while staying put – I baked the baking soda… Yeah this works – 45mins at 425 degrees will dehydrate the soda of the carbon dioxide and water, converting it to sodium carbonate – washing soda! Be careful not to inhale; this is highly caustic.
I’ve scoured the internet for second opinions on the time required. Other websites say 1hr. As long as the texture becomes dry and sandy, you’ve done your job. But just to be sure, I’ve had it in the oven for 1.5hrs. It’s also something you can’t over-bake, so that takes the anxiety out.
The Naturally Clean Home is an excellent read. As with all guide books I pick up, I tend to read the chapter a couple of times and pick a recipe that appeals to my own penchant for the least cumbersome route. This detergent is a game changer, as my skin no longer reacts from the detergent. If you’ve looked to alternatives and come up empty, try it. It takes 30 minutes to make a month’s supply!