So as I was watching my favorite Youtubers last night, I stumbled upon a video that caught my eye. (Doesn’t that always happen?) She linked a blog post in the description that I had to check out.
If you make your own laundry soap, you really need to read this. http://butterbeliever.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap-diy/
In the post, Emily discusses what homemade laundry soaps are made of, why they aren’t actually cleaning our clothes and bad for our machines, and how we can find an alternative that actually does work.
I’ll admit, I did question my homemade laundry soap to myself before, but I just dismissed the idea. If we want something to work out badly enough, we’ll make it work, whether that’s in reality or just in our minds.
After reading that post, it finally made me want to say what I’ve been wanting to say for a long time. That is, not all non-natural, dare I say “chemicals”, are bad. There are times when natural isn’t always better, or sometimes actually harmful, for us. Think about it. We can’t just go out in the wild and pick any mushroom to eat.
Now, Emily did say that if you use your homemade laundry soap with a washboard, then it should be ok. But I’m guessing most of us aren’t.
So the research for a new laundry detergent begins or possibly a new recipe. I will have to do some research on surfactants and do price comparisons. I hate the idea of buying the premade stuff, but I have a feeling it will be more cost-effective.
I will follow-up in the future with what I’ve decided on. I’m getting low on my homemade stuff(I know I should just toss it at this point, but I don’t have anything else right now.), so I will need to figure out something soon.
Interesting information! I used to make some homemade soap but it was a pink blobby goo. :) Now I just get stuff at the store. Doing stuff homemade here in Panama isn't always cost effective. Ha. :)
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I’ve noticed that there are just some products that make more sense to buy than to make, and I’m thinking this is one of them!
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Interesting. I've had zero problems with my homemade laundry detergent and I've been using it for almost a year now. I do add essential oils into my detergent compartment to help deodorize the clothes. I have not had any issues with the oils staining our clothes. Essential oils are not the same as olive oils or coconut oils etc. My ingredients consist of: 4 – 4 oz bars Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap Fragrance Free (16 ounces total); 4 lbs Baking Soda; 7 lbs Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (1 box); and 3 lbs OxiClean Baby (1 container)
All safe for your skin and HE machine safe.
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I suppose in small quantities, the EO wouldn’t be a problem. I love essential oils, but not in my cleaners. Just a personal preference. Thanks for sharing which soap you use! I’m going to look into it and do more research into this topic for my next post!
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I did some research and found out that although I hate the premade stuff too, it was what I needed to do right now. I will figure it out but too much going on right now. LOL
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We can’t always do it all(actually, we never will be able to do it all), so there are areas where a little give-and-take, so to speak, is ok. And honestly, I’m getting tired of this idea where we have to make everything homemade or all natural, otherwise we are harming ourselves.
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I agree and it is a struggle to try to do everything "homemade". I have a big family and it is hard to build houses and remodel a house and get the garden going and still find family time. Not to mention homeschool with the grandkids. Give-and-take is a good thing right now. LOL
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I simply cannot make everything homemade. Time is finite! So I pick and choose what is doable (generally food) and what I'll survive buying premade (generally household products). Personally, I've been using All Free and Clear for years now and it's been great ;-)))
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Looking forward to seeing what you end up with! I tried the homemade laundry detergent a long time ago, a few versions of it, and it did NOT get the clothes clean at all. They ended up smelling after a while, and quite dingy.
I ended up giving up and just buying a natural detergent from the store, but that is expensive.
Ive also tried soap nuts, and I dont really find those very effective. Maybe I just have too many, too dirty, clothes to wash...
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I’m not looking forward to “stripping” all my clothes. And I definitely don’t want to see the nasty water! I have a feeling there is going to be some trial and error in this search. I am very picky when it comes to my clothes. In the post I linked, she recommended a Young Living detergent. But why would anyone want oil in their clothes?? Sure smells nice, but I doubt the oil comes out. I prefer non-scented anyways.
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Yeah, I love EO's but if you use them continually on your clothes like that, you may end up with issues... I dont know.
I have used this one quite a bit, and I like it. I had quit ordering it though, because the last few times I ordered it, it arrived broken and leaking all over my stuff. :/
It is expensive, but it does last a long time.
Id like to find a local place to buy it.
Ive also tried Mrs Meyers clean day, and it was good, BUT I quit after I realized it has artificial fragrance in it also. :/
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I looked at the one you linked to. That does look like a good one. I looked up the brand name and I see they also make a powder detergent too. (I looked at the details to make sure it was a detergent and not soap) maybe that one is worth a shot?
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Good idea! Ill have to look it up and see! Thanks!
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That was the problem we ran into is it does not get clothes clean and hanging in the closet or in the drawer they start to smell bad after a couple of days. Never had that problem with store bought laundry soap.
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That's good to know. That was next on my list of things to make - homemade laundry soap. I was going to make soap and then grate it, add it to water, and then use it like a liquid laundry soap.
More research for me!
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It’s a bummer, but at least you haven’t caused any damage to your clothes or machine.
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What kind of damage to the washing machine?
And I do use a liquid laundry soap. I am wondering if that is also a bad idea. I am probably going to switch over to one you recommended to see if I notice any changes.
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According to the article, using the soap can cause soap scum buildup. I’m not sure what happens after that, if maybe since you can’t clean out the scum, it won’t clean your clothes very well? I will probably run some vinegar through a wash just in case.
Are you using a homemade one right now or a store bought one?
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It's a store bought laundry soap. I will be trying some of the brands in your post and see if there is an improvement. Thanks again for your help!
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I use pre-made stuff, but try to get the most "natural I can find.
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Your clothes and washer thank you!
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The one I posted a while back works great. It's just baking soda, super washing soda, lavender bronners bars, and oxi free. All A's on the EWG scale. I have used the YL detergent. And I sell YL, and I'm telling you it doesn't get stuff clean. Sometimes we just have to do what we have to do! Sometimes we have to just buy things and do the best that we can at the time.
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Hey, sorry for getting back to you so late! I’ve been doing a lot of searching in hopes to add more info in my follow up post. If that soap works great for you, awesome! I would love to be proven wrong that soaps don’t work in laundry. This topic has led me down quite the rabbit hole lol!
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