For over a year now, properly more closer to two years, I’ve been trying to find alternatives for cleaning products that don’t contain chemicals that I could make at home with common products that I had at home in my cupboards that I use for baking etc.
I’ve got soap nuts that I really like, but I forgot to grab the essential oil at the same time, and didn’t want to pay for extra shipping just to send out one item which the shipping would most likely be close to the cost of half the product, the bags after time about a year and a bit started to all apart, so I kinda gave up, but I was thinking about that today as what would I want to use, the first thing was Hemp, I have some Hemp dish cloths, so I might cut them up and sew them in to little bags for the soap nuts.
While I was hitting a brick wall I wanted to find other ways to have chemical free washing powder, I have tried a few recipes, a lot I found had Borax in them, that’s something I don’t really know much about, when checking it out there is different views on it weather it’s a chemical or not, so for me it was something I wanted to stay away from.If I had to purchase things I wanted to be able to use them in making other things also, but also that I could also leave out.
I tried different recipes, one I liked one of the products at the supermarket went from $1 to $4 something so it became not economical to make.I decided to play with the recipes I found online and add things that I had found that would help with anti bacterial and anti fungal side of things also.
After playing this is the recipe I’ve been using for the last two months after testing and adjusting it, you might want to use it as a base to try and adjust what works for you.
Ingredients
2x 500g Baking Soda (bicarbonate of soda) tubs
1 heaped Tablespoon of Citric Acid
1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Optional – this is the one I use as its – Fair Trade & 100% Certified Organic also)
5-10mls Dr Bronner’s 18 in 1 Hemp Lavender Pure Castile Soap (optional – & can be any Dr Bronners Pure Castile Soaps)
5mls White Vinegar
40mls Water
Tip one of the Baking Soda Tubs 500g into a oven dish and cook for 30 mins. When finished take out and leave to cool.
When cooled put the cooked baking soda - (which is now called washing soda as it′s been cooked and done some funky chemical changing in the oven) into the container that you will keep the washing powder in. Pour in the other tub of Baking Soda and the Citric Acid.
Put in the Coconut Oil, Pure Castile Soap (if using it), and the water. Mix together, the Coconut Oil if solid will need to be squished around through the mix with the back of a spoon.
Finished Washing Powder, now ready to use, I use the old spoon I had from a store brought washing powder which is about a tablespoon, I use one tablespoon per wash.
I use the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil as it has Anti Bacterial and Anti Fungal Properties in it.
The Hemp Castile Soap has Organic Coconut Oil in it also - Hemp possess antibacterial activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria.
So I double dose my washing powder with Organic Coconut Oil.
White Vinegar is a great disinfectant, It also acts as a deodorizer and cuts through grease.
The Coconut Oil and the Hemp Castile Soap are both optional, if you don't use them you might want to add 1-2 drops essential oil in so that it has a nice smell, other wise it will smell like wet washing.
Thanks for stopping by and reading our post on Homemade Washing Powder hope it was helpful we are also over on biglipsbudgetmama.com were we blog about products, budgeting and other things.
Have a Wonderful Day/Evening!
Sorry I didn't see this in time to upvote you. I will try this recipe out, thanks very much for sharing!
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No worries at all.
Thank you for stopping by, let us know how it goes for you
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That's really cool! I made homemade shampoo before but never washing powder.
I have some questions if I may ask:
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Thank You @exyle,
Would love to see how you make your shampoo, I've tried water and Aloe Vera Gel, but that doesn't have a great shelf life, only two days.
Fire the questions ahead.
I've worked it out on what I paid for the products which works out about $6.38 - most of that is the baking soda at $2.50 for 500g. This makes just over 1kg, with the cheap stuff here it's about $1.99 - $3.99 for 500g box, depending whats on special and for eco friendly washing powder starting from about $4.99.
I haven't had to use any extra water on any of my lot just yet.
Hope that helps in answering your questions.
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First. So cool you are from New Zealand and I'm talking to you on Steemit from the Netherlands. It's one of my dreams to go there one day. I hear it's beautiful.
Second, Thanks for your calculations. I think it's very affordable to make this and if it lasts 3 weeks it's more than enough for me!
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What a great post. i have just bought Eco Balls for the washing machine, you don't need washing powder and the three balls last for up to 1000 washes (well we will see if this is the truth!) . when they are spent I'm going to try your recipe, thank you :)
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Thank You, I've never heard of Eco Balls before, they sound interesting if they do last up to 1000 washes, would like to hear how your Eco Balls feared out.
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Only on wash 4 but did superb job on puffa jacket!
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That is awesome @dodders007
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