Laundry Soap

I made a reference in the Seeds of Change blog post that I clean with natural products. I especially take delight in learning how to make things myself.

Laundry soap. I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate to buy laundry soap. I mean, really hate buying laundry soap. It comes in this HUGE plastic container and you have to choose between types. Do I want the one for dark colors, whites, with bleach, with fabric softeners, scented, unscented, the one that claims to be eco-friendly and the list goes on.

In the book by Michael DeJong The Humble Art of Zen Cleansing he makes a reference to making your own laundry soap and gives a list of ingredients.

I had wondered years ago if I could make my own laundry soap. However, I had dismissed the notion as I just assumed it was this difficult process that I really did not want to bother with.

It is not a difficult process! It is so darn simple, I was a little upset at myself that I had not looked into it more. I have been making my own laundry soap for almost two years now. This is a more sustainable option and will save you a decent amount of cash in the future. Additionally, all the ingredients can be purchased at most grocery stores.

The Ingredients:

Borax (20 mule team is the brand I use)
Baking Soda
Ivory Soap (or soap of choice)

Mix equal parts of each.

My Recipe is as follows:
3 cups Borax
3 cups baking soda
1 bar Ivory Soap

To shave the bar of soap I use a fine cheese grater. I mix all the ingredients in the container I intend to store the laundry detergent in.

Use one tablespoon per large load. Use two tablespoons per load if it is really soiled.

As a side note, finding bulk quantities of baking soda proved to be rather difficult for me. I ended up going to a restaurant supplier called Cash and Carry. They carry five and ten pound bags of baking soda.

I have heard suggestions to substitute Ivory soap with a bar of Dr Bronners bar soaps. There are a number of options for scents. I have been using the liquid soap as my body wash for years. So I am excited to try the bar soap for my laundry, I am a huge fan of the rose scent.

I have heard this mixture can also be used as a Dishwasher Detergent (I do not have a dishwasher). The difference is you omit the bar of soap when making a batch. Instead use two tablespoons of the powder mixture in the powder section and two tablespoons of white vinegar in the liquid detergent portion. The white vinegar is to eliminate food and water spots.

Seeds of Change

I have been lucky with my roommates. Many of the people that rolled through my house were friends. One of the most influential and inspirational of these was a couple, we'll call them Aaron and Sarah.

A & S are very planet conscious, green-minded folks. They avoid eating packaged foods, shop at the co-op, went shopping with their own containers, the list goes on. They introduced me to such material as No Impact Man. They also were the first people I had personally seen take being green to a level that was proactive, not just reactive.

Due to that inspiration I started implementing changes in my own life. I started buying local and organic, going to Farmer's Markets, I subscribed to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), I began researching ways to use natural items for cleaning. (Michael DeJong has a great book series I recommend highly The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing)

These type of changes have a way of changing the way you look at things. I found myself then wondering what else I could do, while keeping up the status quo of a house and a corporate job.