Laundry Detergent Baby!!! - Mitra, Samantha, Michael

How to make Eco-Friendly laundry detergent with items you can find around your house.

We decided to make something using products found at home, requiring no extra money to make or unnecessary energy to produce. Using three house hold items, we produced our own eco-friendly laundry detergent.

Reasons this is sustainable:

1. We estimate that on this batch of detergent (about 3 gallons) we spent a total of $3.00 in comparison to going to the store and paying $13.00/gallon for eco-friendly detergent.
2. By making our own laundry detergent from home, we reduce our ecological footprint.
3. All natural.

Things you will need:

• Grater
• Medium saucepan
• 2 oz. natural or laundry soap
• 3 pints water
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup borax
• 2 gallon bucket
• 1 quart hot water
• Hot water
• Containers to store finished product

Step 1 Step 1

Grate 2 oz of soap.

Comments

[mrs.kichton]

 how much do you use in your dishwasher?  

[peanut man]

I would guess that you wouldn't use this for dish washing, just because you wouldn't use hand soap (which is contained in this mixture) on your dishes because it has different qualities then dish soap. Hand soap has more cleaning power and attacks a different variety of germs.Just think, there are things your hands touch that you would never let your dishes touch.

[tomohern]

How much washing soda and borax do you add?

[dstoeck]

I make a dishwasher detergent with 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda. Use 1 - 2 tsp per load and use white vinegar for the rinse agent .  If you get residue on your dishes you can add 1/2 cup of citric acid (found in the canning section of grocery store).

also, I use the powdered version of the instructable above with great results!

[mitten88]

Sorry. Ill put up the recipe we used pronto

[jany]

you can also just buy cheap laundry soap and add a half cup of baking soda and or the borax.  Not only does it brighten the laundry but it will soften them when put in the dryer.  No dryer sheets needed.  MsJany

[megmaine]

Nice! We use something just like this, but in powdered form (and it still dissolves great, even in ice cold water). The powder also works in the dishwasher! I have an Instructable on that if you are curious.
I tried the gel form once, and found that in my cold climate, it tended to thicken to an actual rubbery solid, so that was out for us, but the powder is one step less for those who don't mind powder... that is, you mix the box of borax with the box of washing soda, and the grated bar of soap, and you are done, no cooking.
But I do love these DIY green Instructables, keep it coming!
I bet your gel would work in the dishwasher also!