Get Your Whites Looking Whiter With These Natural, Homemade Laundry Detergent and Stain Removal Secrets

Removing stains from laundry is a constant battle, especially if you have young children. Somehow stains seem to appear out of nowhere, and they can seem impossible to get rid of. There are many stain removing products on the market, but not all of them are safe for you to use. These homemade laundry detergent secrets will not only get those pesky stains out of your clothes, but it will also ensure that your clothing is safe for you and your family.

Why You Should Go Natural Today

Sensitive Skin and Allergies

Many adults and children have a sensitivity or allergy to the ingredients in commercial laundry detergents. When you consider how often we are wearing clothing, it can be a constant battle of irritation. The lead irritant in laundry detergent is related to the fragrance and the dyes, which are present in almost all laundry detergents, including some baby products.

There are 2 types of reactions that the skin can have when interacting with laundry detergent:

Irritation – A red, itchy rash occurs immediately after exposure. Irritation goes away fairly quickly after the irritant is removed.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis – This also appears as a red, itchy rash but it doesn’t appear with immediate contact. It can often take a long time for the body to identify toxins, so redness may not be visible for at least a week after exposure[1].

If you believe that you or your child is experiencing an allergy due to the ingredients in your laundry detergent, consult a doctor.

Reduce Toxins

The average family washes approximately 80 pounds of laundry per week[2]. Not only will you come into contact with the toxins in your commercial laundry detergent via your clothing, but you can also breathe in those airborne toxins as you’re doing the laundry.

Four of the worst toxins commonly found in laundry detergent are:

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)/sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
1,4-dioxane
NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylate)

Phosphates

Not only are these ingredients toxic for you and your family, but they are also toxic to the environment, as they make their way into the water systems, affecting the land and wildlife.

Save Money

Buying laundry detergent can be expensive! By making your own, you can buy the ingredients in bulk, and they last for quite some time. Many of the ingredients listed in the DIY recipes below may already be in your pantry, which makes the transition even easier.

Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent & Stain Remover Recipes

Vinegar

Add one cup of vinegar to your natural washing detergent and run your clothing through a wash cycle. One cup of vinegar will brighten up your whites and then set the colors in your wash. It will also kill off any bacteria that may be present in your load.

Baking Soda

Ingredients:

4 liters of water

1 cup of baking soda

Directions:

Combine water and baking soda

Allow baking soda to dissolve in the water
Place clothing in the mixture
Allow the clothing to soak for 10 minutes

Aspirin

Ingredients:

One plastic tub of water

6 Aspirin crushed

Directions:

Fill a plastic tub full of water
Crush 6 Aspirin and add it to the water
Place clothes in the mixture and allow to soak for 30 minutes

After soaking, wash the clothing using natural laundry detergent

Natural Lemon Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:

1 bar Castile soap

1 cup washing soda

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup Epsom salt

1/2 cup white vinegar

10 drops lemon essential oil (or your favorite essential oil)

Directions:

Grate the soap in a food processor
Combine grated soap, Epsom salt and washing soda in a large bowl

Add white vinegar one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is clumpy
Tightly pack mixture into an ice cube track with your fingers
Let dry for at least 24 hours

Remove from the ice cube tray and they’re ready to go!

Notes:

*Place pods in an airtight container for storage

**Use one pod for a regular load and two for a double load

***To make your own washing soda place a thin layer of baking soda on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, mixing halfway through.

Washing your clothes is a task that you’ll have to endure your whole life (as much as we wish we didn’t!). Protect yourself and your family by minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals. Making your own homemade laundry detergent will not only protect you, but it will protect the environment as well.