The other morning hit me with a tough challenge - do you remember your chemistry, Courtney? Nope I answered quickly, I’ll go get Robert. Robert and I sat next to each other on the couch and hammered out some math problems. We were trying to work out some concentration questions for my laundry soap. I was using chemistry equations and he was using logic. We both came up with the same answers but I had to cheat and google the equations because alas I had forgotten them.
So why was I bothering with chemistry equations, well I had another soap disaster but I won’t bore you with the details this time. Let’s just say that I trusted another EHow recipe. I had to rework the recipe a bit and here is what I have come up with.
Laundry Detergent without Borax:
Amount Needed Per Load:
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid castile soap
2 teaspoons of Dry Mix
Dry Mix Recipe:
1/3 cup salt
1 cup washing soda
1/3 cup baking soda *update 8/2012 I just started adding this to the recipe, can’t tell if it makes a difference but I feel good about adding another odor absorbing safe cleaner to the mix.
You might be wondering why not mix the two together and add them at one time. I found out that the washing soda doesn’t dissolve well in small amounts of liquid. In your large load of laundry it will dissolve just fine. So I eliminated the water in the recipe. Really why do I need to be lugging around a big jug of water I would rather use small amounts of concentrated soap.
This is after the Dry Mix was heated in water. Not dissolved at all.
Another method: I used my old Charlie’s Soap bottle because it has a measured pump on it. I calculated how much castile soap and water I would need for the 1 gallon bottle I had. If you are in the same situation, Charlies’s Soap dispenses 30 ml per load so fill the bottle with 4 cups castile soap and the rest with water. This is really only worth the effort if your bottle has a measured pump otherwise use the concentrated method above.
I washed my first load of diapers yesterday (a true test of washing ability) so I will let you know how well it worked. Check out my homemade dishwasher detergent without borax too.
Thanks, Courtney
Update 8/2012 – I’ve been using this for over a year now and really love it. Heavily soiled items I do use one or two more pumps. And I have found that it doesn’t clean fruit stains very well – that’s what the enzyme detergents do good at I guess. Stain treating is the only way to go. My cloth diapers are on their 2 year of heavy daily usage and are still clean.
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