Laundry in general is not something I necessarily find FUN!!! It’s not the washing, nor is it the drying. Well how can I complain about either of those. I’m not out beating our clothes in a stream on a 40 degree afternoon. I don’t make multiple trips out to a clothes line. I prefer clothes from the dryer. The only thing, I ever hang is chore jeans in the summer, and sleeping bags after we go camping. I do not iron anything. I truly think about this when I pick out clothing. Laundry–It’s just NEVER ENDING!!! Thank goodness my children are old enough now to help with the process. The biggest saving grace is we don’t go through several outfits a day due to spills, stains and accidents.
The DIY laundry soap started due to a skin reaction one our girls had with several types of detergents. I tried so many kinds. Unfortunately, it was also a battle with hand soap, dish soap, lotion, and shampoo. Thank goodness the reaction was only itchy, tingly feelings. But imagine always being uncomfortable. On a Pinterest play date I had one afternoon, I came across a pin of DIY laundry soap. I am sorry to the gal who posted it, as I do not know who to give credit to, this wonderful find of five or six years ago. I had no idea at the time I would be starting a blog. We had figured out that soap at school was the worst– the best for her is Soft-soap brand. Crazy as this sounds, the only dish soap that didn’t cause an issue was Ajax. Yes she still had to take her turn doing dishes, and she didn’t want to wear dish gloves. Shampoo is yet to be the mystery we can solved. She tolerates certain brands, then eventually blisters in her scalp after using the same kind for too long. We have found that if she rotates brands, gearing mostly towards organic is the best. As well has always having dry shampoo on hand.
When I seen that the contents of making our own soap would be so easy, I wondered what I was so afraid of. The supplies for the laundry mix were simple, so I have nothing to loose in trying this as well.
All the ingredients can be found in the same isle, with in a few steps of each other. Even easier yet, a few clicks on Amazon and your set. The Purex Crystals are interchangeable with what ever brand/scent you choose. They can also be totally omitted as well if scents are an issue. When I started using this mixture, I did not add a laundry booster. It has been only with in the last couple years that I have started.
Let’s get started. In a 5 gallon tote, pour all the powders. Then with a grater, get to work on those bars of soap. Watch the knuckles, finger tips, and nails. From experience, it hurts. I use the side of the grater shown. It takes awhile more, but is worth it.
When I first made the mix, I grated with the side just to the right. It was too big. Yeah I could get through a block of soap in no time. The issue was that it didn’t dissolve in the wash very well, thus I felt like the clothes didn’t get a good rinse. ICK!! That doesn’t help with the reason I am mixing this all up.
Back to grating up the bars of soap, every so often, and more often than not, run the bar of soap through the powder in tote. The reason I do this is so the grated soap doesn’t clump. And it runs through the grater better. When you get a pile, flip your hand through it and give it a quick mix.
Once you have the bars all grated up, tip the tote on its end and get your hands in there and mix. Don’t forget the corners. Mix it up, turn. Mix it up, turn.
The laundry mix stays great in the tote with a lid. I found a 3 quart jar with a lid at a thrift store that I filled to store on top of the washer. For each load, I only use 1/8 cup. Maybe a little more for the chore clothes. Cost wise, it is so inexpensive compared to the liquid detergent I used to use.
