If you were to read the ingredients in your favorite laundry detergent, you might be shocked and appalled at what you find. Many cleaning products are made with harsh chemicals that, while they do the trick to get rid of stubborn stains, can actually do more harm than good.
If you are concerned about the ingredients that go into your favorite cleaning product, you may want to consider making your own - don't worry, it is easier than you might think! Below you will find tips for making your own laundry detergent and dryer sheets.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
You can make your own laundry detergent at home with three simple ingredients - borax, washing soda (not baking soda), and grated bar soap. You will need near-equal parts of each ingredient - about 1 cup each of washing soda and borax plus one bar of grated soap. To grate the bar soap, you can either use a hand grater or you can use your food processor.
You can also add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil to give your detergent a nice scent. Combine all of the ingredients in a glass jar and stir well until completely combined then store with the lid tightly fitted on top. When you are ready to use your laundry detergent you will only need 1 to 2 tablespoons per load. If you want some extra cleaning power, you have the option to add a tablespoon of Oxygen bleach for white loads only.
DIY Dryer Sheets
Making your own DIY dryer sheets is surprisingly easy - all you need is some vinegar, essential oil, and cotton cloths. Not only are these homemade dryer sheets simple to make, but they are reusable as well which saves you a lot of money in the long run!
Start by taking some clean cotton cloths and cut them into squares. If you don't have some clean cotton lying around you can always repurpose other cotton t-shirts or buy some inexpensive dish towels. Next, combine ½ cup of distilled white vinegar with 8 drops of tea tree oil or your preferred essential oil - you can also mix a few oils to make your own custom scent.
Pile the cloth squares on top of each other, then roll them up and place them in a glass jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cloths until they are dampened but not soaking wet then store them in the container.
When you are ready to do laundry, take out one of the squares and squeeze the excess liquid back into the jar before using it.
By now it should be clear to you that making your own cleaning products at home is surprisingly easy - you may not even need any special ingredients!
The next time you run out of laundry detergent, wait a minute before you head to the store and think about making your own. You will find that not only is it easy to make, but it works just as well (or better) than the store-bought versions!
If you are concerned about the ingredients that go into your favorite cleaning product, you may want to consider making your own - don't worry, it is easier than you might think! Below you will find tips for making your own laundry detergent and dryer sheets.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
You can make your own laundry detergent at home with three simple ingredients - borax, washing soda (not baking soda), and grated bar soap. You will need near-equal parts of each ingredient - about 1 cup each of washing soda and borax plus one bar of grated soap. To grate the bar soap, you can either use a hand grater or you can use your food processor.
You can also add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil to give your detergent a nice scent. Combine all of the ingredients in a glass jar and stir well until completely combined then store with the lid tightly fitted on top. When you are ready to use your laundry detergent you will only need 1 to 2 tablespoons per load. If you want some extra cleaning power, you have the option to add a tablespoon of Oxygen bleach for white loads only.
DIY Dryer Sheets
Making your own DIY dryer sheets is surprisingly easy - all you need is some vinegar, essential oil, and cotton cloths. Not only are these homemade dryer sheets simple to make, but they are reusable as well which saves you a lot of money in the long run!
Start by taking some clean cotton cloths and cut them into squares. If you don't have some clean cotton lying around you can always repurpose other cotton t-shirts or buy some inexpensive dish towels. Next, combine ½ cup of distilled white vinegar with 8 drops of tea tree oil or your preferred essential oil - you can also mix a few oils to make your own custom scent.
Pile the cloth squares on top of each other, then roll them up and place them in a glass jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cloths until they are dampened but not soaking wet then store them in the container.
When you are ready to do laundry, take out one of the squares and squeeze the excess liquid back into the jar before using it.
By now it should be clear to you that making your own cleaning products at home is surprisingly easy - you may not even need any special ingredients!
The next time you run out of laundry detergent, wait a minute before you head to the store and think about making your own. You will find that not only is it easy to make, but it works just as well (or better) than the store-bought versions!