Save money with these effective DIY detergents
Do you constantly worry about having to repurchase expensive laundry detergent? Or are you hunting for a cheaper alternative every time you are loading up on home essentials in the supermarket? Have you been disappointed time and again with the lackluster results of store-bought detergents? Well, here’s an easy solution to all your worries. DIY detergents are easy alternatives; you can save money and eliminate toxic ingredients.
Homemade detergent powder
An easy and convenient way of cleaning up the laundry and saving money is putting together your own powder detergent. To begin with, grate a bar of soap; use a box grater to speed up the process. Next, add a cup of washing soda and borax to the grated soap. Next, mix the ingredients together well and store them in an airtight container. The resultant detergent is safe to use for anyone since it does not contain harsh chemicals and costs less than a branded laundry detergent.
Homemade detergent liquid
With just four ingredients, you can make your own liquid detergent that is safe to use. Bring out the bar of Fels Naphtha soap and grate one-third of the bar. Use 3 cups of water to melt this grated soap and simmer till the soap has completely melted. Make sure you do this on medium to low heat. Next, add half a cup of washing soda and borax and stir till the ingredients have dissolved completely. Add your soap mixture in a bucket with three gallons of water and vigorously stir until it is all a homogeneous mixture. Let it sit with a lid on for about 24 hours. Stir the mixture, and it is ready to be used.
Homemade baby-safe detergent
Once you make this baby-safe detergent, you wouldn’t want to turn back. It is pocket-friendly and leaves you with clean and shiny laundry. You will need 3 bars of castile soap or any other soap that has coconut oil in it. Grate the soap finely with a food processor or grater and add six cups of washing soda. Mix the two well, and voila, you have a baby-friendly laundry detergent ready for use. Use about three tablespoons of the mixture for your laundry cycle and save tens of dollars each month.
Homemade single-use detergent pods
Single-use pods or tablets are the best options if you do not want to bother yourself with measuring spoons or calculating just the right quantity of detergent you need to add for every wash cycle. It’s even better if another family member is doing laundry and you are afraid of them overusing detergent. Start with a half cup of grated pure soap or soap flakes and mix it with 1 ½ cups of washing soda and two tablespoons of Epsom salt. Stir them together, and then add three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup distilled vinegar, and a few drops of your preferred essential oil, if wanted. Use a measuring spoon to shape one heaping tablespoon of this wet sand-like mixture into an individual pod. Spritz it with some water to shape and set it. Let them dry completely; it can take a few hours, and then transfer them into an airtight container for storage.