I have been making my own soap, laundry powder, and other cleaning products from all-natural ingredients for many years. I do this for several reasons. Firstly, I have family members who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, an ever-increasing problem in today’s toxic world. Secondly, I care about our environment and do not want to do any more damage while I am here than I have to. Thirdly, making your own is far cheaper than buying expensive cleaners in the supermarket.

I recently received an e-mail from one of our valued Green Living Australia customer, and I asked her permission to share her information with you. So here we go:

Borax is a naturally derived mineral that is phosphate-free. It has been used for around 4000 years and is a disinfectant, fantastic stain remover, and deodoriser. You can use it to clean your toilet, for example, by itself, or mix equal parts of borax and baking soda. Sprinkle the powder and allow it to sit, just as you would your normal cleaner. Then, scrub with your toilet brush and flush. It is safe for septic systems. It is toxic to both dogs and humans if consumed, so I’d keep it out of the reach of little hands, much like washing soda or soap. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I have two laundry recipes—one for powder and the other for liquid.

Laundry Powder Tools:

• Sealed containers
• Measuring cups (keep a set just for this purpose, and do not use your food ones!)
• 1 Tablespoon to keep in the laundry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups velvet soap (grated)
• 1 cup washing soda (powder, not crystal)
• 1 cup Borax

Method: 1. Mix well. Store in an airtight container. Use two tablespoons per full load (you can adjust the recipe according to the hardness of your water). You can add baking soda if you like.

Washing liquid (a few more steps and a bit more time) 

Laundry Liquid Tools:

• Old containers with lids ( I re-use washed-out juice containers)
• A large bucket
• Large saucepan (heat-proof bowl/ container only for this kind of use to go inside your saucepan, the effect of a double boiler)
• A stick blender ( I have one only for this kind of stuff; I do not use it for cooking; afterwards, you can get 1 for about $15 at your local supermarket)

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/3 bars of velvet soap (finely grated; you could use Lux flakes, but I like to save my money
• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup washing soda

Method: 

• Melt the grated soap in 6 cups of water in a double boiler (a pot with water and then a heatproof container inside)
• Once your flakes are melted, add your borax and washing soda. Stir until the mixture thickens, then remove it from the heat.
• Put 4 cups of hot tap water into your bucket. Now, add your mixture and stir, stirring until smooth. Add a further 28 cups of hot tap water 🙂 Now you can add essential oils if you like (I like to add eucalyptus, as it makes your clothes smell great). Leave overnight.
• OK, it’s about 12-18 hrs, and it looks like thick sludge; yay. Now, get your stick blender and blend, blend, blend…
• Place them into your empty bottles, put their lids on, and store them in a convenient location.

Remember to shake your bottle each time before use (it is quite normal for some of the water to settle to the bottom). Use 1/4 cup per normal load and 1/2 cup for heavily soiled. Vinegar is a great fabric softener. You can use 1/4 cup in your rinse cycle if you prefer (and no, your clothes won’t smell like vinegar). These washing powder and liquids are good for high-efficiency machines (Front loaders) and top loaders, as they are low in suds. They are so inexpensive to make, with your initial outlay being about $7.50. This should keep a family of 5 going for a long while. Remember, borax is an inbuilt stain remover, but you may encounter stubborn stains that require soaking overnight or a combination of good old-fashioned soap and a little elbow grease.

Carpet powder

• Two cups of bicarb
• Four tablespoons of arrowroot powder
• Four tablespoons of borax
• 20-30 drops of your choice of essential oils

Method: 

• Mix dry ingredients in a glass jar ( I re-use old food jars washed and boiled), add the essential oils of your choice, stir or shake and allow to sit for 24 hrs with the lid on (allows the scent to disperse). It’s your choice whether you put your mix in a shaker jar so it spreads evenly. Test a patch on your carpet first, preferably out of sight. I have a red carpet and have never had discolouration yet!
• Sprinkle on the carpet. Leave for 20 mins and vacuum off. The result is a great, clean-smelling carpet!!!

Nothing is better than knowing your kids are growing up in a healthy environment, free from all the chemicals.

*Recipes courtesy of Alicia Hart, Geelong, Victoria.

I hope that you enjoyed this post. I hope that you will join me in thanking Alicia for taking the time to share.

As always, live well.

Valerie