Green Cleaning: All-Natural (Borax-Free) DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent

WHY GREEN CLEANING?

After my mom was diagnosed with cancer in December 2015, I took that as a wake-up call for our family to be more aware of the things that come in contact with our bodies. The food we eat, the things we have constant exposure to, and the overall care and awareness we have for our health...this all became more important to me than ever before. My first step was making a shift to green, homemade cleaners. I wanted to know EVERYTHING that was going into the cleaners that helped disinfect and cleanse the surfaces of where we ate, sat, slept or touched, and took special care for things that would specifically go on or into our bodies.

I learned so many wonderful things as I started on my "green" mission. It was great to become more self-sufficient, to understand the science behind cleaning, and to realize how unnecessarily commercialized cleaning products had become. I cut out anything from my house that was toxic, and contained health warnings. If there was a product that didn't have ingredients listed on the label, I would not buy it. And, if at all possible, I tried to figure out how to make my own.

Since starting out, I've tried several recipes for things like glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaning spray, carpet deodorizer, bathroom toilet scrub, dishwasher detergent, laundry powder, and much more. I've worked on using natural, home-made beauty and health products, and have even started making my own soap from scratch (which is a wonderful hobby I've loved being involved in).


THE DEBATE ABOUT BORAX: 

I've tried several DIY laundry powders, and still experiment and try to refine when I can. One ingredient I decided to avoid is BORAX. You'll see this in a lot of online recipes, and there's debate about it. But, if you look up Borax on the Environmental Working Groups rating, you might be surprised. You'll find that even though it's "natural", it is not green certified, and does not receive a safe EWG grade, and warns that Borax "may contain ingredients with potential for developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects; respiratory effects; skin irritation/allergies/damage." A lot of European countries have strict restrictions or bans on borax in health and beauty products, and is no longer regularly available in many stores. Yes, borax can be an excellent cleaner. BUT, Because of this information, I don't use it in my homemade products.

Borax EWG Scoring, Receives "F" Grade.

MY BORAX-FREE LAUNDRY POWDER RECIPE: 

TODAY, I wanted to share one of the powdered laundry detergent recipes we've used (and continue to use) in our house.


INGREDIENTS / INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix together the following:

• 1 cup washing soda
• 1/4 cup epsom salt
• 2 tablespoons citric acid
• 5 oz castile soap bar, finely grated. 

For a finer powder, run this mix through a food processor or blender for a few seconds. Use 1 tablespoon per medium load, and 2 tablespoons for bulky/large loads. This recipe is low-sudsing, and safe for all washers, including HE front and top load.

NOTE: I'm curious to try this recipe with regular salt/sea salt instead of epsom salt to see if it effects the softness of the water and the effectiveness of stain-lifter, color preserver. Next batch I make, I'll be using sea salt to compare.

Check out our YouTube channel episode as the girls and I make powdered laundry mix for our family.

HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF EACH INGREDIENT, THEIR EWG RATING, AND PRICE:

WASHING SODA (Sodium carbonate) 

Also sometimes called soda ash and soda crystals, washing soda is the sister of baking soda. You can actually make washing soda by heating up baking soda in a pan or the oven. The chemical reaction of heat + baking soda = washing soda. It has a higher alkalinity than baking soda and is a more powerful cleaner. In my recipe, I use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Washing soda is NOT used for descaling (or removing soap scum), but instead to cleanse and brighten. (Removing the scum and residue is the job of some of the other ingredients in the recipe.)

Washing Soda receives an "A" grade from the EWG, and has "low concern" for any health effects. 

I buy my washing soda in the laundry section of groceries stores. I haven't found it in EVERY single store, but I have found Walmart to have it most regularly stocked, and at the least expensive price around $4-6 per box. If you're feeling super thrifty, you can always make your own with a box of baking soda. A 2 pound box of baking soda cost $1.99 at Walmart, depending on brand name. 

EPSOM SALT (Magnesium Sulfate)

Epsom Salt is known to have many health benefits when used in baths or foot-soaks, and even organic gardening. But did you know it is an effective green cleaner too? In the laundry detergent, salt acts as stain remover, softens water, and helps keep colors bright. It also cuts down on mildew and discoloration of whites (such as the dreaded yellow armpits). The borax-free detergent recipe I originally found called for Epsom Salt, so that's what I've been using. I'm curious if sea salt (sodium chloride) would be more effective than epsom salt, and that's something I will experiment with in the future. The debates I've read say that using magnesium sulfate can harden your water instead of soften, or that it DOES soften water. ALSO...for a little added fragrance to your laundry, try one of the essential-oils scented epsom salt versions like lavender or eucalyptus.

TIP: A great way to clean your washer is to use a 1/2 of epsom salt, in the detergent compartment, and then white vinegar as the rinse, then run the washer for one cycle with no clothes in it. It'll make your machine sparkle inside, and clean out soap scum or build-up from the lines. Citric acid can be used in place of epsom salt as well, and does an even better job and descaling. 

GRADE: Epsom Salt receives an "A" grade from the EWG.  

COST: Epsom salt can be found at ANY grocery store or pharmacy quite easily. Dr. Teals doesn't have any synthetic fragrances added, and uses essential oils in many of their product varieties. There's nothing wrong with just using the plain old magnesium sulfate, though. A 6 lb bag from Walmart costs about $5. You can find it cheaper if you buy the store brand name at places like Sprouts Farmer's Market. 

CITRIC ACID (citric acid)

The "acid" part in citric acid worries some people. Citric acid is food-grade and is used in homemade canning to control the ph levels for salsas, tomatoes, and other things. As a green cleaner, citric acid is pretty cool. It fizzes when in contact with water, and is a main ingredient in bath bombs. In powdered form, it can be an eye irritant (in the same way lemon juice is), and can irritate your lungs if inhaled (like most powders), but is GREAT at removing soap scum, hard water stains, calcium deposits, lime, and rust. I use citric acid in my homemade dishwater detergent, and it keeps my dishes clean, makes my stainless steel sparkle, and my drain lines free from scum and build-up. In a laundry detergent, it has the same benefits.

Chemical reaction between citric acid + sodium carbonate: Citric acid will neutralize part of the washing soda as it works to cut down on mineral deposits. For this reason, any recipe with washing soda and citric acid combined should have a higher ratio of washing soda to citric acid (like around 1:4). This will allow the washing soda to be dominant and work, while the citric acid can still do it's magic of  removing all that it's meant to. Having the citric acid and salt is sort of the borax-alternative. It does a lot of what borax is designed to, but you avoid the health hazards borax may bring. 

GRADE: Citric Acid receives an "A" grade from the EWG.

COST: A 7.5 oz jar is about $3.50 from the canning section at Walmart. A 2-lb (32 oz) bag of organic food grade citric acid is available on Amazon Prime for $10.99.

CASTILE BAR SOAP 

I really like Dr. Bronner's Castile bar soap. (Make sure to use the bar and NOT the LIQUID castile soap.) Products like Kirk's Castile bars also work effectively. Although, calling it "castile soap" is a misnomer. Not to nerd out on you too much, but true castile soap is actually 100% olive oil based. Coconut-oil based soaps are better cleaners and cleansers for laundry (but too hard for skin or bath applications). As I mentioned before, I've gotten into the hobby of soaping, and making my own soaps from scratch. I want to make a 100% coconut oil laundry bar, using lemon juice, and I believe that will be a SUPERIOR laundry soap bar to anything store-bought (even compared to high-quality products like Dr. Bronner's). That's another blog post to come. For purposes and convenience of the every-day person, Dr. Bronner's is great. It also has essential oils already in it, that can enhance your laundry soap even more with the particular properties of the oils. I My favorite is the Eucalyptus. There's something about it that just cuts through all sorts of odors, and refreshing things in the wash. And trust me...between a sometime grimy husband that likes to work on cars, to kids who are potty training or may wet the best still at night, the eucalyptus has been MY personal favorite. If you're making a double or triple batch of the laundry powder recipe, though, feel free to try multiple different types of Dr. Bronner's soap bar in your mix.

GRADE: Dr. Bronner's does not have it's own individual rating on the EWG website, because it is made up of several different compounds. It is all natural in every way, and all ingredients individually are safe according to EWG. Ingredients in the Lavendar bar, for example are: Saponified Organic Coconut Oil*, Saponified Organic Palm Oil*, Saponified Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Glycerin, Water, Organic Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin) Extract, Salt, Citric Acid.

COST: A bar of this soap will be around $4.50 in stores. I buy mine at Sprouts Farmers Market. Every year they have a Vitamin Extravaganza sale where all vitamins and beauty products are 25% off. I will stock up on bars then, and each bar will be a little more than a dollar off original price. GOOD DEAL. BUT....If I'm making soap myself, I can make about 20 bars of 100% coconut oil soap for about $10 or less.