In my continued effort to gradually remove unnecessary chemicals from our home, I have started to make my own laundry detergent. And since I need for things to be simple and inexpensive, this is what I make.
I grew up in a Tide® home, so naturally that is what I used when I moved out, and then started washing laundry for my own family. Not any longer. Here are the ingredients in Tide® Ultra as well as what it’s purpose is and the concerns for those ingredients.
- Sodium Carbonate: removes water hardness. No concern.
- Sodium Aluminosilicate: removes water hardness. No concern.
- Sodium Sulfate: processing aid. No concern.
- Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate: surfactant. Shown to be toxic to aquatic life.
- Alkyl Sulfate: surfactant. Shown to be toxic to aquatic life, and cause skin irritation.
- Sodium Percarbonate: oxygen bleach. No concern.
- Sodium Polyacrylate: dispersant. Shown to be very toxic to aquatic life.
- Silicate: processing aid. Shown to be moderately toxic to aquatic life.
- Nonanoyloxybenzenesulfonate: bleach activator. No known concern, no available data.
- Ethoxylate: surfactant. High level of concern with causing infertility, and damage to the unborn child. Known to be a human carcinogen. Known to cause respiratory issues such as asthma.
- Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 4000: stabilizer. Interesting that there is no data available. PEGs are notoriously common carcinogens and known to cause reproductive issues.
- Fragrance: fragrance. Bad for the environment, bad for skin, bad for neurotoxicity of mice. Your clothes may smell good, but you’ll act crazy.
- DTPA (Pentetic Acid): chelant. Low toxicity to aquatic life.
- Disodium Diaminostilbene Disulfonate: whitening agent. This is not degradable in the environment.
- Palmitic Acid: processing aid. No concern.
- Protease: stain remover. No concern.
- Silicone: suds suppressor. Not enough data.
- Cellulase: stain remover. No concern.
Now since there is a good chance you just skimmed over all those chemicals and scientific terms, let me point this one out to you again…
Ethoxylate: surfactant. High level of concern with causing infertility, and damage to the unborn child. Known to be a human carcinogen. Known to cause respiratory issues such as asthma.
Good grief!! Are you kidding me?!?!?!
Now, there are a lot of homemade detergents that include Fels Naptha and Borax. I did use this recipe for some time, until I read more about them.
- Fels Naptha: Ingredients have potential for carcinogens, and respiratory complications.
- Borax: Has high concern for reproductive, endocrine, and developmental complications.
So now, I make a very simple laundry detergent that I feel good about, and it is inexpensive!
Simple Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 1 bar Dr. Bronners castille soap (I prefer lavender) $4.69
- 1 cup washing soda $0.75
- 1/4 cup baking soda $0.07
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt $0.01
- 20 drops lemon essential oil (I like the lavender and lemon together) $.80
Total: $6.32 for approximately 36 loads, $0.18/load (Tide is $9.99 for 40 loads, $0.25/load)
Directions
Step 1: With a food processor or cheese grater, shred bar of soap.
Step 2: Combine all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until fine powder is produced.
To Use: 1 Tablespoon per load.
Notes:
- I use a dosage cup from a children medicine bottle for ease of measuring.
- This is safe for high efficiency machines.
- If it is a particularly stinky load (technicals or towels), I will add a 1/4 cup baking soda directly in the wash basin and 1/4 cup white vinegar in the fabric softener basin.
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Where I found my information:
https://www.pg.com/productsafety/ingredients/household_care/laundary_fabric_care/Tide/Ultra_Tide_Powdered_Detergent_Original.pdf
http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/1809-TideUltraPowderDetergentOriginal
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substance_groups/42
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substance_groups/184
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/5654
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/5426
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/151906
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substance_groups/230
http://www.bio-world.com/msds/41600044/PEG-Polyethylene-glycol.html
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/2290
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/12483
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substance_groups/68
http://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/5426
http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/441-FelsNapthaHeavyDutyLaundryBarSoap
http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/2507-20MuleTeamBoraxNaturalLaundryBoosterMultiPurposeHouseholdCleaner