When I started thinking about green-ing our cleaning, one of the things that came to mind was laundry detergent. I began to be concerned about what types of chemicals I not only had in our household, but that I used on my children’s clothing. With chemicals in my house that were potentially deadly if my children got a hold of them in any way, I wanted to be sure that I was taking care of them in that way as well.

According the Organic Consumers’ Association:

“But while the chemicals in cleaners foam, bleach, and disinfect to make our dishes, bathtubs and countertops gleaming and germ-free, many also contribute to indoor air pollution, are poisonous if ingested, and can be harmful if inhaled or touched.”


I simplified our laundry detergent down to four basic ingredients. The mixing process created a finished product in a few short minutes and it has last me over a month so far. You can find my recipe for homemade laundry detergent here. Not only will this cut down on the amount of chemicals you use when washing clothes, but it will also add more green to your wallet! For less than $12.00, I’ve managed to create laundry detergent that will last much longer than the traditional brands.


Have you tried making your own laundry detergent?