Eco-Friendly DIY Detergent Recipes: Clean Your Home Naturally!

Making eco-friendly detergents at home can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money. Let’s see how you can do some ‘green’ detergents yourself.

5 DIY recipes for ecological detergents

Here are some steps to make your own eco-friendly detergents.

Vinegar and Lemon All-Purpose Cleaner

• Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.
• Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the mixture.
• Shake well before use. Can be used as a general cleaner for various surfaces.

Citrus Peel Dishwashing Liquid

• Collect citrus peels (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.).
• Place the peels in a jar and cover them with white vinegar.
• Let it sit for 2 weeks, then strain the liquid into a spray bottle.
• Dilute the liquid with water (1:1 ratio) and use it as a dishwashing liquid.

DIY Fabric Softener

• Mix 1 cup of white vinegar and 20 drops of essential oil in a jar.
• Shake well before each use.
• Add 1/4 cup of the mixture to the fabric softener dispenser or during the rinse cycle.

Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide Stain Remover

• Mix equal parts of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to form a paste.
• Apply the paste to the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Wash the garment as usual. This works well for removing tough stains on fabrics.

Castile Soap Laundry Detergent (variant 1)

• Grate 1 cup of castile soap or use soap flakes.
• Mix the grated soap with 1 cup of washing soda and 1 cup of baking soda.
• Add 20 drops of essential oil for fragrance (optional).
• Store in an airtight container. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.

Eco-friendly home-made detergent (variant 2)

• Gather the ingredients: You will need washing soda, borax, soap flakes, essential oils (optional), and water. Washing soda and borax can usually be found in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store.
• Grate the soap: Take a bar of soap and grate it finely using a cheese grater. You can choose a natural soap without synthetic fragrances or dyes.
• Mix the ingredients: In a large pot, combine 1 cup of grated soap, 1/2 cup of washing soda, and 1/2 cup of borax. Add 10-15 drops of essential oils if desired, for fragrance.
• Heat the mixture: Add 4 cups of water to the pot and heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring constantly until the soap and powders dissolve completely.
• Cool and store: Remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool. It will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, transfer the detergent into a glass jar or airtight container for storage.
• Use the detergent: Use about 1-2 tablespoons of the eco-friendly detergent per load of laundry, depending on the size of the load and the level of dirtiness.

Note: This homemade detergent may not produce as many suds as commercial detergents, but it will still effectively clean your clothes. It is also important to note that this recipe may not be suitable for all types of washing machines, particularly high-efficiency (HE) machines, as they require specific detergents.

Conclusion

Remember to always test these homemade detergents and cleaners on a small, inconspicuous area before using them on a larger scale.