Homemade Laundry Detergent/Caring For Clothes/Keeping Them Clean
If you guys read my tweets and watch the YT videos regularly (Youtube Click Here Twitter click Here) then you KNOW how particular I am about my clothes and laundry! Picky Picky, I need to wash everything after I wear it, if it touches the floor then its dirty, my clothes ONLY dry in the dryer or on hangers in the laundry room, its kinda like my 2x daily shower. EXCESSIVE. (The showering and laundry is actually becoming a real problem, but I don't feel clean otherwise! Somebody help me!!!)
Knowing how to do your laundry properly is so vital to the longevity of your garnets. Be sure to read the tags, use the proper detergents/temp settings, and always always always separate your lights, darks, and colors.
Either way, I thought I would share with you my 'recipe' for "homemade laundry detergent" that gets my clothes clean WITHOUT the nasty chemicals additives and fragrances in detergents! I honestly don't feel clean with detergents. This 'recipe' is a great economical and super clean natural way to get your clothes looking, smellin, and feelin new!
Also, there are some tips on how you can do your laundry better :)
I usually adjust the amounts of each ingredient depending on the load, but heres the basics and why I love them!
Before preparing detergent, I do usually use a spot cleaner. I use Shout, and so far it is the ONLY one I will use, or feel clean in. It cleans out stains, and the occasional deoderant/sweatmarks.
Baking soda! I love this stuff!!! Too much will make your jeans a tad bit stiff, but using 1/4 cup or less for 1 large load is always perfect! Its the best way to remove odors, get clean, and look new!
Vinegar: Be careful with certain fabrics here, but about 1/4-1/8th cup of vinegar is great on super tough smells, and really helps loosen up gunk in the fabrics. Do be careful with delicate material, like silks, cashmeres, or even those shirts/pants with fun embellishments. I don't add the vinegar every time, but when something needs a deep cleaning I do!
Lemon Juice: This is another cautious favorite! Do be careful, because lemon can lighten, but this is my perfect bleach booster. I do NOT use it with bleach, but whenever I do a load of whites I ALWAYS add between a 1/4 and 1/2 cup in. Its a nice booster to brighten things up, and smells great! It will not bleach completely, but will happen make those whites just a tad it brighter. I add it in small amounts for cleanliness to large loads (about 1/4 to 1/8th cup in a large load) but avoid washing special pieces, or anything you don't want to lighten! (No Darks!)
The BEST natural fabric softener I've ever used is Organic Hair Conditioner ( I like Abba's Gardenia, or anything else from Whole Foods really). As long as it's all natural it will do the trick! It's not a replacement for a fabric softener ( I don't use reg. fab. softener anyways) but its a greet way to boost the softness none the less! Just about 1/4 (give an additional 1/8th cup if you prefer) for a full load and you're good to go!
Sometimes I only add one in, sometimes I add them all in together. I really play with what my load needs and try to tailor the amounts.
Also keep in Mind water TEMP. Hot Water will clean best, but can cause colored fabrics to bleed and certain materials to shrink! For those clothes that are just a tad big, hot water can do the trick.
Be sure to wash darks and jeans in cold water. It preserves the colors and elasticity!
If you have a new garment, the first time you wash it it should be done separately! That way if it bleeds theres no danger, and many fabrics bleed on the first wash. Additionally, always wash whites together, darks together, and like colors!
What do you guys use for your laundry? Detergents? Temps? Tips? WHat works and what doesn't?
Also keep in Mind water TEMP. Hot Water will clean best, but can cause colored fabrics to bleed and certain materials to shrink! For those clothes that are just a tad big, hot water can do the trick.
Be sure to wash darks and jeans in cold water. It preserves the colors and elasticity!
If you have a new garment, the first time you wash it it should be done separately! That way if it bleeds theres no danger, and many fabrics bleed on the first wash. Additionally, always wash whites together, darks together, and like colors!
What do you guys use for your laundry? Detergents? Temps? Tips? WHat works and what doesn't?
We are jeans and t-shirt types, with hubby preferring black. I have a GREAT HD washer dryer set - Fischer and Paykel. It has a water level sensor so it doesn't use too much, but you can also set it for more water if you need a good soak. Everything goes in cold water unless I'm sanitizing.
ReplyDeleteI can't get Tide free with bleach any more, so we just use Tide free for HD. No perfumes for our sensitive skin! I add Biz liquid booster, it has live enzymes and really can get out stains!
Vinegar makes a great softener too! I add about 1/4 or less in the rinse cycle. Clothes end up fully rinsed and soft soft. (Any odor is gone by the time the clothes are dried.) I have fibromyalgia, so having soft clothes on my skin is a MUST!
The dryer has a sensor, so it dries the clothes completely, then stops, so the clothes don't fry. (Hubby doesn't want a clothes line in the yard, silly guy. I'm trying to find a retractable one I can set up. Smells so good!)
For delicates, I use Woolite for a large load. I use Finally Free for my lingerie. It smells great and cleans without hurting the delicate fabrics. I have several folding drying racks for my sweaters and hand washes. I just set them up in the living room, and let hubby know if I had an outside line, they wouldn't be in his way, LOL!
I try to wash all the dark colors together, especially if I have a new pair of pants. If there is dye transfer, it will hopefully boost the color of the older clothes!
I HATE doing laundry, but I LOVE having just finished laundry! Knowing everything is clean and tidy, smells great and put away, and I don't have to do it again for a week or so is a pleasure!