Way down south where nobody goes...

We try to do things as naturally as possible both in our home and on the farm.  We raise our chickens & turkeys on pasture without added hormones or antibiotics, grow vegetables without using chemicals, wash with ivory soap, and even have our natural hair color {yes, my gray highlights are real}. 

So when a friend mentioned that she has started making her own dishwashing and laundry detergent with natural ingredients it peeked my interest.  When she added that it is actually cheaper than store-bought I was sold. 

I tried the laundry detergent first. I use the recipe from DIY Natural listed below, they also provide great Q&A and step-by-step instruction with photos.

• 1 bar (or 4.5 ounces) of shaved bar soap       (a homemade laundry bar, Dr. Bronner’s, Ivory, ZOTE, or Fels-Naptha)
  
• 1 cup of borax
• 1 cup of washing soda

Thoroughly stir together for 5 minutes and enjoy the results! Use 1 Tbsp per load (or 2-3 Tbsp for large or heavily soiled loads).

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You can find both borax and washing soda in the laundry detergent aisle of your grocery store.

I hate to grate so I use my slicer/shredder KitchenAid attachment to shave the soap; it takes less than 30 seconds. 

I used ivory soap and I doubled the recipe to save some time.  I also added 1-cup baking soda (equal parts to washing soda) and I was happier with the results.  I read in other recipes that you should add 1/2 cup white vinegar to your rinse cycle and when I did I think it helped the clothes to smell fresh and there was not even a hint of a vinegar smell.

I’m happy with the results and feel confident that if this natural, cheap alternative could get a farmer’s clothes clean it’ll come through for you as well. 

Give it a try and share your results with us! 

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