a cheap, chem-free laundry [Archive] - Gentle Christian Mothers Community

GodChick

06-03-2005, 04:10 PM

i'm using 7th generation laundry detergent, but it's too pricey. is there any other way to clean my clothes without using chemical-laden store brands?

i keep hearing about borax . . how do you use it? do i use it to replace my detergent? or my bleach? or my stain-remover? what's it made of?

what about oxy-clean. i thinkit's a peroxide color-safe bleach, right? does it have other chemicals too, or is it mainly just peroxide? is it safe to use on cloth dipes?

what about vinegar in the rinse? i know it's supposed to soften fabric--can i use it on everything, even colors? can it replace my fabric softener? what else does it do? does it remove oders? i read somewhere only to use it on dipes occasionally--why not every time?

thanks for any info--i'm not new to laundry but i'm new to chem-free laundry! :giggle

~yogamom~

06-03-2005, 04:23 PM

i use arm and hammer dye free perfume free detergent, it has more chemicals than teh truly natural stuff, but the price is pretty good and it works! i then use 7th generation laundry softener.

bostonsmama

06-04-2005, 07:57 AM

is there any other way to clean my clothes without using chemical-laden store brands?

oh yes! here's what i do, and i think its wonderful, my clothes smell great and its sooo inexpensive :) i grate up a bar of Zote soap (i found mine at walmart w/the laundry stuff, i think mine was actually by the softener, it comes in a big bar for like 50 cents)

if you need help grating it, stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. its super easy to grate though!

ok, on with the recipe

grate up 2/3 of a bar of zote soap (im assuming you could do the entire bar, but i just go w/the recipe ;))
add 1 cup borax (also found in the laundry aisle, usually Mule Team is the brand i buy)
add 1 cup washing soda (not baking soda--i had a harder time finding this, it comes in a yellow box, i found it at our little locally owned grocery store)

mix it all up, throw it in a recycled jar (mayonnaise here) and add a few tablespoons to each load of laundry. i actually have found it easier to start the water, then add this soap, then add the clothes, this way i know it all gets dissolved, since its mainly powder :)

one little note *the zote soap is very strong! so the smell might overwhelm you! but, its a great soap! and, it works wonders as a stain stick! thats what i use my left over 1/3 of a bar for :) :)

hope this helps!!!

Irene

06-04-2005, 08:00 AM

what is borax made of? isnt is still a chemical? isnt it still dangerous or not so much?

joyfulmomof2

06-04-2005, 08:31 AM

Here is what Borax is:

Borax

Chemical Formula: Na2B4O7

Synonyms
Sodium borate decahydrate,
Sodium tetraborate decahydrate,
Sodium biborate,
Sodium pyroborate

Description
White powder.

Uses
Borax is used in laundry detergents and bleaches. It releases hydrogen peroxide when it reacts with water. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a bleach, and this action is aided by the alkaline solution also produced by the reaction.

Borax is a good buffer, helping to keep the acidity or alkalinity of a solution stable.

The boron (along with the oxygen and salt) in a borax solution helps to disinfect by killing bacteria and fungi.

BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions at the bottom of this page.

CAUTION: Boric Acid and borax can be toxic to children and pets, keep well out of their reach and inform other household members of the whereabouts and purpose of the borax and boric acid dough and/or powders. Ammonia should also be used with caution. Always refer to safety infoirmation and precautions on the package.

i do use this product as a laundry booster when needed and it works pretty well for us.

Mamaka

06-04-2005, 08:42 AM

Borax is a naturally occurring chemical compound made of mostly boron, oxygen, and sodium. Here's a link that talks about it's uses and the risks associated w/it. http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa091002a.htm HTH. :)

milkmommy

06-04-2005, 08:47 AM

I use Allens its "expensive" I got the huge one for around $40 but.... it lasts forever my SIL uses it with her four kids self and DH including two in cloth diapers and shes going on 15 months with the same container and says their is plenty till left.

Deanna

Irene

06-04-2005, 08:53 AM

thanks :) okay maybe I was just thinking it was toxic to kids and all... I get so nervous about that stuff....

GodChick

06-04-2005, 02:49 PM

Gretchen

06-04-2005, 03:53 PM

thanks :) okay maybe I was just thinking it was toxic to kids and all... I get so nervous about that stuff....

I am not super comfortable with the idea of using borax. I read something once that really scared me about it but now I can't find it. I know there were links on the old board. :doh I think the primary concern was with using it in the dishwasher, though ....

Gretchen

bostonsmama

06-05-2005, 09:17 AM

gretchen,
find that link if you can----we use borax in our dishwasher, i have always read/heard that borax was a much safer, gentler way to clean than with the other full of chemical products!
i actually have a book of supposed to be "natural" recipes, borax is in a lot of the recipes?? who knows! but, if you find it, and its legit, could you send it my way so i know for sure whats going on!

Punkie

06-05-2005, 09:55 AM

I know a lot of people use Dr. Bronners for their laundry. Its not really chem-free, but its pretty natural :shrug

milkmommy

06-05-2005, 12:03 PM

I know a lot of people use Dr. Bronners for their laundry. Its not really chem-free, but its pretty natural :shrug

Just watch out if you have really hard water you'll end up with grey whites :mad

Deanna

Punkie

06-06-2005, 05:44 AM

I've heard that it can build up on diapers too :shrug

I've never tried...

joyfulmomof2

06-06-2005, 11:02 AM

Oooo, thanks for the recipie, Suzi!! :heart Hmmm...okay, here's a question for all you chemistry types. I read the link to the borax info. It says it works by raising the Ph of the water, making it more alkaline . . . okay, soooooo . . . we've got a water softener that uses salt. Salt is acidic. Yet, it's always claimed that using a water softener helps get clothes cleaner and allows you to use less detergent. So, which is it: acidic or alkaline that boosts detergent's cleaning ability? *insert spinning head here*

Nope, wasn't my recipe, though I too am grateful for it, Elise!! Can't wait to try it. We are almost out of laundry soap and my dh has been complaining about the clothes not smelling clean. Is this a good recipe for diapers - does it rinse well?

bostonsmama

06-06-2005, 05:48 PM

i dont know about using it on dipes!?!? i'll ask some mamas on another board later, they seem to know about every type of soap on dipes! i think i do remember reading something about using baking soda on diapers and it not being ok?? :shrug i'll look into it! i use purex on our dipes :)

GodChick

06-06-2005, 09:05 PM

Whops! Sorry Elise and Suzi, for not getting it straight! (Pay attention to who said what, Michele!) :rolleyes :O And thanks for the recipie, Elise. :kiss

joyfulmomof2

06-07-2005, 09:35 PM

Whops! Sorry Elise and Suzi, for not getting it straight! (Pay attention to who said what, Michele!) :rolleyes :O And thanks for the recipie, Elise. :kiss

LOL!! (((Michele)))

lovelymama

06-25-2005, 12:19 AM

I use a similar recipe with borax and it works wonderfully. Since using the home made detergent my mom has reported a decrease in skin sensitivities. I also use an allergen free bar soap in the mix so maybe her problems are caused by the dyes and perfumes.

Boric acid can be purchased in the pharmacy. I had a friend who was filling little capsules with the pharmacueticle borax to use as a suppository for a yeast infection. She swore by it.

Does anyone know of any laundry recipes that use food grade ingredients?

I supose with all household cleaning agents and chemicals you should keep them well out of your child's reach and use sparingly. I wish commercial detergents listed their ingredients.

bostonsmama

06-25-2005, 10:38 AM

umm....keep in mind that borax and boric acid are *not* the same thing. i dont know anything about adding boric acid to your wash, im thinking its probably not very safe? and, definitely not as cheap as using borax! i just found a site on borates, if i could get it to load! i'll give ya an update if i ever get it to work!

oh, and lol michele!

aahree

06-25-2005, 10:43 AM

Our milk man (who we just found :tu ) delivers a 20# box of phosphate-free laundry compound for $15.69, which sounds reasonable to me. Maybe if you have a milk delivery man in your area it would be worth checking out? (Ours also has the best prices in the area on rBST-free milk! :tu )

bostonsmama

06-25-2005, 01:46 PM

milkman?? we dont have those anywhere around here! where are you aahree? i would love a milkman!

lovelymama

06-26-2005, 12:23 AM

umm....keep in mind that borax and boric acid are *not* the same thing

I thought somewhere along the way I identified the two as the same thing. I just looked at my box of borax and didn't see it on there, so I don't know where I got that. Everyone, please don't go using borax to treat yeast infections because I mentioned it. :eek

I a beauty recipe book that was written in the 70's and it uses borax in at least half of the recipes all of which have skin contact.

Gretchen

06-26-2005, 07:57 AM

Borax and boric acid are not the same thing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boric_acid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax

The second link says that Borax can be converted to boric acid, but it's probably not something to experiment with on a yeast infection. ;)

Gretchen

Punkie

06-26-2005, 12:31 PM

milkman?? we dont have those anywhere around here! where are you aahree? i would love a milkman!

We have a milkman. We live in Colorado Springs :) Its all antibiotic and hormone free and they also have eggs, butter, cookies, juice, cream cheese, bread, etc, etc. I don't normally enjoy the taste of milk, but I like it fresh! Its very good :grin

Here's some laundry soap recipes I just found today. I found them through a link posted in this forum :)
http://www.christianhomekeeper.com/laundrysoap.shtml

mamacat

06-26-2005, 01:35 PM

I have heard of using a cup of white vinegar & a cup of baking soda per load instead of detergents. :heartsCatherine

lovelymama

06-26-2005, 09:17 PM

Don't get me started on vinegar :tu I use it for everything and that is not an exageration.

LauraK

06-27-2005, 08:21 PM

www.charliessoap.com (http://www.charliesoap.com)

I use the powder. It is cheap and it works great!!!!!!!!! I use it on diapers.

herbalwriter

06-28-2005, 06:07 PM

Elise, my Wal-Mart says they discontinued zopte soap and they no longer carry washing soda. Has this been your experience? do you know where else to get these things? I am kind of repeating myself here - I bewailed this same problem in the other thread I started asking where to find borax and washing soda. :O

aahree

06-28-2005, 09:19 PM

I'm in Washington state. I hadn't realized we had them around here, either, until I googled it. Someone on another board I visit mentioned having one and it made me curious. :lol I LOVE having a milkman! I don't know where you live, but if you google your state and *milk delivery* you might be suprised to find you do have one nearby!

milkman?? we dont have those anywhere around here! where are you aahree? i would love a milkman!

lovelymama

06-29-2005, 01:33 AM

They don't carry washing soda or borax and the wal-marts her either, but they do carry it at the local grocery store. Do you have a Winco? That's where I've been able to find it for the least expensive.

Does anyone know what they put in those all natural biodegradable laundry detergents? How do we know it's not just washing soda and borax? If it's not, what is it because I would like to make it at home :)

herbalwriter

06-29-2005, 06:06 PM

I think it was Punkie who gave me a number to call to find out what stores in my area carry washing soda - I called it and found out it is indeed a grocery store, Kroger's. So that's where I am going Friday morning! I wish I had kept that number...if I find it, I will post it here.

herbalwriter

06-29-2005, 06:07 PM

Here it is! 1-800-524-1328 Thanks Punkie! :hearts

AngelBee

07-04-2005, 11:32 AM

Don't get me started on vinegar :tu I use it for everything and that is not an exageration.

Me too! We go through vinegar like its milk! :giggle

lovelymama

07-07-2005, 11:19 PM

Every time I say "I know just the thing for that" my hubby says "let me guess, vinegar!" LOL he's right. It's either vinegar or teatree oil.

herbalwriter

07-09-2005, 07:15 PM

I use vinegar and baking soda for fabric softener - the only problem is, the vinegar scent stays in the clothes and it's rather like nursing a large pickle. :/

lovelymama

07-09-2005, 11:48 PM

It stays in the clothes? I find it has quite a deoderizing effect. How exactly do you use it? I usually just put mine in a laundry ball so maybe it has more time to rinse out. The clothes are still soft though. If you are using it in the dryer another trick is to keep a squirt bottle filled with water handy. If you very lightly mist the clothes fresh out of the dryer it will eliminate the static cling.

herbalwriter

07-10-2005, 06:24 PM

That would work if I had a dryer - mine broke so I hang my clothes out! :giggle I mixed the vinegar and soda first according to a recipe I found online - I shared the site here - and then I add about 1/4 cup to the wash after it's finished, then run it through the rinse cycle again. Maybe I added too much, or maybe it didn't rinse as well. I added lavender EO to it, and that really made it smell good. I think it was just that one load... :shrug

lovelymama

07-10-2005, 07:16 PM

I hang dry a lot of my clothes just because I don't like to shrink them. (That and the dryer won't turn on :)
Some people soak a sponge with vinegar and throw it in the dryer. Have you tried a laundry ball?

I just fill it with vinegar to the line and toss it in at the beginning of the wash cycle. My clothes come out fresh and they dry soft. No baby pickles around here :)

lenswyf

07-12-2005, 04:19 AM

I don't know if this counts as being cheap enough, but I've been using the Clean Laundry Liquid Laundry Detergent (https://www.naturalfamilyboutique.com/shop/Products/NFB1000.aspx) that Natural Family Boutique sells, and I really like it. It costs $13, and if one uses one squirt/load, it will last for 64 loads ($0.20/load). I think that's cheaper than using something like Tide, but I haven't really broken it down. I just know that the bottle is lasting a really long time. Also, if a load isn't very dirty, I will use 1/2 squirt and don't see a difference.

mom2princesses

07-12-2005, 10:29 AM

efuego

07-12-2005, 11:07 AM

We use Ecos, we also use their dishwashing detergent. The Laundry detergent costs anywhere from $12-15 dollars and lasts 64 loads. It also has a natural fabric softener. We love it! It is all natural, and sensitive enough to use with baby clothes.