Whoever visits a drugstore to buy washing powder must surely be surprised by what is available. The plethora of bulk and liquid washing powders literally beckons you to buy. After looking at the price tags, one comes to the realization that such a laundry detergent is certainly not cheap. And what about at home when you try it and find that the stain has remained on your clothes? It is clear that in such a case you will consider whether to try making your own detergent. Are you at that point? If so, see how easy it can be.
Three ingredients
While the ingredients of industrially manufactured laundry detergent would make a printed sheet of paper if they weren’t written in tiny print somewhere on the edge of the package, for homemade laundry detergent you’ll only need these three ingredients:
- sodium carbonate, which is also sold as washing soda in drugstores
- Sodium percarbonate, which you can also buy under the names sodium percarbonate or sodium percarbonate
- Borax, which used to be called tinkal
All three of these ingredients are time-honored and the basis of some laundry products to this day. You can buy them in a drugstore or on the internet for a few crowns. None of them irritate the skin of even the most sensitive people and, unlike some of the chemicals commonly added to industrially produced detergents, they do not cause allergies.
Raz, two and three
The whole recipe for washing powder is also simple – just mix all three ingredients in a glass container, in the ratio of one part sodium carbonate, one part percarbonate and one part borax. The washing powder should then be stored in a sealable container in a dry, dark place and used within one to two weeks. You will need about four tablespoons of this homemade washing powder for one normal wash. If you would like to add a fresh scent to your laundry, you can add a few drops of good quality natural Castilian soap to the powder, which is also commonly available here.