Homemade Cloth Diaper Detergent

Did you know that your not supposed to wash your cloth diapers in regular laundry detergent? On top of that, you're not even supposed to treat diaper stains with products (refer to my cloth diaper laundry tips for more information). The reason why you're not supposed to use detergent is because it builds up a residue in the fabric that creates wicking...aka you get leaks. That issue can be solved by "stripping" the diapers, a process you're more than welcome to Google should the problem arise. Anyway, the residue is similar to what happens to towels if you toss them in the dryer with a dryer sheet or fabric softener, which reminds me... NEVER USE DRYER SHEETS OR FABRIC SOFTENER with cloth diapers.

So what kind of detergent should you use? Well, homemade detergent (which I can't rave enough about. I LOVE mine) works great or you could buy some specially formulated for cloth diapers, such as Rockin' Green. Even then, less is more so it lasts a long, long time. Still, I don't even purchase regular laundry detergent because I make my own. I've heard great things about Rockin' Green, but it's still pretty pricey. So, I make my own cloth diaper detergent and let me tell you...I haven't had a single problem.

Supplies: 

-Borax

-Sun Oxygen Cleaner or Baby OxyClean (do NOT use regular OxyClean!!)

-Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

Directions:

-Thoroughly mix 3 cups Borax, 3 cups Sun Oxygen Cleaner, and 3 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda in a plastic container with a lid.

-Store in plastic container.

-Use 1 tbsp of mixture per load.

Homemade Laundry Soap

I don't know about you, but I do a TON of laundry. It's a good day if I manage to get through more than a day or two without washing a load of clothes. Funny thing about washing clothes--it requires detergent. I found myself spending a small fortune on detergents due to my slight obsession with treating stains and keeping clothes smelling fresh and clean. I used coupons, but that only created a small collection of various products I couldn't afford to buy full price!

When I first heard of homemade laundry soap, I thought it sounded crazy and even a little bit gross. How could you make sure the clothes are actually clean? I'll give you a hint...the homemade soap is made with soap. Trust me. This stuff cleans!! Not only that, but one batch lasts forever. I whipped up my last batch back in December, it's now June, and I'm not even half-way through it! Talk about saving some money!

Homemade Laundry Soap

-1 Fels Naptha soap bar

-1 cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!)

-1/2 cup Borax

Instructions:

-Grate Fels Naptha soap bar into a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat to med-high and stir occasionally until soap completely dissolves.

-In a 5-gallon bucket, mix washing soda, borax, and dissolved Fels Naptha mixture. Stir well until powder is dissolved. Fill bucket with hot tab water, cover with lid tightly and set overnight.

-The next day, stir mixture. Mix equal amounts of soap concentrate and water and store in a smaller laundry-detergent dispenser or container. 

-Shake before using. Use 1 cup for top loading machines and 1/2 cup for front-loading machines. Use half the required amount for smaller loads.

Now start saving money!

-Mama Ruffles