Homemade soap and laundry powder

Having the time and the inclination to make many of the things we use here is one of the most satisfying things about living this way. I love making soap, cooking from scratch, making cordials and fermented drinks, I love to sew and knit, and those activities result in products that are usually superior in quality to those bought in today's shops. It also give me the peace of mind of knowing that only the ingredients I put in with my own hands are in there; there are no nasties lurking. I add safety and certainty in with my other ingredients so I know that what I'm making is healthy, and not a product that might look good but is laden with chemicals I can't pronounce.

And so for all those reasons, I love making my own soap and laundry powder. I'm currently luxuriating in a lovely olive oil-rice bran oil-coconut oil soap that is creamy and lathers well. It's my favourite soap and if I never tried another home made soap, recipe I'd be happy with this one. I'm washing my hair with it too and it does a wonderful job, as good as the best organic shampoo.

Soap combines lye (caustic soda) with fats - I use only vegetable fats but it is also made with animal or bird fat. The chemical process that takes place, saponification, pulls the ingredients together and over the course of the next three or four weeks, the caustic elements in the soap neutralise, leaving a mild and soothing soap. Skin is the body's largest organ so it makes sense that whatever we rub onto our skin, especially if that is done many times during the course of the day, is safe and nourishing. Home made soap nourishes skin because it contains the natural glycerin, unlike commercial soap. Glycerin is extracted from commercial soap and sold as a separate product - it's more expensive than the soap, but removing it leaves the soap depleted. To counteract this, manufacturers add ingredients to make up for its lost and in doing so, make soap that is not so good for your skin.

Homemade laundry powder is another product that can easily be made at home. It's the combination of three ingredients - soap flakes, washing soda and borax, although if you use your grey water on your garden, you should leave out the borax. If you check the ingredients list on your commercial laundry detergent, you'll find a list of chemicals commonly used in many commercial cleaners that you have no idea about. I have been using homemade laundry powder in my front loader washer for many years now and have never had a problem. It cleans our clothes well and they come out smelling clean, not of artificially produced perfumes. Be warned, if you make up the recipe for laundry liquid, it can separate. If that happens, it's fine to use, you'll just need to mix it up to incorporate the liquid with the gel before you use it.

If you've never stepped into the world of homemade soap and laundry powder before now, why not give it a try. The powder in particular is easy and quick to make, MUCH cheaper than your commercial powder and does a good job without harming you or your clothes. My post about it and the recipe for it, and many other green cleaners, is here.

To make your own soap you'll need to step up a notch. It's more difficult, because you're handling a caustic product that burns, but if you make it when you're alone with no children or pets to distract you, it's easily done. My recipe for cold pressed soap is here.

I want to encourage you to start making some of your own products. Not only will it save you money, it will allow you the peace of mind of knowing what you're putting on your skin and on your clothes. There is a feeling of satisfaction that comes with this that you don't get when buying another box of soap or laundry powder. If you want it to, it will help you move further away from commerce and closer to an independent home. I know many people who read here are already doing this, but many are not. So if you're using your own non-commercial soap or laundry powder, please share your experiences with us.

MORE READING
This is a very good soap page with recipes and troubleshooting.

PS: I'm really pleased to see so many people interested in the swap. The deadline for joining is Thursday, so there is still time to sign up.