One of my favourite tips for a greener home is to make your own laundry powder and dishwashing powder. For a fraction of the cost of environmentally safe detergent, you can make a HUGE amount of green detergent.

This is something I make in bulk and love to use. Everytime I make a new batch I mix up my essential oils so I have a new scented wash. It is only mildly scented but I like it when I pour the powder into the machine!

Also remember that white vinegar in the "rinse" section of your washing machine will be your best friend for life. It will help prolong the life your machine and keep your clothes extra fresh. I have a bottle of vinegar mixed through with some mandarin essential oil (bought only because it was 80% off!) and add some to each wash. Lovely!

What you will need:

  • 1 bar of plain soap. Avoid antibacterial, Dove bars, soaps that have harsh fragrances or dyes. I use a bar of my own homemade soap, but you can also use SARDS Wonder Soap which can be found in the laundry aisle.
  • Borax. Look for this in the laundry aisle of most of the big supermarket chains.
  • Washing Soda. This is also found in the laundry aisles.
  • Salt. This is used for the dishwashing powder.
  • Grater or a food processor.
  • Airtight container or jars.

How to make your own Laundry Powder:

Step 1: Grate the bar of soap into as fine a powder as you can manage. You can also chop the bar of soap up into chunks and whizz up in your food processor (I usually borrow a food processor when making this to save myself the hassle of grating).

Step 2: Put the grate soap into your container and mix in 1 cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda. The measurements for soap, borax and washing soda are all 1:1:1 rations so you can easily size up your mix if you have the ingredients on hand.

Step 3: Put lid on and shake well until completely combined. To use, add 1-2 tablespoons per load of laundry. You can keep your old powder scoop and use that to reduce the plastic landfill!

How to make your own Dishwasher Powder:

Step 1: Mix together 1 cup of borax, 1 cup of washing soda, and 1 cup of sea salt.

Step 2: Store in an air tight container.

Tip 1: If you want your detergents to have a scent, add a few drops of essential oils

Tip 2: For the best results with your dishwasher, put vinegar in the spot where rinse aide should go - your dishes will sparkle!

Let us know how you go with your laundry powder and dishwashing powder.

I have been using this method for laundry powder for over 6 months now and I love it. I also use vinegar and essential oil as my fabric softener with amazing results. I love the smells I pick so it adds so much to my laundry experience (which is normally quite awful, since doing laundry is a pain!)

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This article was first published on My Green Australia. My Green Australia is a resource of information about living green and healthier in Australia. We want to protect and cherish our country and preserve the natural beauty of Australia for many generations to come.