Natural laundry liquid is actually what started this whole soap venture. I've spent a couple of years trying to make the best, non-clumpy, clean, and useful laundry liquid I could. Which meant I needed to learn how to make my own soap, too.
Why Laundry liquid first?
Honestly, it seemed like the simplest and most expensive place to start. The cost for other 'clean' brands is huge, and I didn't have the budget for it. I also opted to do a liquid because when I did a powder they didn't dissolve properly every time, so I didn't like that.
I first started with a combination of washing soda, borax, castile bar soap, and water. This method worked well over the summer, but in the winter it set really firm and was super lumpy when I used it. So I tried various gums and thickeners to try and emulsify it and keep it consistent.. Xanthan gum had the best result. But then winter again, and it just set more like a thick jelly.. So I realised maybe it was the soap setting it. Lo and behold, the difference between Lye (what's used for bar soaps) and potassium hydroxide (what's used in liquid soaps) is that Lye is more temperamental with cool temperatures. So, I found some recipes to try and make my own liquid Castile soap. The change was exactly what I needed, and now my recipe is perfected. The ingredients are simple, natural, biodegradable and safe for your skin and environment. I did, somewhere in the journey, switch from borax to baking soda, as I was pregnant and heard borax was a potential toxin I didn't want to be exposed to unnecessarily.
Washing Soda -
- This does several things, but specifically for washing, it softens water by reducing the effect of things such as calcium and magnesium, which are naturally present in water. By softening the water, it means the washing can be washed more effectively, as the other ingredients are given a better chance to do their work.
- Breaks down grease and shifts dirt and grime. Washing soda is alkaline, which means it can help break down and loosen oils and grease, helping lift general grime and dirt from clothes. In a laundry liquid it works with the soap, not as a replacement, so washing can be thorough and done easily.
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Since washing soda effectively removes oil build-up and dirt, it also helps remove odors instead of covering them with fragrance. Leaving you with fresher, cleaner laundry.
Baking Soda -
Baking soda is gentler than washing soda, so it just helps build on what the washing soda is already doing. Borax was my original choice, but due to being uncertain about it I leave it out of my everyday laundry liquid and just use it for very tough stains when necessary. Borax is a stronger alkaline, so baking soda is just a gentler choice for everyday washing.
Liquid castile soap -
- Liquid Castile soap contains soap molecules with two different ends - one end is attracted to water, while the other is attracted to oils and grease. When you wash clothes, the oil-attracting end attaches to oily dirt on the fabric. The soap helps break that dirt away from the fibres and keeps it dispersed in the water. The dirty water can then be rinsed away. This is more effective with the help of the washing soda and baking soda, so all the ingredients are working together to keep your laundry fresh and clean.
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Liquid Castile soap acts as a surfactant. A surfactant is a substance that helps water interact with dirt and oils more effectively.
Water normally doesn't mix well with oils. Soap helps bridge that gap. It can also help reduce water's surface tension, allowing the wash water to penetrate the fabric more efficiently.
- Castile soap (traditionally, and at BEIA soaps) is naturally plant-based. Meaning there's no nasties hiding in it. No petroleum-derived ingredients. Which means it's renewable, biodegradable, and gentler for your environment and our waterways.
Xanthan Gum -
This helps keep the bottle consistent. It evenly spreads all the ingredients through the water and holds it together. It prevents seperation and ingredients falling to the bottom of the bottle.
On a final note, when I first started making laundry liquid, I wondered what the difference was between laundry liquid and laundry detergent. Turns out, detergent is something that contains synthetic oils, etc. So, that's why I make laundry liquid - no synthetic anything, so it breaks down naturally and causes less harm.
So try our DIY laundry liquid pack and see for yourself how it works!
beia-soaps.co.nz/products/diy-laundry-liquid?variant=50122457383135