How to Wash Your Clothes with Natural Laundry Products

Limit your family's exposure to chemicals by using green laundry soap. This guide to alternatives for detergent will tell you how. Also included is a DIY laundry soap recipe.

We buy organic food to lower our contact with toxins and chemicals. We use green household cleaners to keep ourselves and the environment healthy.

Have you thought about your laundry lately?

Nearly all commercial laundry soap is laden with chemicals and phosphates, which poses a problem to the ecosystem and to ourselves.

There is a more natural way to do laundry. Whether you have sensitive skin, a baby, or you just want to lower your exposure to chemicals and be good to the earth, there's a natural laundry soap here for you.

Healthy Laundry Soap Doesn't Equal No Cleansing Power

You don't have to decide between being chemical free or clean.

Many people mistakenly believe that they have to choose between having clean clothes or being environmentally friendly when it comes to their washing powders.

That notion is just not true. All-natural products can have the same cleansing power as those chemical-laden detergents found in neighborhood supermarkets.

There's a world of natural soap options that will cut the dirt and the smell out of your laundry. Here are just a few options for you to explore.

All Natural Organic Laundry Detergent Soap Nuts

The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap

Soap berries are the fruit of a plant that grows in the Himalayas. They contain a saponin, which is a natural detergent, and has been used by indigenous people in the region for centuries.

These are great for people who have very sensitive skin and are allergic to most soaps. It's also safe for baby's laundry. You'll feel good knowing you're not exposing them to any chemicals.

Soap berries are easy to use. Just put three or four berries in the provided muslin bag and throw in your washing machine with your load of laundry. When it's done, transfer the bag with your laundry to the dryer because they also replace your dryer sheets.

Your bag of berries are good for seven to eight loads of laundry, so they are very economical.

Safe for HE machines.

NaturOli Soap Nuts / Soap Berries. - ONE POUND - "Select"...

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Organic Soap Berries (1Kg / 2.2 Lbs)

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Natural Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin

Smelly laundry is no more

If you workout or have a strenuous outdoor job that produces stinky laundry, Sport Suds is the best laundry soap to use.

Sport Suds uses a natural compound to kill odor-causing bacteria instead of using perfumes or sulfates which can irritate sensitive skin. It's also biodegradable and safe for the environment.

This amazing detergent contains absolutely no chemicals, phosphates, sulfates, or perfumes. It's ideal for anyone who is allergic to commercial laundry soaps. Its odor-fighting ability and gentleness makes it perfect to use on baby diapers and baby clothes.

Sport Suds will clean synthetic fabrics such as Lycra, but is gentle enough to use on your delicates.

Great for HE washers. One bag will wash 40 loads.

Sport Suds Detergent, 500g Zipper Pou...

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Coconut Oil Laundry Detergent

Replaces stain removers, fabric softeners, and bleach, too!

Coconut Laundry Soap

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Your laundry can't get much greener and chemical free than this.

Coconut Laundry Soap is so natural, it only has three ingredients: saponified coconut oil, lemongrass essential oil, and patchouli essential oil.

Don't let the simplicity of this detergent fool you, though. It packs a powerful cleaning punch into the tiny amount it takes to do a whole load of laundry.

Coconut Laundry Soap is for the cost-conscious consumer. It only takes half the amount of what commercial laundry detergents call for to do a load of laundry. Plus, it also replaces bleach, fabric softeners, and stain removers.

Eco-friendly as well, you can feel good about releasing your used laundry water into the environment.

Safe for HE washers. One bag will wash 72 loads.

Perfume Free, Detergent Free Laundry Soap

Perfect for those with respiratory sensitivities

16 oz. Peaceful Suds Unscented Laundr...

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A common problem people with asthma and other respiratory problems have is finding a laundry soap that is perfume free.

Peaceful Suds contains no perfumes and is completely unscented. Made with natural ingredients, it's safe to use on the whole family's laundry.

It only takes one tablespoon to clean a load of laundry, making this is a very wallet-friendly soap. Peaceful Suds works well in hard water areas and also leaves no residue behind on fabrics.

One bag will wash 64 loads. Compatible with HE washing machines.

Homemade Laundry Soap (fels naptha)

Make your own natural laundry soap.

If you want to know exactly what is in your laundry soap, there's no better way than to make your own. It only takes four common items to make an earth-friendly and effective washing powder.

Ingredients:

1 4lb. Box Washing Soda
1 4lb Box Borax
4 lbs Baking Soda
3 bars Fels Naptha, Zote, or castile soap
1 5 Gallon Bucket for Storage

Add 2 Tbsp to one load of laundry. This homemade soap is safe to use in HE washing machines.

Instructions:

Gather Your Laundry Detergent Ingredi...

Pour Washing Soda, Baking Soda, and B...

Tip:

You can grate your three bars of soap or........

Cut Each Bar Into 5 Pieces and Place ...	Microwave 1-2 Minutes or Until Your S...
Let Soap Cool COMPLETELY and Crumble ...	Add Soap Crumbles to Your Powders and...

Updated: 10/23/2015, AbbyFitz

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AbbyFitz on 05/17/2014

Because coconut oil in that form acts as the detergent. Coconut oil is an ingredient in most store bought soaps such as Castile and ivory.

CountrySunshine on 05/17/2014

I'm curious about the coconut laundry soap, as it contains 3 oils. How do these not stain your clothes or make them greasy? Thanks for the homemade recipe... this sounds like the perfect route for me!

AbbyFitz on 11/08/2013

Thank you!

AbbyFitz on 11/03/2013

Thank you for reading and commenting!

katiem2 on 11/03/2013

I think I would like the coconut laundry soap. What a great and helpful guide to washing our families clothes and most importantly our children and baby clothes without harmful chemicals because those chemicals do have a very negative impact on our health. Great Article!

AbbyFitz on 11/03/2013

I have become sensitive to a lot of things and I never used to be that way. That's why I've had to look for alternatives. Thank you for reading!

Mira on 11/03/2013

"Saponified coconut oil, lemongrass essential oil, and patchouli essential oil." That sounds intriguing. In fact, your whole article is. I am fine with commercial detergent, but when I read the labels on various products, how you have to rinse your hands well should you come into contact with it, I begin to wonder why I'm using them at all. I might still be using them but will look around for natural alternatives. At least the smell will be different.

AbbyFitz on 10/27/2013

Thanks. I guess everything old is new again

AbbyFitz on 10/27/2013

Thank you. I like the soap nuts too. I'm kind of partial to the coconut soap too