Mad Scientist Mama

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I must be a glutton for punishment, or at least work. Oy. I decided to go a bit crunchier and cheaper and make my own laundry detergent. First I did the whole grating a bar of soap, add some borax and washing soda. It worked great, but not on cloth diapers. See most laundry detergents don't have oils or fats in them. Soap does, and it deposited itself all over my nice absorbent diapers. When they came out I was like 'ooooo, soft diapers!' Then I figured out it was the wax from the soap and Eeek, my diapers didn't have as much absorbency. Crap. So then I found a 'cloth diaper safe' recipe. It consisted of oxyclean, borax and washing soda. Weeeellll, it didn't wax them, but it didn't get them totally clean. I'm sure my neighbors had a hoot watching me hold slightly stained and dingy diapers up to my nose doing the sniff test. They smelled clean, and so I thought they were. But, but, BUT! When I washed them after being used with an actual laundry detergent those previous 'stains' came out. So I guess they weren't really clean? Ew. Poor Rhys. So I have ditched that idea of making my own laundry detergent and going back to Shaklee's. Sure it's a pretty penny, but it's eco-friendly and it is super concentrated. It does last me a long time and it gets my clothes clean. I can use it in cold water too. It's actually what I grew up with. That box lasts me about half a year with our front loader. And I can use the borax, washing soda and the oxyclean to boost my wash.

So if you make your own laundry detergent and it works for cloth diapers I'd like to know your recipe. Until then I'll use the Shaklee laundry detergent.