Frigal and Healthy Laundry Detergent

[try2bfrugal]

I started using Ecos Free and Clear. It gets the clothes clean and costs 10 cents a load. The container touts it as being environmentally friendly but the Environmental Working Group only gives it a C rating.

Do you have a detergent less expensive per load or more environmentally friendly for the same or lower cost? I looked up home made recipes and most use Borax, a product that seems to have a lot of health warning associated with it lately.

[razz]

I had not heard of the concerns with Borax. What in particular were the issues with Borax?

[SteveinMN]

Borax has cumulative negative effects on some organisms. For instance, treating creeping charlie with borax is something that can be done only a couple of times as the level of borax in the soil does not decrease. Ditto with using boric acid to combat ants. Borax may be more environmentally friendly than manufactured herbicides and pesticides, but it still is a poison in larger doses.

[try2bfrugal]

I had not heard of the concerns with Borax. What in particular were the issues with Borax?

I was reading home made laundry detergent recipes using Borax on Mother Earth News, and one of the comments pointed out that at least one other article recommended at the bottom of the page was on the dangers of Borax! -

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/borax-has-issues-you-have-alternatives.aspx

[ApatheticNoMore]

I use 7th generation but frankly it's not particularly cheap at all (I do hope it's healthy and good for the planet - or else why am I not just using Tide you know? :~) The heavy chemical stuff like Tide is the best cleaner, but I'll settle for something that doesn't poison the water supply and everything else and mostly does a good enough job).

[puglogic]

We wait for sales on Whole Foods' 365 concentrated detergent and then stock up. We also use Costco's Boulder liquid detergent, but I don't know how it would rate on EWG.

Just as an aside, we had to purchase a bottle of "regular" detergent (the normal powerful stuff) this week, and the heavy perfumes and chemicals have us sneezing and itching, even after using much less. I guess I've become too sensitive to normal soaps......

[try2bfrugal]

We wait for sales on Whole Foods' 365 concentrated detergent and then stock up. We also use Costco's Boulder liquid detergent, but I don't know how it would rate on EWG.

Just as an aside, we had to purchase a bottle of "regular" detergent (the normal powerful stuff) this week, and the heavy perfumes and chemicals have us sneezing and itching, even after using much less. I guess I've become too sensitive to normal soaps......

That sounds like a good idea. How do you know when the Whole foods detergent is on sale? I don't regularly shop there.

[rosarugosa]

I recently wrote down this recipe that I found somewhere online (maybe MMM Forum). I haven't tried it yet, so cannot vouch for efficacy:
quart jar
1/4 c baking soda
1/4 c liquid castile soap
2 tbsp coarse salt
fill bottle with warm water and shake or stir
use 1/2 c per load

[try2bfrugal]

I recently wrote down this recipe that I found somewhere online (maybe MMM Forum). I haven't tried it yet, so cannot vouch for efficacy:
quart jar
1/4 c baking soda
1/4 c liquid castile soap
2 tbsp coarse salt
fill bottle with warm water and shake or stir
use 1/2 c per load

Thanks. Do you know if this would work in HE machines?

[rosarugosa]

T2BF: Sorry, but I'm not sure. Other homemade recipes with grated castile bar soap tend to be very low on suds, and I've always heard they were fine for HE machines. So I would assume this recipe would be OK, but cannot personally attest one way or the other.

[try2bfrugal]

T2BF: Sorry, but I'm not sure. Other homemade recipes with grated castile bar soap tend to be very low on suds, and I've always heard they were fine for HE machines. So I would assume this recipe would be OK, but cannot personally attest one way or the other.

Okay, thanks. I might stick with the Ecos for now since that is only $36.50 a year to use. I still have other cleaners and toiletry items I need to look at to see if I can find cheaper alternatives.

I'd like to get to the point where all our cleaners, my make up, our shampoos, etc. are all either DIY or extremely frugal store options.