10 Recipes for Homemade Detergents

Commercial detergents are expensive. In addition, they are often present, like bleach, a toxicity that can cause serious damage to the environment and humans. Why not play the sorcerer’s apprentice and save yourself all that?

Inspired by our grandmothers

Before our current products, did you ever wonder? How did we do it in the old days?

Here are the basics of the healthier and cheaper detergents that our grandmothers used:

    – lemon curd, baking soda;

    – Marseille soap, Aleppo soap;

    – white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide;

    – sodium perborate, terre de Sommières.

Tip: to perfume your detergents, add a few drops of essential oil of your choice.

1. Lemon + soap

A general-purpose cleaning product can be used for many light household tasks.

The all-purpose recipe:

    – Grate some soap with a soap-cutting wire.

    – Add a tablespoon of lemon.

    – Mix well.

Good to know: do not apply this cleaner on marble! The lemon will bleach it and cause it to crack.

2. Soap + lemon + vinegar

For hard floors, cleaning and shining is not just a matter of elbow grease:

    – one-half of black or Marseille soap;

    – one liter of water;

    – the juice of one lemon;

    – a tablespoon of vinegar.

For an impeccable cleaning of the tiles:

    – Grate the soap, and mix the ingredients well in a container.

    – Apply the mixture with a mop.

    – Rinse and let dry.

Tip: White vinegar makes the floor shine.

3. Baking soda + essential oil

Oops, you’re out of laundry! Don’t panic; with a few alternative ingredients, your laundry will be clean and fresh in no time.

Mix in a basin or sink:

    – 4 L of boiling water;

    – 2 tablespoons of baking soda;

    – 2 drops of essential oil to scent the laundry.

Tip: you can also use grated Marseille soap mixed with boiling water.

4. White vinegar + mint leaves

To get a soft laundry, concoct your own recipe and save money. To do this, macerate:

    – a mixture of mint and rosemary leaves (as well as other scents at your fingertips),

    – 1 L of white vinegar.

Tip: White vinegar effectively fights limescale and maintains the washing machine simultaneously. Its smell is neutralized by adding a few natural perfumes.

5. Bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon

Although very effective, bleach is a harsh method that can damage fabrics. There are many ways to brighten up your white laundry naturally.

    – the sun, bicarbonate;

    – hydrogen peroxide, sodium perborate;

    – lemon, Marseille soap.

Tip: the sun offers free and straightforward bleaching. You just have to dry your clothes outside regularly in good weather.

6. White vinegar + lemon

Your kettle is looking grey. And for a good reason: over time, limescale invades it! There is a simple method to remedy this:

    – Pour a large glass of white vinegar and a few drops of lemon juice (to cancel the smell of vinegar).

    – Fill with water.

    – Put the kettle on.

    – Let it work for a few hours.

    – Empty the kettle and repeat the operation until the limescale completely disappears.

Tip: this method can also be applied to a dishwasher, a coffee maker, or a stainless steel sink.

7. Aleppo soap + lemon

To degrease your dishes and kitchen, rely on 2 essential ingredients with formidable degreasing power.

Mix with 2 L of hot water:

    – Aleppo soap or liquid Marseille soap;

    – the juice of a lemon.

White vinegar, lemon, salt, or bicarbonate

Several natural products are at your disposal to shine tiles, linoleum, or plastic.

    – white vinegar;

    – lemon;

    – bicarbonate of soda;

    – salt.

8. Montmorillonite

A stain on a carpet can have catastrophic consequences. Adding liquids and products of all kinds can damage it and leave traces.

To remove the carpet effectively:

    – pour some montmorillonite on the fabric (quantity to be determined according to the dirt);

    – Let it work;

    – Vacuum the carpet.

9. Bicarbonate + vinegar + lemon

Although bleach disinfects well, it should be used with care. To disinfect a litter box, for example, use

    – 2 tablespoons baking soda;

    – 2 tablespoons of white vinegar;

    – 2 L of warm water;

    – the juice of a lemon (against the smell of vinegar).

The combined action of these detergents is safe for humans and pets and forms a powerful disinfectant.

10. Salt + baking soda + white vinegar

A small clog in your sink or shower can usually be solved with everyday, healthy and inexpensive products. But if the problem worsens, you’ll have to resort to toxic detergents or call a plumber. Hurry up!

Mix:

    – 2 tablespoons baking soda;

    – 2 tablespoons of salt;

    – 1 mustard glass of hot white vinegar.

Leave for half an hour, then pour in hot water.

Hope these few tips will be helpful while cleaning. Remember to share your experience in the comments below.