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Laundry cleaners

Sustainable living  ›  Green cleaners  ›  Laundry cleaners

These recipes for less-toxic soap, fabric softeners, deodorizers and bleaches, stain removers, and moth repellants can help you save money and protect your family and the environment.

Laundry soap

Commercially formulated laundry detergents that are more environmentally friendly are available. Seventh Generation, Ecover, Life Tree and Earth Friendly Cleaner provide concentrated, vegetable-oil-based (not petroleum) laundry soaps without synthetic fragrances. Add 1/2 cup borax or washing soda to the wash cycle as a booster for cleaning heavily soiled clothes.

Fabric softener

Add 1/4 cup borax or less to wash cycle.

Fabric softener and deodorizer

Add 1 to 2 cups of vinegar to rinse cycle to deodorize and soften fabrics.

Grease stain remover

Cover stain with a mixture of borax and water, rub in and wipe off. Make sure to rinse well after applying stain remover.

Stain removers

• Mix 1 part liquid vegetable oil-based soap, 1 part glycerin and 8 parts water. Pour into a squirt bottle; shake well before using. Apply to stain as soon as possible. Wash and rinse in cool water only. Do not use hot or warm water on sugary stains.
• Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Use to remove tough stains including grass, perspiration, rust, jam, coffee, orange juice, wine, beer, ketchup, barbecue sauce, chili, urine and pet stains.
• Use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution to spot clean. Let dry. Repeat if necessary.

Bleach

Look for a commercial non-chlorine bleach or try using:

• 1/2 cup 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in the rinse cycle
• 1/2 cup washing soda to warm or hot water wash cycles
• 1/2 cup lemon juice in the rinse cycle

Tip: After clothes have spun dry in the washer, hang them to dry in the sun. Sunshine is a natural bleach.

Diaper pail deodorizer

Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1 teaspoon tea tree or other essential oil. Work out all lumps with a fork. Sprinkle in bottom of pail after liner is removed. Periodically rinse pail with vinegar and dry in the sun.

Moth repellants

• Store clean woolens in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.
• Place garments in the freezer for several days to kill adult moths and larvae.
• Vacuum rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture regularly.
• Combine 2 ounces each dried rosemary and mint, 1 ounce each dried thyme and ginseng, and 8 ounces of whole cloves. Blend well and make into moth-repellant sachets.
• Dry cleaning is a significant source of air pollution. Woolens can be hand-washed using a mild vegetable oil-based soap and cold water.

Laundry starch

Combine 2 to 3 teaspoons cornstarch with 1 cup water in a spray bottle. Shake well. Use as you would commercial spray starches.