# DIY: Laundry Alternatives

**Published:** 2025-02-08

Laundry detergents and soaps at the store are filled with ingredients that do not support a healthy, natural lifestyle. Honestly, some of them don’t even really support cleaning (you’ve seen the towel-stripping videos, right?)!

That is why finding safe and natural options is so important. At Earthley, we offer a[** Laundry Detergent**](https://earthley.com/products/laundry-detergent) that can meet those needs safely! It is made with washing soda, citric acid (from the cassava plant -- not GMO corn), bromelain (from pineapples), and our own in-house castile soap made with extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. It comes in unscented or scented (citrus, spring blossoms, or eucalyptus-mint)

If you feel the same way about safe and natural alternatives and love DIYs, then these recipes may help you!

##### **About Laundry-Safe Essential Oils **

Did you know that some essential oils are highly flammable and shouldn’t be added to laundry detergents or even dryer balls?

**You should aim for EOs that are:**

- Stable like lavender, thyme, eucalyptus, tea tree oil
- Light like citrus, mint, geranium, rosemary, bergamot, ylang-ylang (heavy ones like patchouli, sandalwood, and vetiver may leave spots)
- Pure (100% pure essential oils as carrier oils may leave spots)

***Notes***:

**HE (High-Efficiency) machines:** Add oils to vinegar and pour it into the fabric softener compartment.

**Standard machines: **Dilute the oil with water and add it during the rinse cycle.

We recommend these blends:

- [**Calming Essential Oil Blend:**](https://earthley.com/products/calming-essential-oil-blend) Cedarwood, Ylang-ylang, Lavender, and Orange EOs
- [**Immune Support Essential Oil Blend: **](https://earthley.com/products/immune-support-essential-oil-blend)Eucalyptus Dives, Lavender, Siberian Fir Needle, Frankincense Serrata, and Lemon EOs

##### **Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent Alternatives**

###### **Liquid Laundry Detergent**

**Ingredients & Materials:**

- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup washing soda
- ½ cup grated castile soap
- Hot water
- Hand grater
- An airtight jar for storage

**Directions**:

**Step 1: **Place 4 cups of hot water in a saucepan and grate the bar of soap into it.

**Step 2:** Stir over medium-high heat until the soap dissolves.

**Step 3:** Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full with hot water.

**Step 4:** Add the soap mixture, baking soda, and washing soda.

**Step 5: **Stir well until the powder dissolves.

**Step 6: **Fill to the top with hot water and let it sit overnight to thicken.

***To use:*** Add 1 cup of liquid soap for extra large loads. Washers hold different capacities, so experiment and adjust the amount for your washing needs.

###### **Powdered Laundry Detergent**

**Ingredients & Materials: **

- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup washing soda
- ½ cup grated castile soap
- Hand grater
- An airtight jar for storage

**Directions**:

**Step 1:** In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

**Step 2: **Store in an airtight container.

***To use: ***Add 1-2 tablespoons to the load depending on the dirtiness of the wash.

###### **Laundry Detergent Tablets **

**Ingredients & Materials:**

- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup non-iodized salt
- 1 cup baking soda
- 3/4 cup liquid castile soap
- 2 tsp. laundry-safe essential oil
- 0.5 oz. silicone mold
- An airtight jar or bag for storage

**Step 1:** Add all your dry ingredients (washing soda, salt, and baking soda) into a mixing bowl. Combine well.

**Step 2:** Add your wet ingredients (liquid castile soap and essential oil) into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Combine well, ensuring everything is evenly moist.

**Step 3: **Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the silicone mold (there should be enough for 60 tablets) and let sit until the tablets are hardened and completely dry.

**Step 4:** Remove the laundry tablets from the mold and store them in an airtight jar or bag.

***To use: ***Add 1-2 laundry detergent tablets into the drum of your washing machine before adding your clothes. This will allow the detergent to dissolve and become soapy.