Make your own detergent & wash sustainably

Laundry can also be done without waste. And it's wonderfully sustainable. The many packages of detergents cause Plastic waste without end. With very simple means, you can wash your laundry sustainably and ensure that you leave behind less plastic waste. I'll show you how you can Make detergent yourself can. In the end, I also have a really strong alternative to homemade detergent ready for you!

Make your own detergent - Here's how

The coolest thing I think is the homemade detergent from chestnuts! It is certainly surprising for some how easy it is and how wonderfully the natural detergent works. But the detergent can also be made very well from curd soap. For this you now get a concise instruction in each case!

Make detergent yourself from chestnuts

From September / October is chestnut time! Was that cool to collect chestnuts in the past! Since you can use them perfectly for a homemade detergent, this is now also for adults again a reason to go among the chestnuts! Because chestnuts, like ivy, contain a lot of saponins that create foam and a soap-like liquid in water.

What you need:

• 500 ml container with lid / or a reused detergent bottle
• about 10 chestnuts (collect in autumn and stock up right away!)
• 300-400 ml water
• Kitchen strainer (This set* is ideal)
• Kitchen knife (This kitchen knife* is perfect, but I'm sure you already have one in the kitchen!)

Here's how:

1. Quarter chestnuts with a knife
2. Add to your glass with 300-400 ml of water
3. Wait about half a day (put the jar in the light).
4. Sieve the resulting liquid
5. Application in the detergent compartment of the washing machine

When you shake it, you will already notice how it foams. Try to shake the detergent vigorously once before each use. After using the homemade detergent from chestnuts, your laundry will smell of nothing, because we have not added any flavors or fragrance oils. But this is freely variable. So chestnuts offer the ideal opportunity for your own detergent. I recommend you to take proper precautions next fall, so that you can make your own detergent in this way for a long time to come. By the way, in addition to its effect as a detergent, the liquid is also suitable for other cleaning tasks and also as a dishwashing liquid. Try it out!

Make your own detergent from curd soap

Similar to the homemade washing up liquid, you can create a plastic free vegetable soap also grate to be able to make your own detergent. So even for this detergent you do not need much!

What you need:

• Large pot, and several bottles or a large container (This pot* is ideal because it is very high)
• Kitchen grater (This kitchen grater* has four different sides)
• Kitchen knife (You should have it there!)
• 30 g curd soap (This curd soap* is packed without plastic)
• 4 tablespoons washing soda (Here you can buy washing soda* - Really get some more right away! Alternatively you can get here 500g*)
• 3 drops of essential oil (e.g. this oil*. But basically depending on the desired fragrance)
• 700 ml water

Here's how:

1. Grate curd soap or cut into very small pieces
2. Put water, washing soda and curd soap in a pot
3. Stir vigorously (CAUTION: If the pot is shallow, it can quickly foam over)
4. Turn on the stove and let the liquid boil
5. Add essential oil (after about a quarter of an hour of cooling!)
6. Fill the finished detergent into desired containers

Again, before each use of the detergent, you should shake it once vigorously. In contrast to the chestnut detergent, you can make the detergent yourself all year round. If you always have chestnuts in stock, you can of course also make the chestnut detergent yourself at any time. To use the detergent from curd soap, you should take about 200 ml of the homemade liquid.

Washing nuts - The alternative to homemade detergent

You can make your own detergent, but you can also use another product of nature to wash your clothes clean. Soap nuts, or the soap tree on which the nuts hang, grow in tropical regions. In countries like India, soap nuts have been used for many centuries to clean laundry. Like chestnuts or ivy, soap nuts contain many saponins that produce foam. Unlike chestnuts, we can get soap nuts all year round. Here you can order them plastic free*. Shows like Galileo have already done the test. The washing nuts make cleaner than conventional means, cost only half in the end and are environmentally friendly. They can be used more often and after consumption go into the bio garbage can. There is no plastic waste and no costly manufacturing process is required. I have also tried the washing nuts and find them really strong.

What you need:

• Soap nuts (I use these washing nuts!*)

This is how you apply the soap nuts:

1. Take 5-7 half shells of the soap nuts
2. Simply place the soap nuts in a small bag (or a sock) with the laundry in the laundry drum

More info about washing with the washing nuts:

• The washing nuts can be used several times. (up to 5x at low temperatures, up to 3x at high temperatures).
• The natural mild substances of the soap nuts are suitable for any type of washing
• The soap nuts do not produce a scent during washing. There you can again a few drops essential oil* Place in the fabric softener compartment of the washing machine.
• The washing nuts can also be used for hair and are also suitable as a dishwashing liquid, for making liquid soap or for cleaning cars

Here you can order the soap nuts directly and try them out!*

Make your own detergent or use washing nuts

As you can see, you can do laundry without plastic waste by making your own detergent or replacing it with soap nuts. Natural & Plastic Free. Plasticfree lifestyle without waste is really simple. It can be so simple if we think outside the box and choose the environmentally conscious and sustainable way. Have fun doing laundry! Feel free to write me a comment or message with your experiences.

Best regards,

PS: You can also make your own washing-up liquid. Read the article Make dishwashing liquid yourself through. Have fun!