I have been on a 'mission'
for the last three years, to get rid of toxic cleaning supplies in my
house. It has been a bit harder than you would think. Sometimes you just
want to turn to the quick toxic fix of commercial products. Essential oils
have made the job much easier.
This is my protocol for
laundry: I use soap nuts with a cleansing blend essential oil on the muslin bag. Then I
use these wool dryer balls that I made from 100% wool yarn. (So EASY) I add about 15 drops of lavender
essential oils to the balls and throw them in the dryer with the wet clothes.
The scent in the balls lasts for several loads and my clothes smell
heavenly. You can add any scent you want. If you have a static cling problem,
just throw in a crunched up ball of aluminum foil for a few minutes. I only do
this if they have static when I go to take them out.
Soap nuts are berries that grow on trees in
India & Nepal. They have large quantities of saponin in their shells,
which acts as a natural, gentle detergent when it comes into contact with
water. Without any chemicals, fragrances or dyes, they are safe and gentle enough
for hand washing dedicates yet tough enough for regular laundry. They
will leave your clothes soft, clean and fragrance free, eliminating the need
for fabric softeners. You place four or five of the nuts in a muslin bag and
throw them in the washer. I add 5 drops of a cleansing blend essential oil. If there are stains on
your clothes, you will want to pre-treat them. I will sometimes throw in a
scoop of Biokleen Oxygen bleach if the load is "kid's" clothes or extra dirty work clothes.
Cleansing blend is a blend
of essential oils whose components have been studied for their powerful
abilities to remove harmful microorganisms. It is a great oil
for air purification when diffused. I like the fresh clean smell my clothes
have when I use it in the laundry. It's also great if I've left the clothes in
the washer overnight and they've started to smell moldy. I throw some Cleansing blend in
and do a quick rinse again and they are fresh and clean.
