Exchange your laundry detergent for baking soda

by Kiza
(Friendswood, TX)

My husband and I have become increasingly environmentally friendly, but one of the toughest things for us to adjust were our laundry habits. We wanted to make changes there, too, but we also wanted our clothes to be clean!

We were forced into looking for alternatives when I became pregnant. I've had asthma for some time, and the chemicals and synthetic scents in regular detergents were making me sick. I also worried about what they would do to my baby's sensitive skin.

After doing quite a bit of reseach, I traded out myt laundry detergents for baking soda. I was pretty skeptical at first, and my husband was convinced that I was crazy, but we've both been very pleased with the results!

Three-quarters of a cup of baking soda gets a full load of laundry clean with no added chemicals and no residual gunk left on the clothes. (This means it works great on cloth diapers!) Our clothes no longer hold on to body oils or smells like they used to.

If I have something particularly nasty to wash, I add two drops of tea tree essential oil. When my husband said that he missed the scent of traditional detergents, two drops of lavender essential oil added to the wash did the trick.

Comments for Exchange your laundry detergent for baking soda

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

Definitely trying this tonight NEW
by: MJ

I have spent a small fortune on laundry detergent for my youngest son who has extremely chemically sensitive skin and hair. Most free and clear products make him feel too itchy. Most green products have essential oil blends which cause skin reactions. So last week, I tried just washing soda as my detergent since he heavily stains his clothes..definitely made his clothes softer and brighter. And they smell clean. Still feel like he still its not itch free...so now I an trying your suggestion of baking soda only. I use vinegar as a fabric softner with drops of only one essential oil (lavender) / no blends of oils. Praying this is the answer.

Rating

Baking Soda as a laundry detergent NEW
by: Anonymous

I just started using Baking Soda as a substitute for laundry detergent. Amazing, clothes are cleaner and smell better and less costly to use. Safe for the environment that we are polluting everyday with more toxins than I care to mention. Baking Soda is a safe way of cleaning laundry and it works!

Rating

Baking soda. NEW
by: Jo

That would be too expensive in the UK, baking soda is very expensive, washing soda is a lot cheaper though.

Rating

Agree NEW
by: Anonymous

The world market for oil material is crashing, and so is the soap industry. The soap is lye plus oil. Whales are hunted to extinction, coconut and palm have limited space to plant so that chemicals become the substitutes for oil. Today, soap, shampoo, dishwashing, laundry are all at risk. I personally just found toxic soap and laundry detergent last month. Therefore, go natural organic products for all of these, African black soap etc., certainly vinegar and baking soda!

Rating

It works great! NEW
by: Anonymous

My daughter and I are very sensitive to soaps, detergents and fragrances. My daughter even had reactions to free and clear laundry detergents. We switched to baking soda about a month ago and we love it! No more itchy skin or rashes! It makes the clothes smell very clean and they are soft too. We have an older top loading washer and I just put about 3/4 to 1 full cup ( depending on how dirty) in the water stream and let it mix with the water. You can also use the baking soda with some water and a toothbrush to make a paste for stains (maybe not for stubborn stains). We love it! Wish I would have tried baking soda in my laundry years ago!

Rating

Where to put the baking soda?! NEW
by: Anonymous

Do you put the baking soda in the soap drawer or straight into the drum with the clothes?

Thanks!

Rating

Baking Soda is the Best NEW
by: Anonymous

I've been using baking soda as my detergent for more than a year. I am very pleased with the result. Clothes always come out clean, smells fresh, and it feels fine. I wanted to get away from detergents and softners and they usually had unwanted perfumes, and made my skin itchy. Plus, soap was something to get out clothes, sometimes had to do an extra rinse just to get rid of soap. With baking soda, my skin never itches, and there are no weird fumes.

Rating

Front load washing soda NEW
by: Rob Washing

It is easy to use baking soda for every day wear clothes that are not that dirty. I use it to wash all my underwear and dress clothes that are not dirty, just soiled. laundry soaps leave too many chemicals behind and will cause the garment to decay. Baking soda is a better clean and will not harm your colors. I use 1/2 cup per load and it works great. Every thing smells clean.
Not perfume.
Let me know your thoughts.
Happy Washing.....

Rating

Bicarbonate soda NEW
by: Anonymous

Can I use bicarbonate soda instead of baking soda?

Rating

detergent NEW
by: Alex Decker

I stopped using detergent! According to the University of Washington, 99% of laundry detergents release cancer-causing chemicals that are legally hazardous and toxic by the EPA.

Instead, I use this: http://www.bestquicktips.com/wash-with-no-detergent. It gets our clothes cleaner than ever. My husband drives a dump truck and gets dirty and stinky. Lo and behold, no dirt and NO STINK!! Plus, we save and water since I don't need to use the rinse cycle.

Rating

Jo NEW
by: Sheila

You don't need to pay £1 for 500 grams of bicarbonate of soda in
UK. I bought 10k £16:99 via Amazon.

I use it for cooking and cleaning as well

Rating

cock and popcorn alternatives NEW
by: Anonymous

here are [url=https://geekoxi.com/coke-and-popcorn-alternatives/]coke and popcorn[/url] to watch free movies

Rating

Android Apps for PC NEW
by: Steve

Download Android Apps for PC

https://www.pcappslive.com/

Rating

Android Apps for PC NEW
by: Steve

Download Android Apps for PC

https://www.pcappslive.com/

Rating

Baking soda as detergent NEW
by: Anonymous

You've convinced me to switch to baking soda entirely. I didn't think it could clean clothes so well.

BTW, if you're trying to be green, ammonia is terrible for the environment.

Rating

baking soda NEW
by: Jo

That would be too expensive to use in the UK a 500g box costs a £1

Rating

Baking soda for cloth diapers? NEW
by: Michelle

has anyone tried this with their EBF baby's diapers?

Rating

Showbox for PC NEW
by: Anonymous

http://www.letechworld.com/download-install-showbox-app-for-windows-pc-laptop/

Rating

Baking soda NEW
by: Jo-Ann

The best thing that I've ever done was to trade in the laundry detergent for baking soda. It all started when I became allergic to the dyes and perfumes, I was having such a problem with my skin itching and turning red and inflamed that I was going crazy. Baking soda saved me plus my cloths have never been whiter, brighter, softer and so clean!

Rating

Laundry Detergent NEW
by: Johnson

Education is very necessary and lifelong for the students. The human eggs can become intelligent individuals with the help of the dissertation writing company learned from the children to the maturity. The skills are learned and practiced throughout the life. Brown Trench Coat

Rating

whoa! NEW
by: Lumbar

showbox app on laptop must be download from any site. but it download a working version click this link

Rating

detergents NEW
by: Anonymous

You should change your detergent if you are feeling it uncomfortable. For a new one you can take guidance from cheap assignment writing service by ordering a research article on it and know what detergents are good for you.

Rating

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT ! NEW
by: KAY

I HAVE A FRONT LOAD WASHER AND I'M SO FED UP WITH MY TOWELS AND WASHCLOTHS SMELLING FUNKY AND THEN HAVE TO WASH THEM AGAIN WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I'VE EVEN CHANGED DETERGENT PRODUCING THE SAME RESULTS, I EVEN DOUBLE RINSE ! SO THIS MORNING I TRIED "JUST" THE BAKING SODA ! WALAH!! PERFECT! NICE SMELLING TOWELS AND WASHCLOTHS ! THANKS SO MUCH !!

Rating

Also for Hair! NEW
by: Anna

My daughter has very oily hair and was going through tons of shampoo. Now, she uses 1/4 cup baking soda every wash. Works great!

Grabbed a huge bag at the local Wholesale Club for $6!

Rating

Great for cloth diapers NEW
by: Michelle

I noticed when I used regular detergent on my daughters cloth diapers, I would get leaks all the time! I finally figured out that the detergent leaves a buildup on the fabric causing the urine to just roll off. (Think scotchguard for your sofa) anyhow I know use a scoop of baking soda and maybe a fourth cup vinegar for ALL my washables. I've noticed the diapers are much whiter too!

Rating

Works in the dishwasher too NEW
by: Wolfgang

Just substitute your detergent with half the amount of baking soda. Works perfect!

Rating

Cost? NEW
by: Andrea Mitchael

Where do you purchase your baking soda and how does the cost per load compare to other laundry soaps?

Thanks!

Rating

Finally, a Preventative-Free Laundry Powder NEW
by: Allergic to Preservatives

They are now adding formaldehyde-releasing preservatives to just about all of the soaps, shampoos, shower gels, and lots of other more personal products. There seems to be thousands of us who are learning we are allergic to these preservatives; they are even in the free & clear products claiming to be hypo-allergenic (oh, they don't have fragrance!) I am one of these people suffering from contact dermititus; been itching for 3 mo., without finding a cause. Most of these offensive products used to be okay, until they added the preservatives. Soap products don't usually even have the ingredients on the label; you have to go to their website and then search sometimes for hours in order to learn the actual ingredients. These manufactures think there are only a few of us allergic...but they are WRONG!
I did find Palmolive Pure & Clear, for dishes, to be without preservatives, but it would suds too much for using in our HE washers. I had just come up with the idea of using Baking Soda, and found this and other listings where other people were already trying it. We may have just come up with a solution to at least the laundry part if this Super Allergic problem. Thanks for the amount to use, and for the suggestion of adding Borax, although it can also be an allergenic for some people. I am going to begin tomorrow, using 3/4 cup of Baking Soda in the tub before adding the clothes, to avoid the preservatives all together. Thanks again.

Rating

Front Load Washer Foam .....underwear. NEW
by: Robert

I have a water softner. Hence, foam at end of cycle. You can use fabric softner, but I do not like the way it makes my underwear feel. All I want is clean underwear ! Not too much to ask you say ? Liquid laundry detergent will always foam way too much no matter how little you use with soft water. Causing your front loader to work over time to remove the suds. That is if it dosen't shut off, or go out of balance because the laundry is stuck together in one big soap ball, and the machine can not spin if it can not balance ! Powers are less expensive per ounce. Not as heavy for shipping cost,ect is just one savings. Combineing the three key powders, and used in the wright amount, will last you a year.
So I came up with this mix of laundry powder that I read about. Get a tupper wear canister with a snap on lid. To keep in your laundry room.
One cup of Tide,or what ever brand of powder you like, one cup of baking soda, one cup of Borax and you can add one cup of smell good like Purex crystals if you like. Mix with a big spoon in the container. When you get low, repeat. Cost way less in the long run, and dosen't drive the machine crazy trying to rinse.
Use only 50cc or a light 1/4 cup. Don't be tempted to use more. Less is better. For really dirty Laundry run a longer wash cycle to give the detergent time to work. But don't add more soap, it's the washing action that cleans the laundry not the detergent. Always use HE laundry detergent. Non HE will leave a soap scum in your HE machine. Because of the low water usage.
This works well in hard and soft water. To reply to the guy with the underwear foam problem, me too, less is better with front load washers !
Start out with 25cc set machine for three rinses. Let the machine do all the work. Underwear is not dirty like let's say jeans are.
When I lived in England all they had was front loaders,we used one level table spoon of detergent and every thing came out clean and soap scum free !
Hope this helps.
It has worked great for my stuff.

Rating

Washing machine & dish washer cleaning ! NEW
by: Robert

You may think you are cleaning your washing machine and dish washer with the
"easy pour bleach" but your not ! Read the label guys. It says on the label in very small letters
"not for sanitizaton or disinfection" to sanitiz and disinfect must use "REGULAR CLOROX BLEACH" CHECK THE CLOROX LABEL. I had a smell in my brand new Samsung dish washer that you would make you gag! Rotten, nasty food smell. I used Clorox
"splash bleach" in the auto cup dispencer ran the cycle, nothing. Then I saw the "FINE PRINT" Ran the unit again with "REAL BLEACH" ! WASHER AND DISH WASHER ARE NOW CLEAN !No smell at all !
I now do it ounce a week with dishes in the machine and no dish washing soap. My dishes have never been that clean ! Plus, the garbage disposal no longer smells. Of course the dish washer drains into the gargbage disposal. When you hear it drainging, turn on your disposal and it will clean it to.

Rating

thank you NEW
by: Nathalie

Hi there,
Having MCS, I definitely know what you mean when scents & fragrances can affect your health.. I was using a fragrance-free laundry detergent, but am trying this right now, as it is laundry time :-)--- no synthetic chemicals YEA... thanks for sharing..

Rating

Worth a Try
by: Anonymous

I was thinking of trying this out and searched Google to find someone else already doing this.

Rating

Baking soda, replacement for laundry
by: Robert

No matter how little HE laundry detergent i use in my front loader there is always suds left in the last rinse. Can't have soap left on my underwear. Am trying washing the underwear with 1/2 cup of baking soda to see it this works. I use a very small amount of Clorox ultinate Care Bleach. About 1/8 cup. Just to sanatize. Will let you know how it works out. So far NO SUDS ! Thanks for your web page and helping me with this huge problem !

Rating

baking soda and dish washers
by: Anonymous

W ould this work for dishwashers as well?

Rating

Baking soda
by: nurseygurl

You can exfoliate your face, brush your teeth, clean your sink, bath tub and all that chrome with that one box of baking soda. oh, bee sting? baking soda. Ammonia works too. right away! put it on the sting.

Rating

Borax, too?
by: Linda

I had no idea that just baking soda would clean. What a great tip! I can't wait to try it out. Also, any essential oil will work as fragrance.

Rating

More than one use for Baking Soda
by: Anonymous

Thank you. Does this work for front loaders also. I would think so since it is low in suds. I have been looking for an eco friendly alternative to laundry soap. And soap is getting so expensive, especially for front loaders. I am going to try you idea with a little just to see if it works.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Share you eco friendly advice.

footer for washing machine reviews page

Brands

Types

Appliances

Help

Exchange your laundry detergent for baking soda

Comments for Exchange your laundry detergent for baking soda