Getting Laundry Clean

I love my laundry routine--I use homemade laundry detergent, white vinegar as a fabric softener, wash everything in cold water, and air dry.

Homemade detergent:
Equal parts Borax, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, and grated Fels Naptha soap. Fels Naptha can also be used as stain "pre-treater". I have tried a lot the stain treatments on the market, and Fels Naptha is the best, hands down. This detergent is very concentrated--you only need 1-2 tablespoons per load. This seems like an impossibly small amount, but it works.

I also add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to each load. It is a natural odor neutralizer and gives a little extra "ooomph" of cleaning power.

IME, warm and hot water just penetrate stains and odors. I wash everything--even diapers--in cold water.

Clothes dryers are very hard on clothes, and again, IME, sort of "set" odors and stains. I have read that you can double the lifespan of your clothes by air drying them. I know this is not practical for every family, but even if you can air dry your things every once a while, I really think it makes a difference. Good luck.

I had this same question about a month ago. I had a lot of great advice. I tried Borax and it works AWESOME!! My clothes are so much whiter and they just seem cleaner. My washer has a soaking cycle and so I have been using that. I don't think I can ever do laundry without it again!

My husband works with a lot of grease and oil and I have been able to get his cloths clean using some great all natural products from a company I work with. People have actually asked him how I got his cloths so clean. I also spray the stains with the stain remover if they are really bad. These products have also saved a lot of my 2 month old daughters cloths from baby stains. These are the only products I have found that make her cloths come out of the dryer looking brand new. And the best part is they are all natural so there is no worry of allergy. If you would be interested in using these products please contact me.

I totally agree with Cassandra! Nothing gets clothes cleaner than Fels Naptha and borax. I use vinegar too. I used Melaleuca products for 5 years and got tired of constantly having to mix several products and wait days for stains to come out.
For grease stains I use Dawn dish soap on occasion. But the recipe that Cassandra listed for detergent is amazing, especially for people with allergies. Good luck!

Hi J.,

I don't really have any ideas on how to get your laundry cleaner...I use Era and don't seem to have a problem. I use Era with Bleach on my white clothes, and once in awhile I will put the real bleach in with them.

I just wanted to touch base with you on the dirty carpets, and having daycare children and parents in and out all the time....I would post a sign at the front door for them not to walk on the carpet with their shoes on. I don't know your situation...whether you have an entryway or mud room that you could ask them to take their shoes off in or not. This works, most of the time, at my house. There are always a few that think the rules aren't for them, but I usually get it across sometime, or my kids do. Once your kids know the rule they will definitely let others know when it is broken...aren't children great!?

C.