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Green and Clean: Simple Recipes for Natural Soaps, Detergents, and Healing Salves at Home

Green and Clean: Simple Recipes for Natural Soaps, Detergents, and Healing Salves at Home

Crafting your own natural household products is a delightful way to reduce chemicals in your home and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. Not only can this be a fun and educational activity, but it also allows you to tailor your products to your personal preferences and needs. Below, I will share some simple recipes and instructions for making natural soaps, detergents, and herbal remedies.

Natural Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz of coconut oil

  • 10 oz of olive oil

  • 3 oz of almond oil

  • 4 oz of lye (sodium hydroxide)

  • 7.5 oz of water

  • Essential oils of choice (for scent)

 Instructions:

  1. Safety first: Wear gloves and goggles. Work in a well-ventilated area.

  2. Lye solution: Slowly add lye to water (never the other way around), and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

  3. Oil mixture: Combine coconut, olive, and almond oils in a large pot and heat until they reach about 100°F.

  4. Mixing: Once both the lye solution and oils are at similar temperatures (between 95°F-105°F), slowly pour the lye solution into the oils while stirring continuously.

  5. Blending: Use an immersion blender to mix until it reaches 'trace' (the mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding).

  6. Add scents: Stir in essential oils.

  7. Molding: Pour into molds and cover with plastic wrap.

  8. Curing: Allow the soap to set for 24 hours, then unmold and cure for 4-6 weeks.

 Homemade Laundry Detergent

 Ingredients:

  • 1 bar of natural soap, grated

  • 1 cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate)

  • 1 cup of borax

 

Instructions:

  1. Grate soap: Use a cheese grater to grate the soap bar.

  2. Mix ingredients: Combine grated soap, washing soda, and borax.

  3. Use: For a regular load of laundry, use 1-2 tablespoons of the detergent mix.

Herbal Remedies: Calendula Salve

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of calendula-infused oil (infuse dried calendula petals in a carrier oil like olive or almond oil for 4-6 weeks)

  • 1/4 cup of beeswax pellets

Instructions:

  1. Infuse oil: Prepare the calendula-infused oil in advance.

  2. Melting beeswax: In a double boiler, gently melt beeswax into the infused oil.

  3. Mixing: Stir the mixture until well combined.

  4. Pouring: Carefully pour the mixture into small jars or tins.

  5. Setting: Allow it to cool and set before capping the containers.

Safety and Tips

  • When working with lye, always add lye to water, not water to lye, to prevent a volatile reaction.

  • Customize your products with your favorite essential oils or herbs, keeping in mind any allergies or skin sensitivities.

  • Always label your homemade products, especially if you're giving them as gifts, so people are aware of the ingredients.

  • By making your own natural household products, you not only create a healthier environment for your home but also gain the satisfaction of self-sufficiency. Enjoy the process of experimenting and finding the blends and ingredients that work best for you!

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