The original recipe that I’m using today, comes from the Lemon, Lavender and Laundry blog, but I’m going to add my own little tweaks to it, based on what I have on hand, and my own tastes.
As you can see, today’s DIY did not exactly go according to plan. I got several phone calls in the middle of the video, and even managed to crack a jar! But sometimes that’s how it goes. Doing things yourself isn’t always easy or pretty, but it’s worth it if you want to be able to control what comes into your home!
Here’s the written directions:
1/4 Cup Washing Soda
1/4 Cup Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Thieves® Laundry Soap
1/8 Cup (or 2 Tbsp) Thieves® Household Cleaner
Hot Water- You may want to use distilled water to avoid impurities that naturally occur in tap water.
8 Drops Essential Oil of Your Choosing (Optional)- I used Thieves® and Lemon– 4 drops of each. If you are not sure where to buy essential oils, please check out this post.
Drink Dispenser (at least 1 gallon)- I used this one and doubled the recipe to make 2 gallons. While my dispenser was glass, many ask about using a plastic container instead… If you want to use plastic, it needs to be the right kind of plastic for use with essential oils. “Typically, HDPE plastic as well as plastics number 1 (PETE) and 2 are safe for use with essential oils.” -Dr. Hill (Quote found here.)
Step 1: Start by pouring 1/4 cup Washing Soda into your dispenser (or stock pot).
Step 2: Add enough hot water (not boiling) to cover by an inch or two and stir until the washing soda has dissolved.
Step 3: Once your washing soda has dissolved, add 1/4 cup baking soda, and, once again, stir until dissolved.
Step 4: Fill your dispenser with warm (room temperature) water, allowing some room at the top to add a few more ingredients.
Step 5: First add 1/4 cup Thieves® Laundry Soap. I have seen similar recipes done with Castile Soap, but I love the idea of using an actual laundry soap instead (and others have reported that the Castile Soap gets chunky and dispensing becomes difficult).
Step 6:
Next add 1/8 cup (or 2 Tablespoons) of Thieves® Household Cleaner. This plant-based cleaner is highly concentrated and requires diluting when using as a cleaner… the 14.4 oz. bottle actually makes 29 bottles of household cleaner*!
*Based on using a 16 oz glass spray bottle and following instructions for “Most Cleaning Applications”.
Step 7: If you want to enhance the scent of the detergent a bit, feel free to add a few drops of essential oil. I chose to add Thieves® and Lemon (2 of my favorite essential oils for cleaning 🙂 ). A couple drops of each is all you’ll need.
Step 8: Stir it up!! You’re good to go!
So. Give this a shot, just make sure to use warm – not hot – water when you add everything to your glass jar!