Doing your own laundry is not very complicated, and will save you a lot of money and toxic products rejected by nature. All you need is a few natural cleaning basics at home; essential oils are one of the necessary products to have at home. Here is how to make laundry detergent with essential oils.
How to make homemade washing powder with essential oils?
To make homemade laundry, you need a washing base, which can vary depending on the recipe. It can be Marseille soap, black soap or Aleppo soap, or even more natural products, such as ivy or ash. Indeed, the ash contains a large amount of potash, with a very powerful washing power. Ivy contains saponins, which have stain removal properties.
You can then add essential oils, which will contribute to sanitize your laundry and will perfume your washing.
Which essential oils to use ?
You will need to use sanitizing and antibacterial essential oils to wash clothes properly. The best essential oils for laundry are those of true lavenderantibacterial and with a good "clean" smell, and that oftea tree (tea-tree)excellent antiseptic.
Citrus essential oils can also be used for their smell and their purifying virtues, like that oforange, de pamplemousse or of small bigarade seed.
Other essential oils recommended for washing your clothes? Rose geranium, with antifungal properties, essential oil of rosemary cineoleor lavandin essential oil, which is more economical than its cousin, true lavender.
Essential oils to handle with care or avoid for laundry:
- The essential oil of peppermint can be used for laundry, which will pleasantly perfume your laundry thanks to its fresh and strong smell. It is also a good general antiseptic. However, be careful with dosages: no more than two to three drops per liter of laundry: beyond that, it can be irritating. Moreover, it should not be used to wash babies' clothes, and it is not recommended for pregnant women and the elderly.
- The essential oils of cinnamon, d'encens or lemon bedew are to be avoided because they can stain the linen.
Washing my clothes with essential oils
You can incorporate the essential oils directly into your bottle of homemade detergent. Don't forget to shake the bottle before use so that the oils mix properly with the detergent. Never add more than 5 drops per liter of detergent; this is enough to perfume it.
You can also pour essential oils directly into the washing machine compartment: ideal for varying the odors and properties of essential oils. For this, do not pour more than one or two drops of essential oil after putting your laundry.
It is also possible to put a scented washcloth with one or two drops of essential oils directly into the drum of the washing machine to scent your clothes.
Finally, you can also use essential oils at the same time as your fabric softener: white vinegar is the best natural fabric softener, economical and ecological.
Do not wash your clothes at more than 40°C: on the one hand, it is not necessary for slightly soiled clothes; on the other hand, a higher temperature will annihilate the properties of essential oils, which are volatile at too high a temperature.
Les recettes de lessive maison
La lessive au savon de Marseille est efficace pour le lavage courant, et celle au savon noir viendra à bout des taches les plus tenaces.
Marseille soap
Voici notre recette très facile et économique de lessive maison aux huiles essentielles.
- Râpez 30 grammes de savon de Marseille écologique –vous pouvez également utiliser des paillettes de savon de Marseille pour plus de rapidité.
- Versez-les dans une casserole et ajoutez un litre d’eau très chaude.
- Mélangez régulièrement jusqu’à ce qu’il fonde. Hors du feu, ajoutez trois cuillères à soupe de vinaigre blanc.
- Versez ensuite un litre d’eau tiède.
- Ajoutez-y cinq gouttes d’huile essentielle de lavande ou d’arbre à thé (vous pouvez alterner d’une fois à l’autre).
- Mélangez énergiquement et versez dans des bouteilles en verre.
- On utilise l’équivalent d’un pot de yaourt de lessive par machine.
Black soap
For one liter of detergent: mix 200 mL of liquid black soap with 700 mL of hot water to make a smooth mixture. Add two tablespoons of baking soda and two of soda crystals. Mix until the crystals are dissolved in the water. Add two drops ofsweet orange, et deux de petit grain bigaradier. Mélangez et versez dans des bouteilles en verre. On en utilise également l’équivalent d’un petit verre par machine.
NB : vous pouvez bien sûr remplacer les huiles essentielles d’agrumes par d’autres de votre choix.
White vinegar homemade fabric softener
White vinegar has softening, hypoallergenic and antiseptic properties for your laundry. Moreover, it allows to descale your machine. So use it regularly as a softener for your laundry! We advise you to use it once a week for example if you wash your clothes every other day.
- In a glass bottle, mix 50 cL of white vinegar, 50 cL of water and four drops of lavender essential oil, or two drops of peppermint essential oil. It's ready to use!
- Pour the equivalent of a small shot glass of your mixture into the "softener" compartment of your washing machine.
Conclusion – Les huiles essentielles sont les meilleures alliées pour l’entretien écologique de votre linge. N’hésitez pas à varier les odeurs et les recettes pour un linge frais et odorant.