it would be easy to go through my photo files and simply show you some green... but i chose another meaning to the word green, earth friendly.
of course, like most of us, we do the basics, at home, also including no pesticide/fertilizer in the yard, organic & local food as much as we can...etc... trying not to be fooled by what sometimes seem to be only a potential market to make more money.
this year though i decided to try something new to be gentle to the earth & to our skin (and to our bank account, too !) = to make my own laundry detergent ... and it works !
i've been using it since june. it takes me minutes only every two months to grate soap, to add baking soda, borax, a few drops of essential oil, and some boiling water. the texture will look like wallpaper glue, keep it in a plastic bucket & give it a swirl from time to time, as simple as this ! as for the soap i've found the perfect one, all natural. if you are animal-friendly like me, in favor of 100% vegetal ingredients for laundry, you might want to avoid sodium tallowate, which is pretty common in soaps but contains some beef fat !
i haven't had any bad surprise for these 4 past months with this new laundry detergent : laundry is clean & smells good. it costs us approx. 4 euros/$5 for one bucket (3 liters).
a little "green" step only, but i guess it first takes some individual awareness & involvement to make big changes.
* a few related links i like :
the very informative little greener, an interesting blog if you have a yard/garden, some delicious recipes here, the etsy earth team, two of my favorite eco-friendly sellers
* and don't forget to visit other CV participants @ ötli
Très très jolie cette prise de point de vue... surtout vus les résultats du WWF publiés hier (sur le fait qu'on consomme chaque année 1.5 fois la planète). Je veux bien ta recette, jusqu'ici j'achetais bio, c'est déjà bien, mais je veux bien faire plus :)
ReplyDeleteLa toile / le torchon donne une belle harmonie de couleur!
Belle journée
Such a lovely post... and very green too :)! I think you're wonderful for making your detergent by yourself. Doesn't take too much time as you said, but it's great for the world. And probably for your skin as well. Good thoughts for today!!!
ReplyDeleteLove it. We tried soap nuts last year, an actual plant...
ReplyDeletethey worked!
hello valerie,
ReplyDeleteit's really wonderful. do you use this soup for a wash machine or only for hand wash?
i do have to try once.
as i was younger i made by myself my cosmetics, but i don't find the time any more.
latly we started to make our own compost in our small garden, and it makes me real happy.
have a nice day!!!
Lovely post Valerie. Thank you for the laundry soap recipe - I must give it a go.
ReplyDeletea little happier : je suis ravie de voir que tu as en vie d'essayer. recette en lien et sinon j'ai acheté les cristaux de soude au magasin bio. mais ils doivent etre présents dans les grandes surfacs de bricolage aussi...
ReplyDeletememmu : yes it is good for both ! and less expensive than regular detergent as well.
Theresa : I used to buy these as well. But I find they don't clean as well, and they travel by plane from far away... besides if they get too popular we all know that such extensive mono-cultures in one country only (see rain forest area in S. America) is not good for the planet either !
Alonim : I use it for both : machine + hand-wash.
In the washing machine, I pour a few spoons (I keep a big wooden spoon ready to use by the bucket)in one of those round-shaped plastic lids that often come with the detergent bottles that I saved, and put it directly inside the machine with the dirty laundry.
Caz : it is so quick & easy, and better it works ! enjoy & let me know if you have any question...
Avec de très belles photos, une vraiment bonne et "verte" idée (enfin, plusieurs bonnes idées même).
ReplyDeleteBoy am I tempted to try this. The detergent here is now so expensive, that I always have to look twice to see if I am reading the sign right! $13.00 for soap!!!
ReplyDeleteThe only problem, is it isn't that easy to find marseille soap here. I wonder what would be more comparable??
When I was in Grasse, I bought a vile of lavender oil, so I have that part at least :)
J'essaie de suivre un journal éco-logique tous les mois en faisant des pétits gestes pour la nature.
ReplyDeleteJ'aime bien tes idées, je vais les apliquer en quelque manière:)
Bisous
If you have the link to the recipe for your laundry detergent I would love it. I am so allergic to soaps and buy allergy free stuff. However, we spend about $12 a month, but that is for a family of 5. Would love to give it a go and see how it work. Then I would have more money to travel. The apple recipe is yummy. You can do it without the sour cream, but I think it helps loosen up the cream cheese a little. In the states we have the toffee bits in a bag premade, but you can just smash up Wurthers and use them. Hope your daughter enjoys the recipe.
ReplyDeleteÖtli : je ne suis pas une green freak absolue, mais je pense qu'il y a tout de même de petits changements possibles...
ReplyDeleteElizabeth : I emailed you. To find a right quality soap makes it all. But if you do, it is definitely worth it.
laméditerraine : glad to see you back ! i agree it is about small steps at a time !
likeschocolate : i included links ( hiding behind the words highlighted in a bigger font) in the post, so you have all my info there... sorry you are so allergic to soaps... i sympathize : i have quite a few unpleasant allergies too :(
c'est drôle le linge sur ta photo me fait penser à une nappe en lin polonais trouvée ici, en tout cas la lumière est très belle ... sinon moi aussi je serais preneuse de ta recette
ReplyDeleteValerie, you are so wonderful! And I am so far behind on your blog it is embarrassing.
ReplyDelete