All Natural Laundry

We are already surrounded by harmful chemicals everywhere we go, so why not try and minimize that exposure in our homes? Laundry is a big culprit. We think of our detergent as a cleaning agent, which it is, but after taking out the dirt it leaves behind chemicals that we then put against our skin. Then there's dryer sheets. Most people use these out of habit, it's what everyone does, right? It's so easy to not stop and think about what they are made out of. Sure, they may remove static and make your clothes smell "good" but they are full of dangerous substances. You might as well dump a bunch of chemicals in a tub and bathe in it. This is why a lot of people have allergy problems with these synthetic soaps. My whole family does and we were always very careful with picking out detergent, and of course it becomes very expensive.

So how do we remove these harmful chemicals we use everyday, aren't natural products expensive? Actually not at all and it's very easy. I switched my laundry from "all free and clear" and snuggle dryer sheets to this:

doTERRA's On Guard Laundry Detergent and Hypoallergenic Wool Dryer Balls

The On Guard laundry detergent is awesome! It's all natural with no toxins, dyes or perfumes. The On Guard oil blend in this detergent kills germs and bacteria and even lifts out stains! It leaves a pleasant aroma of cinnamon and orange behind, and it only takes a small amount to get the job done. The bottle is indeed small, but it lasts for 64 loads of laundry in HE washers or 32 for conventional loads. Leaving it no more expensive than the chemically filled detergents we buy at the store.

Of course there are alternatives. I personally don't like to make my own laundry detergent as I already make many other cleaning products in my home, but it is a simple process. Here are some recipes online: Homemade Laundry Detergent

The wool dryer balls are important because they help take out static, tumble clothes for more efficient drying and you can even add an oil to them to scent your laundry just like dryer sheets do. I bought a brand called Woolzies, they're hypoallergenic, all natural fused balls. They're wonderful! After drying I take them out, add one drop of orange oil to each ball and throw them back in on air fluff so the high heat doesn't rid the oils of their potency. The laundry comes out smelling AMAZING! I use orange because it's in the detergent and I won't have conflicting smells, but you can use Lavender, Purify, Lemon or any other scent that you like!
At first glance you might think these balls are kind of expensive, (I know I did) but they're really not. They last for at least 1000 loads. Everyone has different amounts of laundry so you'll have to do the math for your home, but we do about 5-6 loads a week so they should last between 3 and 4 years, that's great! Way cheaper than buying the chemically loaded dryer sheets.

You can also make your own dryer balls. Using roving wool yarn, wind into a ball. Click here for ball winding instructions. Place ball in the end of panty hose and tie a not above to keep it from moving around. Wash on the hottest cycle on your washer, then dry on high heat. This should help fuse the wool together so it doesn't unravel in the dryer. Remove from hose and voila! I haven't done this myself, but I will give it a go and post a follow up later.