12/09/2024
I bought plant based laundry detergent for several years before it occurred to me to think, "Could I just do this myself?" With some research, I realized ivy contains saponins which are natural cleansing and foaming properties and we happen to have a lot of English ivy growing up a section of our house. So, if you, too, have ivy growing that you don't spray, and want to try a batch, here is the process... collect handfuls of ivy leaves, put in a big pot, cover, and bring to a simmer like you would a tea. Let simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. When it is cool, squeeze all the leaves over the pot to get out as many saponins as possible. (Can discard the leaves or feed them to your goats.) Line up some clean quart mason jars. If you wish, into each jar, put one or two drops of essential oil to scent the detergent. I like to use tea tree, lemongrass, eucalyptus, or a combination. (I also keep cleaning and reusing the same jars and lids because the oils will scent the lids as you shake the detergent each time so you wouldn't want to try and reuse them for any food.) Then just use a funnel with a strainer over it to ladle the ivy detergent into the jars. That is it. Per load, just shake the jar to get it foaming, then pour some into the liquid dispenser area of your washer. (If you have very stained laundry, you would probably need to presoak or use a natural stain remover.) We have been using this now for a year and no complaints from anyone in the household!
