Mama Marilee's Goat Milk Laundry Soap

This blog post was written by Bend Soap Company co-founder, Marilee Johnson.

So now that you've switched over to using healthy, all-natural skincare products (like our goat milk soap, goat milk lotion, or even our 100% natural deodorant!) you may be wondering what other measures you can take to help keep your skin and body healthy. Well, let’s start with what we wash our clothes with.

Is Your Laundry Detergent the Reason for Your Dry Skin?

Many people have complaints of itchy skin and their first thought is that their skin is dry and that they just need to apply some lotion. Or, they assume they're allergic to that new soap or body wash they've got in the shower. But consider this: if you're experiencing an itching sensation all over your body, not just on your hands, then the problem may just be with your laundry detergent!

The detergent you used to wash your clothes gets in the fabric and can rub off the clothing onto your skin. You would think this wouldn’t really affect your skin, but it could be the cause of your skin irritations. If your skin is extra sensitive to certain ingredients, it doesn't take much to irritate it.

"...If you're experiencing an itching sensation all over your body, not just on your hands, then the problem may just be with your laundry detergent!"

 

Don't worry... We've got a solution for you! I've made my own homemade concoction of laundry soap that is natural, sensitive, and kind to your skin. On top of it all, it'll leave your clothes feeling and smelling fresh! Sound like a win-win? Read on for my full recipe.

Mama Marilee's Goat Milk Laundry Detergent Recipe

What You'll Need:

• 6 cups shredded goat milk soap (you can buy our pre-shredded goat milk soap here)
• 6 cups Borax (a mineral)
• 6 cups washing soda (1 box)
• 2 cups baking soda
  

 Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients together in a large container.
   
   
   
   
2. Mix thoroughly.
   
   
   
   
3. Pre-spot any hard stains on your laundry as usual.
   
   
4. Then, add the goat milk soap detergent to your load. Use between 1-3 (heaping) tablespoons per load, depending on the size and dirtiness.

Tips & Tricks

Dealing with hard water? If you have hard water, add extra Borax or shredded goat milk soap. 

Have extra smelly clothes? Add a tad (1 tablespoon) of white vinegar to your load if your clothes are extra smelly. I find that I have to add the white vinegar with microfiber/fleece rags or blankets as they seem to hold odors for some reason.

Want your laundry to smell amazing? Add extra essential oils for a stronger scent to your laundry. Lavender, Peppermint, Lemongrass, and Tea Tree are some of my favorites. Tea Tree and Lemongrass actually have cleaning and anti-bacterial properties!

Don't have time to shred your own goat milk soap? We don't blame you! Grating goat milk soap can be time-consuming work. Check out our pre-shredded goat milk soap aka Milk Bath instead! You can even buy the Milk Bath in bulk 1lb bags - perfect for this recipe. Each bag contains approximately 3 to 4 cups of shredded soap. To make a full batch of goat milk laundry detergent, make sure to buy two pounds. 

A Word of Advice

Be careful not to use too much soap, especially with front-loaders, since they use less water. You want to make sure you don't add too much detergent as it will not be able to dissolve completely. This will make your clothes look dingy (from still having soap on them!) 

If you end up making Mama Marilee's Laundry Detergent, let us know what you think by leaving a comment below! We would love to hear about your experience. And don't forget to sign up to receive our Monthly Newsletter to get notified about more DIY projects we come out with. 

Other Posts You Might Enjoy

• Blog Post: How to Use Goat Milk Soap as Shampoo
• Blog Post: DIY Natural Dish Soap
• Blog Post: What We Did to Help Our Son’s Eczema
• Blog Post: The Dangers of Aluminum in Your Deodorant
• Blog Post: How to Live a Healthy, Toxin-Free Life