Start by grating the soap finely. Pour half of the water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the grated soap, and mix with a spoon until it’s dissolved. You can also use a hand blender to mix the preparation. In a bowl, dissolve the washing soda in a bit of water, then add to the mix. Stir until the preparation is homogeneous and until the soap is fully dissolved. Add the baking soda. Let the mix cool down, then add the remaining water and stir. The mix will start getting thicker, that’s normal !
You can add a few drops of lavender or lemon oil when the mix is completely cold. Do not use any essential oils for babies under 3 months old. For babies above 3 months old, use only baby safe essential oils and in very limited quantities. Not all essential oils are safe for babies and children. You can check with your doctor to learn about which oils are safe for your child.
Once it’s cooled down, pour the mix into a can. You can use about 1/3 cup for your laundry in place of your regular detergent. For each wash, you can also add 1 or 2 table spoon of white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine. Voila!
