DIY Laundry Detergent and Lavender Sachet

DIY Laundry Detergent
One of my new year's resolutions is to be greener. A simple way to reduce pollution is to use fewer products that create environmentally harmful byproducts, like laundry detergent. According to the Environmental Working Group website, most detergents are ranked D or F - not so great. Making your own is easy, and only uses A-grade products!

The recipe I use is from Dwelling in Happiness, but for me, two gallons is way too much to store at once, so I make it by the half-gallon, using the same proportions.

4 tbs Baking Soda
4 tbs Washing Soda
6 tbs Castile Soap
~8 drops essential oil
8 cups water

First of all, don't bother buying washing soda. It's cheaper to just make it at home. Take a baking sheet (one with a rim) and pour out a thin layer of baking soda. Pop that bad boy in the oven for 30min at 400F (stirring it carefully halfway). It will look and feel different, less glossy and more granular.

Mix baking soda and washing soda with a splash of water to dissolve, then mix in the rest. I like to warm the first 4 cups to help the dry ingredients dissolve faster. Then add the soap and whatever essential oil suits your fancy - I use lavender and sandalwood.

No one in my family can tell the difference between our usual store-bought detergent and this stuff, aside from the scent. In the original recipe, Dwelling calls for just 30 drops for 2 whole gallons and uses a scented castile soap, so if you use unscented soap, you'll want to add more essential oils (maybe 30 or 40 drops for just a half gallon!).

I use the same amount of this detergent as any other liquid detergent!


DIY Lavender Sachet
These little cuties are so easy to make and make your sock drawer feel much fancier. I got the idea from Kenarry, but I didn't like how strong the lavender scent was, so I used less dried lavender and more essential oils. My version is a little rough around the edges, but it's impossible to mess up, so don't worry!

Sachet Filler

~gallon of rice
1/2 cup dried lavender
~20 drops essential oil

In a gallon sized ziplock bag, pour everything in and SHAKE. That's it for your filler! I used about 10 drops of lavender oil, 5 of sandalwood, and 5 of a "relaxation blend" that includes lavender, lavandin, and cedarwood.

Sachet Bag

My sachets measure 4"x4". The embroidery was inspired by this instagram post and is very easy.

Cut two 5"x5" squares (this gives you 1/2" seam allowance) and set one aside to be embroidered. Using a fabric hoop helps keep your fabric taut and makes embroidering much easier. The flower buds are just French knots! Here's a tutorial for those who are unfamiliar. I used a two strand French knot for this project.

Then sew your embroidered square to a blank one, wrong sides together, leaving a 2.5" hole in the bottom seam. Turn the sachet right side out and use a large funnel or spoon to pour in the filler. Close with a ladder stitch (tutorial) and you're done!

So how many sachets does this make? I made 20 sachets from one gallon of filler, but it will depend of how much you fill each sachet.


A jar of detergent (with recipe!) and a sachet make a wonderful gift and are a great way to inspire others to make their own!