How you can easily use ivy as laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid

The use of natural resources is becoming increasingly popular in the home. Chemical cleaning products, detergents, hair products and garden products are no longer our top priority because we don't want to harm nature and of course our own health. Do you already know the many benefits of ivy in the home? How do you use ivy as a detergent?

As you probably know, the invasive, creeping and climbing plant is only suitable for consumption to a limited extent,because it is poisonous. But it can be useful in many other ways and can clean, care and protect wonderfully.

The climbing plant in the household: surprising areas of application

You must have become curious. I already knew that you could turn the climbing plant into onePrepare hair conditionercan. However, I was surprised when my former teacher revealed to me that she used it to wash her laundry and thus avoided using store-bought detergent. Of course, I had to research it straight away and found out that it can be used as dishwashing liquid itself!

A notice:You should always wear gloves when cutting ivy as the plant's sap can cause skin irritation.

Use ivy as a detergent

“Produce” is actually not the right word, because there is no such thing as preparation in this sense. You simply take the leaves from the plant and put them in the washing machine. But you should pay attention to the right amount so that the soap substances (saponins) contained can work properly.

With a wash cycle of at least 40 degrees

• a handful of leaves
• optionally 1 tablespoon of washing soda as a water softener and to increase the effect (e.g. for very dirty laundry)
• Laundry net or old sock
• optionally a few drops of essential oil for scent

Roughly tear the leaves and put them in the laundry net (or another fabric container). By tearing it open, the saponins can come out. You put the net directly into the laundry drum, whereupon you can start the selected program.

A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar is also suitable for softening water.

For other washing programs

For lower temperatures and short wash cycles, prepare the sheets in advance by using aMake liquid detergent. It works like this:

• 1 handful of leaves
• 300 ml water
• Mason jar with lid
• optional: 1 tbsp washing soda
• optional for white laundry: 2 or 3 teaspoons of oxygen bleach to prevent gray haze
• optional for a pleasant scent: a few drops of essential oil

How to make your own detergent from ivy:

1. Boil the water and set aside.
2. Shred (tear or cut) the leaves and add them to the container.
3. Pour in the water and close the jar.
4. After a few hours of rest, check if the detergent is ready: when you shake it, a good amount of foam should form.
5. If there is hardly any foam, either add more leaves or let the product steep for a few more hours.
6. Strain the soapy water and add it to the same container you would add regular laundry detergent.

Important: Soda is unsuitable for wool and soda!

Make your own dishwashing detergent

You can also use the shredded leaves to wash your dishes. For this:

• Mix the leaves with washing soda in a saucepan.
• Add water, bring to the boil and simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Strain the resulting dishwashing liquid so that it does not contain any large pieces.
• You can now use the liquid to wash the dishes. You can store the rest in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Store ivy leaves in stock

Not everyone has the plant in their garden or nearby so that they can always collect leaves when needed. In this case, it is worth building up a small supply so that you always have something on hand.

The best way to do this is to freeze them. Pack them in portions so that you can always defrost the necessary amount.

or:

Dry the leaves by spreading them out on a surface such as newspaper or kitchen paper. They should not overlap. After several days, you can crumble the dry ivy leaves and store them dry in a jar. It is important that the leaves have been dried really well beforehand, otherwise they will mold in the jar. You will then need a larger amount to use, as the effect of the soap substances is slightly less when dried.

Ivy as a detergent: are allergic reactions possible?

In some cases this is possible, which is why you should carry out a test before major use. To do this, prepare a detergent as described. Then use it to wash a smaller item of laundry by hand. This could be, for example, a sweatband or a loose hair tie that you then wear on your wrist for some time. If the skin does not react during this time, the application is unproblematic.