Posted by Librarian on 4/8/2003, 7:03 am, in reply to "Laundry"
Board Administrator

One of the main uses for neem oil in India is for laundry soap. It has many antibacterial, antifungal, insect repellent and nematicidal properties. One suggestion is to add 7-10% neem oil into liquid laundry detergent. Mix slowly and well. Shake the bottle if separation occurs. This seems to be a safe alternative to ammonia, bleach or boric acid which others have found useful. Neem oil can be purchased on-line, at some gardening stores, at Indian stores or at some health food stores. Make sure you understand if the neem oil that you purchase is pure or has been diluted in another carrier oil. If it has been diluted, it will not be suitable for adding to the liquid soap/detergent, but may be suitable for other purposes, such as using on the skin. This method of mixing in detergent can also be applied to shampoo.