How To Make Homemade Laundry Detergent

You might be surprised to learn that you can easily make your own laundry detergent.

It’s a great way to save time and money.

Even better, you will be reducing your exposure to toxins and reducing your waste.

Good for you. Good for the planet.

Here’s How To Make Homemade Laundry Detergent

You have a few options when it comes to making laundry detergent to do your laundry.

You can make powder detergent or liquid detergent with Borax or without.

Scan down the 5 I’ve listed and try one out.

You may have to try each recipe to determine which one is best for your family.

Homemade DIY Laundry Detergent Recipes with borax

Liquid Detergent Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Cheese grater (Sturdy food processor with a grating attachment or a blender can work well too)
  • Large saucepan (needs to hold at least six cups of water)
  • 8 oz. Glycerin or other natural soap
  • 2 cups washing soda (get it here)
  • 2 cups borax (find it here)
  • Large bucket (that can hold approximately two gallons)
  • Water
  • Storage container

Directions:

Step One: Grate 8 ounces of your soap (about one cup)

Step Two: Turn the burner on to medium-low. Heat six cups of water in a large saucepan. Slowly add soap flakes. Let them dissolve before adding more.

Step Three: Add washing soda and borax. Continue stirring.  The mixture will thicken. Remove from heat.

Step Four: Add four cups of hot water to your bucket. Pour soap mixture into the water. Stir to combine.

Step Five: Add another gallon of water to the mixture. If you’re using a two-gallon bucket simply fill the rest of the bucket up with water. Stir well. Let sit overnight.

Step Six: Pour mixture into your storage container. When you’re ready to do laundry, use ¼ cup of detergent per load.

Try some of these DIY Laundry detergent recipes. Easy to make and will save you money.

Powder Detergent Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup borax (find it here)
  • 1 cup washing soda (get it here)
  • 2 cups soap flakes (or use glycerin or other natural soap grated with a cheese grater or food processor)
  • 1 large bowl or bucket for mixing
  • Storage container

Directions:

  1. Making powder eco-friendly detergent is easy.
  2. Simply combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Store in your container of choice. When ready, use approximately 1/8 of a cup of detergent.

Note: The ratio for powder detergent is one borax to one washing soda to two soap flakes. So you could easily double, triple or quadruple the recipe. Just keep the proportions equal.

I found this video of Kristen at Livesimply.me showing how she makes this powdered detergent.

Borax Free Powder Detergent Recipes

Borax isn’t toxic-free. So, as an alternative to the first 2 recipes here are a couple to try without borax.

Borax Free Recipe #1

The first one is by Bren at brendid.com.

Ingredients:

  • 4 – 4oz bars Kirk’s Original Coco Castile Soap, Fragrance-Free (get it here)
  • 1 – 4lb box Baking Soda
  • 1 – 3lb container of OxiClean Baby (get it here) or OxiClean Free (get it here)
  • Optional: Epsom Salt, 28 oz

Instructions:

  1. Grate castile soap into very small bits in a food processor. To turn the grated soap into smaller bits I pulse it with the food processor blade. Bren found that processing one bar at a time and adding 1/4-1/2 cup baking soda to soap during the pulsing stage helped the soap separate into smaller bits.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a large container and stir. (Do not breathe in the dust.)

How to use the laundry detergent: Measure 1 or 2 Tablespoons onto the laundry per load. (There are no fillers in this detergent so it takes less than commercial laundry detergent.) It can be used in regular and HE machines.

Make your own laundry detergent from these recipes. Easy to make.

Borax Free Recipe #2

This super easy recipe came from Katilyn Green. Follow her on Instagram.

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 5lb boxes Washing Soda (get it here)
  • 1 – 3lb bag of Pure Organic Soap Flakes (get them here)
  • 1 – Branch Basics Oxygen Boost 
  • Essential Oil Of Your Choice

Instructions:

  1. Combine washing soda, soap flakes, and 1/3 (or half) of the oxygen boost into a large glass jar.
  2. Optional: add essential oils of your choice to get the desired scent you like.

Use 1/4C scoop per load.

Simply Earth DIY Natural Laundry Detergent Recipe

I’m in love with the Simply Earth Subscription Box (read my review here) because each box comes with 4 oils and 6 recipes.

This is one of the recipes from the latest subscription box.

Simply Earth Essential Oils Subscription Box

Will You Try Making Laundry Detergent?

Making laundry detergent is easy plus you can find all the ingredients you need at your local supermarket or easily online.

A homemade batch will last you quite a long time plus save you money.

What a great way to reduce your toxins exposure and help the environment!

If you use a different recipe please share it in the comments.

You Might Also Like

How To Clean With Essential Oils
Why You Should Stop Using Dryer Sheets
DIY Non-Toxic Fabric Spray

 

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