I’ve been making my own laundry detergent since May of this year, and I thought it was about time I shared my “recipe”! I got this recipe from Andrea, who has been making her own detergent for years.
I wasn’t sure how I would like using this detergent, but after five months, I am positive I like it! It’s pretty economical and it definitely takes up less space than a huge box or jug (which is great, since I don’t exactly have a laundry room).
For one batch, you need:
-1 cup super washing soda (I use Arm & Hammer brand)
-1 cup borax
-1 bar Fels-Naptha soap, finely grated (the only time-consuming part)*
(note: the most recent time I made this, I used Zote laundry soap instead, and I like it even more!)
Mix all ingredients in a big bowl, then put in a large Mason jar! That’s it! I use about 1 Tbsp. in each load of laundry, unless it is especially heavy (muddy clothes, etc.), in which case I’ll use 2 Tbsp. One batch lasts me about 4 months (and I do a LOT of laundry).
*I bought a grater at the Dollar Tree so I wouldn’t have to use my cheese grater for this project.
Do you make your own laundry detergent?
Pin It
Do you use this for your cloth diapers? Do you find it works well for them. I am using Charlie’s Soap at this point for everything but it’s pricey!
@The Virnig FamilyUnfortunately, you cannot use this recipe for cloth diapers. I currently use bumGenius detergent, and I’ve also used Rockin’ Green, but BG is my favorite.
awe fun. glad you like it. I do add sometimes a half bar of a scented natural soap to mine too, as well as the NAP soap 🙂
Just gives it an extra nice smell. If you want to switch it up you can leave out the NAP soap and do an entire bar of your fav. natural soap 😉 goatmilkstuff.com soap works too.
You could good a wood-sy man smell for Tad, if he wanted something with more scent… or do some sorta citrus. Its fun to mix up, cause I know I like changing it up 🙂
@DreaI definitely want to make this with a natural soap next time! I will have to try the goat milk soap next. I like having laundry that smells like “clean laundry” haha, but it was nice that our laundry had pretty much no scent this summer when I had morning sickness and all smells bothered me!
this is really weird. I was just found a site that had the same thing listed and told the hubs that I was gonna make it. The only thing is I found out you can’t use it in a front loader 🙁 made me sad. I did see where one lady mixed it with water to make liquid laundry detergent.
How much does it cost to make it? And how long does it last you?
@ShannonThat’s a bummer that you can’t use this with front-loaders! I have heard of lots of people adding water to theirs, but you just have to be able to store it (it makes a lot of liquid detergent, from what I hear)!
@Joshua and StephanieI don’t have the exact budget breakdown in front of me, but I think it ends up being about $3 (more or less) per batch, which lasts me 3-4 months for washing everything but cloth diapers.
@Shannon
My friend Sheena has a front loader and makes her own. If you want I can give you the recipe 🙂 its similar but you have to turn this into liquid for it to work.
Drea – would you mind sharing the front loader recipe? I’d love to make my own but have the same issue! Thanks so much! 🙂