This is a project I have wanted to do for quite some time and yesterday I finally did it. Making your own laundry detergent at home is not only simple, it is a great way to reduce the amount of phosphates and other harsh chemicals we are adding to the environment every time we wash a load of clothes. Better still, homemade laundry detergent is inexpensive and doesn’t take much of your time either.
Possibly the best incentive is for those who may have allergies to additives in many commercial laundry detergents. This stuff is about as natural as you can get!
All of the ingredients you need for homemade laundry detergent are shown in the photo above. I purchased all three ingredients – which are enough to make three separate batches of laundry detergent – for less than the cost of a large bottle of our regular High Efficiency (HE) detergent.
-
Borax
-
Washing Soda
-
Bar Soap
The Washing Soda may prove difficult to find in some areas, but it can be purchased online easily if you can’t locate it locally.
My Recipe
-
2 cups Borax
-
2 cups Washing Soda
-
1 regular sized bar of soap (I used Ivory, but Fels Naptha or homemade bar soap will work)
This recipe is for dry laundry detergent, so instead of melting the soap you need to shred it somehow. I have seen every imaginable trick in the book for this from a cheese grater to a food processor but my way is the easiest, fastest and to be honest, the most fun!
This fluffy stuff isn’t a fresh meringue, it is what happens to a bar of soap when you put it in the microwave for 90 seconds! Now it can at times go a little crazy but the good news is that it is soap, so cleaning it up will just leave your microwave sparkling inside!
When you have finished microwaving the bar of soap it will be quite dry and brittle, which is exactly what you want.
I finish by adding the dried soap fluff along with a cup of Borax and Washing Soda to my Vita-Mix and mixing it on medium speed until thoroughly powdered and combined.
Then add the remaining ingredients, mix again and voila! you’re done!
It all sounds great but the real test is in how the stuff works, right? Well that’s the best news of all!
So far I have tested two loads of laundry with this recipe and so far, washing a load of bed sheets and a load of moderately soiled clothes have given great results. The results will be tested further this weekend when I wash some heavily soiled clothes after some work on the farm. I will of report my findings here as soon as I have more info!
NOTE: There has been some question as to whether homemade laundry detergent will work in a high efficiency machine. The recipe works perfectly in a HE washing machine and I only use 2 tablespoons of detergent per regular sized load! That is 1 ounce of detergent per load, which means each batch will wash 32 loads of clothes.
You will notice immediately that clothes washed with this detergent will not be perfumed in any way and while that may take a little getting used to, I personally love the undeniable smell of clean without perfumes.
UPDATE #1: I have now washed several loads with this homemade detergent including my first load of whites and I have to say that I am truly impressed. The last major test will be over the weekend when I wash heavily soiled work clothes but so far I couldn’t be happier.
UPDATE #2 (8/30/10): This homemade laundry detergent has met and exceeded all expectations and is still in use nearly a month later.
Based on a conservative estimate of being able to make three batches or 96 ounces of detergent, the cost per load is 7.5¢.
Did you like this post? Please consider sharing it with others.
{ 101 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
Can you use baking soda in lieu of washing soda?
You should not replace one with the other. Washing soda is sodium carbonate, also called soda ash. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. I have seen people use both, but replacing the washing soda outright will not have the same results.
So, you just put the whole bar of Ivory in the microwave and it comes out looking like that picture?
If you put the bar in the microwave it will look like the soap photo, yes.
You can also use about 1/2 a bar of Fels Naptha in lieu of Ivory soap. And get the same or better results. The cost of a bar of Fels Naptha is about .99$.
Fels Naptha was the first soap I ever heard of for this, but I went with Ivory as I already had it on hand. I will be giving it a try in a few months though. Thanks for the input!
what about use with HE machines?
Angel: I HE machines (which I use) here:
“NOTE: There has been some question as to whether homemade laundry detergent will work in a high efficiency machine. The recipe works perfectly in a HE washing machine and I only use 2 tablespoons of detergent per regular sized load! That is 1 ounce of detergent per load, which means each batch will wash 32 loads of clothes.”
washing soda is usually available at Wal Mart
It is subject to regional availability. None of the Wal-Mart stores in my area carry it, though I did find it at Publix Supermarket.
Can I use my handblender instead of a vita-mix since I don’t have one? Also, any kind of bar soap is a bit vague — what should I look for or avoid in bar soaps. I use Kiss My Face soap in general, is that okay to use? If so or not, why?
Julie: You can use a hand blender or even just use a hand grater to shred the cheese. As for being brand-specific about the soap, I was vague because I don’t want to appear to be endorsing one over another. My personal choice is to limit chemical additives as much as I possibly can while getting a good laundry cleaning product and still saving money. It’s a balancing act, really. Kiss My Face is a good brand though, and it should work for you well. Another brand that I plan to try in the future is Pears.
Hope this helps!
Do you know if the bar soap has to have sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate for this to work?
It does not, Libbet.
A friend passed on this post to me and as a 3rd generation soapmaker, I find it refreshing that people are looking for alternatives to chemical laden everyday cleaning and personal products. I just wanted to add that as an alternative to a mass produced soap, look in your local area for a soapmaker that produces a natural soap made with lard. It offers superior cleaning properties, if you wish to keep it chemical and animal free, look for a soap made with coconut and vegetable shortening; offers very comparable qualities. Also, baking soda can be used to compliment this recipe, but for freshening only, not a replacement for washing soda. And last, if you’re looking for a natural rinse white distilled vinegar in place of “scenty” rinses works like a charm. For HE users, this recipe is low to non sudsing; sudsding does not always mean it cleans better :-) Great post!
Hello,
I like your recipy. You can also add vinegar in your washing machine instead of fabric softner. No bad smell, cleans all the laundry and leaves it nice and soft…try it!
Why didn’t you use Marseille soap instead of Ivory isn’t that made with toxic products?
Emma, thanks for the comment about vinegar. That is what I use for fabric softener as well, and it is excellent at removing soap residue that sometimes might stick around with commercial brands.
I used Ivory soap because it was what I had on hand at the time. In the future I will likely use homemade soap exclusively but I hadn’t had the chance to make any at the time I did this initial experiment.
Michael Nolan,
Do you ever use a bleach or whitener with your fabulous homemade laundry soap?
I will generally use Oxygen booster once a month to keep my whites fresh.
Do you know if this will work well in hard water areas? We have extremely hard water (and no water softener).
It will work for hard water though you may need to increase the amount of detergent you use. Try an additional scoop per load and you should be fine.
Thanks, Michael. I am anxious to try my hand at this.
I’m not sure about washing soda, but do know that borax is heavily mined and processed; not at all sustainable. Sometimes, if it’s not one thing, it’s another. I have been washing my clothes using liquid castile soap with good results.
I was thinking that homemade laundry soap would be my next thing to try (in my quest for a packaging-free existence)anyway but NOW I’m going to make this JUST so I can put a bar of Ivory in the microwave. This will be more fun than zapping ‘peeps’ and easier to clean up, I’m sure.
I agree about the soap in the microwave. I must show my kids this and then show them making home made detergent. a Friend has a recipe for liquid washing detergent but this looks way simpler. If I can find the washing soda.
I regularly make laundry soap with a very similar recipe.
Different from your recipe – I dissolve the ingredients in water – 5 gallons of water. Then I transfer 1/2 gal soap into a 1 gallon jug and top it off with another 1/2 gal of water. For a net of 10 gallons of liquid laundry soap. Use approx 1/2 cup of liquid per load and as a result get a less then .05 cents per load expense.
Commercial laundry detergents ADD a sudsing agent to give people the sudsing look/feel that they want. This ingredient is left out to get the laundry soaps for HE machines. This recipe does not add sudsing agents and is perfect for our HE machine.
You can make washing soda (sodium carbonate) from baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) just look it up online! :-)
Yes, this recipe is excellent if you have hard water – the Washing Soda reacts with hard water to make it softer and better for cleaning.
I also use vinegar in the softener cycle to cut any soap residue and reduce static cling. And use Bleach for the whites.
HOWEVER – CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION – do NOT mix Bleach and Vinegar! Those two do not like each other and as a result do not play nice. You will get a nasty gas (chlorine gas) if they “mix” while be poured into the cups…. and you don’t want that. When I am using bleach on a load I do not use vinegar. They may be small amounts and even diluted, but I am not going there.
I liked the microwave tip….I’m gonna try it with a bar of my homemade soap and see what happens.
If you cannot find washing soda, you can always put cheap baking soda onto a non-reactive pan (glass or steel), and bake it in a 400F oven for about an hour. The heat will make the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) into sodium carbonate (washing soda). Tried it and it works.
I like the simplicity of the recipe. I am wondering though, what purpose does the borax have? Is there a substitute, or is it even necessary? I always use it as a mild whitener/water softener. Is that the only purpose or does it play some important role in the chemistry of the whole mix?
In the meantime, I plan to try a batch or two. (Maybe one with borax and one without, and one with castile soap to make a liquid…and a batch with essential oils, and one more with…oh bother, I’m gonna be busy! I better go work outside and get some clothes dirty.)
I’m curious to how much you use in one load? How big is your washing machine? What is the quality of your water?
I found that I needed to used 1/4 cup for a full load of laundry. The water felt just a little soapy to the touch. The powder didn’t completely remove the perspiration from my T-shirts so I’m wondering if the hardness of the water requires one to use more powder?
It seems economical but not to the degree that your post mentioned although I do like the earth friendly aspect.
When I first did this recipe I was using a new HE washer and found that 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) was the right amount. The water was not particularly hard and that ratio worked perfectly except for heavily soiled garments. I now use an old washer and still the same amount of detergent and haven’t had any issues. Heavy soil loads usually get an extra scoop or 2 ounces.
Are you talking about removing the yellowing/perspiration stains?
Borax is a whitener and deodorizer. I have always had better luck in using it than not, but your mileage may vary and all that. I never did the liquid mixes because everyone who has tried them complains about how “goopy” they are and how they have to be stirred before use. I guess I’m just keeping it simple :)
Please come back and let us know the results of your experiments!
I’ve used the liquid mix once. Someone gave me some to try and I didn’t particularly like it. Also, dry stores better, especially for folks who don’t have a lot of storage space.
In my earlier post I was talking about the perspiration smell. I placed a little bit of powder on the spots and wet it and could still smell perspiration after washing. I may play around with the recipe to see if I can get better results.
Have you tried the microwave trick with castille soap (ex. Dr. Bronners)? I just tried it and it didn’t foam up, it seemed to just burn. I want to only use castille after hearing reports of the other (cheap) soaps causing severe buildup on washer drums since they are rendered from animal fats. The buildup consequently ruins the washer after a few years.
I have not tried it with Dr Bronners. I have tried it with other soaps and the result was not pleasant. In that case I grate it with a cheese grater or chop it and use the blender.
I tried using this homemade detergent, and it works great. But when I put it in the dryer I have white residue on it, what am I doing wrong?
It sounds like your detergent isn’t fully dissolving. You might want to give it some extra time in the blender or processor to ensure that there are no little undissolved chunks. Adding a little vinegar to the fabric softener container will help as well.
hey, I’m a fan of cloth diapering—wondering if this would work with them? Usually you have to use no scent and no dye.
It will work, yes. You may have to up the amount for the extra soiled loads.
My son is allergic to a bunch of stuff so we use home made laundry detergent and home made dish detergent. Use Vinegar for the fabric softener with the laundry detergent and vinegar for spot removal in the dish detergent. Both work amazingly well and neither break my son out. I’ve used it since he was born. You just need to make sure the soap is grated very fine if you use the dry kind.
I just made up a batch of your soap powder today. It seemed to work well, however, I was using hot water for this particular load of clothes. Will it clean effectively with cold water too?
YES! It works well in just about any situation. The only word of caution is to make absolutely sure that the soap is completely powdered as the cold water won’t break down little soap chunks very well.
Michael,
Hi! Thanks for making it easy for me with this recipe….but I have just one question for you. Can you put the Felz Naptha in the microwave too or shall I shave it on the old cheeze grater from now on???
In my experience, the only soap that works well with the microwave trick has been Ivory. I do not recommend microwaving Fels Naptha.
Thanks for posting all this great info! I microwaved my Fels Naptha after hand shredding it. It really helped dry it out well. Then I did small batches in my old blender to make it powdered. Now everything is mixed up very nicely! Thanks again!
I almost ruined by Vitamix doing this. The soap has to be dried out and you should be able to crumble it in your hand before you put it in your blender. I ended up doing it in batches and using my sifter. I will not do this again, making liquid soap is so much easier. (I made this because I needed soap NOW and couldn’t wait a day for the liquid to be ready)
I do specifically say to use the dried soap in the Vita-Mix as I recall. Sorry that you had an issue but I’ve been using this exact recipe since I originally made the post and stand behind it as written 100%.
I’ve been making my own soap for over 10 years — started when I lived in the desert and had the driest skin you can imagine! The first thing I learned is that most ‘soap’ you buy at the supermarket/drugstore/etc. are not in fact soap, but detergent! Ivory is soap and is good if you’re looking for fewer chemicals, etc. I used to make my own laundry detergent using sodium percarbonate (an ingredient in OxiClean) but a move to Alaska made shipping unfeasible and I just never started when I returned to the lower 48. I think I will get back to making my own when I run out of what I have on hand! Now, back to the October 2011 Food Stamp Challenge : )
I realize this is an older post, however I have some questions. Michael, you state add the dried soap fluff along with a cup of Borax and Washing soda to your Vita-mix….then you say to add the remaining ingredients. What are the remaining ingredients? Also, how much do you add to a conventional washing machine? (not a HE). Love the food stamp challenge, keep up the good work.
The “remaining ingredients” in this case are the remaining amounts of borax and soda. I have had success using the same amount in a conventional and HE machine.
Just made this, my first trial of it is in the wash right now. I used dove soap and it foamed and dried very well but it made it SO HARD to breathe in my kitchen haha. Also i might have burnt out the blender because it didn’t like all the powder in it. oh well, its pretty old. :P
thanks for sharing! I’ll let you know how it works!
Next Comments →
{ 12 trackbacks }