Several years ago, I was up until midnight researching homemade laundry detergent recipes. I know. Crazy. My goal was to figure out the best ingredients to use, while keeping it cost-effective. Typically, I use vinegar and baking soda for my cleaning products, so I was out of my element with items like Fels Naptha and Borax, but in the end I came up with a recipe that I really like, and it lasts forever. (Not really forever, but close…)
There are so many homemade laundry detergent recipes out there. The first choice you have to make is whether to go with a powder or liquid version. I had never used powder, but most people felt the powder versions do a better job, and I was sold when it meant I didn’t have to cook soap to melt it down.
If you are interested in a liquid version of DIY Laundry Detergent, I did create one that doesn’t require melting soap 🙂
What You Need to Make DIY Laundry Detergent
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Ingredients Needed for DIY Laundry Soap
- 1 Box Washing Soda (55 oz)
- 1 Box Borax (65 oz)- This was a controversial item. Some say it’s safe; others argue it’s not. This article finally convinced me that it was okay to use, but if you are not comfortable you could leave it out and adjust other ingredients accordingly. Other articles I read state that washing soda can be used on its own because its pH is higher, and therefore it would do a better job cleaning clothes than Borax anyway. Again, up to you.
- 3 Bars Castile Soap– Many recipes call for using Fels Naptha, and this makes sense because Fels Naptha is a laundry bar used for stain-removal. I, however, chose to use Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap which is made with a combination of organic oils. They come in a variety of scents, which adds some natural fragrance to the laundry detergent recipe. However, you can also purchase unscented from Amazon. (UPDATE: I ended up trying this recipe with Fels Naptha as well, and I like it! It grates a lot easier than Castile Soap, but it also doesn’t score as high on the EWG rating for “clean products”. Fels Naptha gets a C, while Dr. Bronner’s Castile Bar Soap gets the highest rating offered.)
- 2 Boxes Oxiclean Free (3 lb. each) OR 1 Box Oxiclean (5 lb.)- I went with Oxiclean Free which contains no dyes or fragrances as I have a child with sensitive skin, but you could certainly go with a different version if sensitive skin isn’t an issue (it’ll be cheaper that way). In all my research, I learned that the active ingredient in Oxiclean is hydrogen peroxide and I know hydrogen peroxide is a miracle at getting things clean when combined with baking soda. (See it work when cleaning a porcelain sink and/or cleaning grout).
- 2 Cups Baking Soda– Some recipes state that adding baking soda to the mix is a moot point because its power to work is minimal in comparison with the washing soda, but I added it to actually help with balancing out the pH, especially for gentle-wash clothes.
Supplies Needed for Homemade Laundry Soap
How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
To make this homemade laundry detergent recipe, we need to grate the bars of soap. Start by (carefully) cutting the bars of soap into (approximately) 1″ cubes; then place them into a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the soap by hand; just a little more work.
Allow the food processor to run until you get small pieces of soap (see the picture below for sizing).
This recipe makes a lot of laundry detergent, so place a garbage bag into a trash can to help stabilize the bag while pouring in the ingredients. (It’s best to double bag for extra strength.) Once your bags are securely in the trash can, add all the ingredients into the bag. Yes. All of them.
- 1 55 oz Box of Washing Soda
- 1 65 oz Box of Borax
- 3 Bars Castile Soap (Or Fels Naptha)- Grated
- 2 3 lb. Boxes of Oxiclean Free or 1 5 lb Box of Regular Oxiclean
- 2 Cups Baking Soda
Tie a knot at the top of the bag so nothing can escape. Roll it around for awhile so everything has a chance to mix together. Once everything is thoroughly combined, cut a hole in one of the bottom corners and allow the mix to drain into your storage container.
It is best to use an air-tight container with a good sealing lid to keep out any moisture that could eventually clump and/or harden the mix. I love Montana Jars for storage! I used the 1.5 gallon jar, but you can get a two gallon jar as well. They are strong and I like the way they look. I stored the extra detergent in a gallon Ziploc bag.
I created a printable, cut it out, and adhered it to the jar with adhesive spray. If you would like one, you can have one for yourself: Laundry Detergent Printable
How to Use DIY Laundry Detergent
When you go to do a load of laundry, add 2 Tablespoons of the homemade laundry soap to your detergent dispenser, and that’s it.
If you’d rather buy laundry detergent, check out a brand I’d definitely recommend here.
Common Questions About Homemade Laundry Soap
Can I Use This Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe in a HE (High Efficiency) Washing Machine?
Yes! I have only used this laundry detergent recipe in a HE washing machine and have had no issues.
Can I Use This Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe with Cold Water
Yes… but with a little warning… I almost always wash my clothes in cold water and very infrequently I would notice a bit of the soap wouldn’t completely dissolve (you might see a little gray streak of soap on a clothing item). If you choose to wash in cold water, an extra rinse cycle may help to avoid this issue.
Should I Adjust the Amount for a Top Loading vs Front Loading Washer?
Top loading washing machines tend to use more water, which will dilute the laundry detergent a bit more. You can always try the 2 Tablespoons that are recommended for front-loading washers, and if you feel your clothes aren’t coming out as clean as you’d like, add 1-2 Tablespoons more.
Can I Add Essential Oils to This DIY Laundry Detergent Recipe?
I love adding essential oils to many of my homemade cleaning recipes, but I wouldn’t necessarily add it to this one. Essential oils are going to add moisture to the mix, which could contribute to clumping or hardening over time. I would recommend buying a scented version of the Castile Bar Soap (or use the Fels Naptha) for added scent.
Is Homemade Laundry Detergent Better Than Store Bought?
Store bought laundry detergents can have quite a few questionable ingredients. Here are several to watch out for:
Fragrance– Of course we all want our clean clothes to smell good, but there are over 3,500 different ingredients that can be used to create “fragrance” in the products we use around our homes. (Source) The issue is that brands do not have to disclose which of these 3,500+ ingredients they used to create their signature scent because it is considered proprietary. The University of Washington also conducted a study on the harmful effects of scented laundry detergent by testing the air coming from the dryer after washing. The results show “that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens.” Yikes!
Dyes– Dyes are, of course, added to many cleaning products: laundry detergent, glass cleaner, dish soap, etc. The information I could find on the potentially harmful effects of added dyes includes everything from skin irritations to possible carcinogens. (Source)
Phosphates– Phosphates are often added to detergents to enhance its cleaning power by softening the water. The issue is phosphates can pollute natural bodies of water. (Source)
The benefit of homemade laundry detergent is you actually know what you are adding to the recipe.
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 55 oz Box of Washing Soda
- 65 oz Box of Borax
- 3 Bars Castile Bar Soap or Fels Naptha
- 1-2 Boxes Oxiclean 2 3lb boxes of Free & Clear or 1 5 lb box Regular
- 2 Cups Baking Soda
Supplies
- Trash Bags
- Large Canister for Storage
Instructions
- Start by placing a trash bag into a trash can (double bagging is highly recommended)
- Cut the 3 bars of soap into 1" cubes and then grate them in a food processer. (You can also grate the soap by hand, but that's a lot more work)
- Add the grated soap, along with all the other ingredients, into the trash bag
- Tie a knot in the top of the trash bag (to avoid contents spilling out) and roll the bag around to thoroughly mix all the ingredients together
- Cut a off a small piece of a bottom corner of the trash bag and allow the detergent to pour into your storage container. If you have extra, you can store it in a Ziploc bag or another canister.
- To use, add 2 Tablespoons of the detergent to the soap dispenser in your washer.
Sara says
I make a version really similar to this, but instead of Oxy clean I use Sodium Percarbonate. Works great and I thought I would put that as a suggestion. Obviously you used less than Oxy Clean because it is the active ingredient in Oxy clean. I think I use around 1/4 in my recipe.
april says
My go to laundry soap is original tide and borax together as I have a dog with allergies. Took me a year ‘of process of elimination’ to find out what he was allergic to even after changing his food he would still break out. Come to find out it was the other brands of laundry soap and bounce dryer sheets. Even with the cost of these items I feel like I have to use more than the cup given for tide to get our clothes, blankets and the dog beds clean. I am excited I ran across your recipe and I’m definitely going to try it.
Michelle Wruck says
Is this safe to use with colors?
Erin says
Yes! You can absolutely use this homemade laundry detergent with colors 🙂
Twyla Thompson says
I just made up a batch of this laundry soap. I have always used white vinegar in my softener dispenser. Do you recommend doing this with this detergent?
Thank you so much for all your info and recipe! Looking forward to using this!
Goldenchild says
At 2 tablespoons per load, apprx how many loads will this recipe do?
Stephanie says
Trying to make more things instead of buying at the store to save money.
Donna Smith says
I have not yet used this recipe. However, your comment that front loading washers use more water than top loading. My washer only uses 7 gallons, compared to a top loading HE washer (which uses 13 to 14 gallons per load).
Erin says
I’m not sure if I’m missing something (quite possible 🙂 ) but I believe I said TOP loading washing machines use more water that front loading, so start with the 2 Tbsp. of detergent for top loaders (like you would use for a front loading washer) and add more if you feel clothes aren’t coming out clean. Please let me know if I inadvertently flipped the two somewhere else though.
Amy Javorsky says
Guys, this stuff works!!!! My daughter borrowed my WHITE shirt for a color party. She came home tie dyed with color powder from head to toe. I just took my shirt out of the dryer…..it ALL came out…. This is no joke, miracle product. I used one bar of Fels naphtha and two bars of ivory soap.
Erin says
I am so glad to hear this homemade laundry detergent recipe worked so well for you! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sage says
I’m always looking for more natural ways to clean my home, so I am excited to try this recipe. I recently found an upholstery cleaner that doesn’t use harsh chemicals, so I’m feeling really motivated to detox other cleaning supplies in my home. Thanks for sharing!
Laura says
what would the ratio be if you use the liquid Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap instead of the bars? Just mix it in each load separate?
Erin says
You certainly wouldn’t be able to add a liquid soap to this recipe as it is a laundry powder. There are a lot of DIY liquid laundry soap recipes on Pinterest, and some do use Castile Soap, however, when researching DIY laundry detergent many reported that liquid Castile Soap would get incredibly thick and gloppy.
Susan Katers says
I’ve been using liquid Dr Bonners Castile and it works great!
K.C. Jacobs says
I have made liquid in the past and dissolved 1 cup of everything in a pot on the stove with 1 gallon water.
Angela says
Testing different version of homemade laundry soap. Totally interested in testing this one.
Kimberly says
I have a extra large capacity washer, should I use more than 2 tablespoons per load?
Ana says
Is this safe to use in an HE washer?
Erin says
Yes! I have always used it in HE washers 🙂
Regina Forsythe says
I’ve used this recipe for years, and I love it. The only difference is that I usually add 2 bottles of the Downey scent beads. It gives your clothes that sweet odor. I wouldn’t go back to regular detergent for all the money in the world.
Erin says
Great idea! Glad this laundry detergent recipe has worked so well for you!
Nicole says
How much do you use per load?
Jean Beilharz says
Hi,
I saw you make a laundry soap a while ago on the Jason Show. It was with Thieves laundry soap, washing soda water and baking soda. Can you please send me that recipe? I am not on social media.
Thank you.
Joy Lisemby says
In this powdered laundry detergent in reference to the Borax vs Washing Soda:
Do you substitute the Washing Soda for the Borax (i.e. use TWO boxes of Washing Soda?) or just eliminate the Borax and not ADD any more Washing Soda to the mix?
Mariah says
Hi!
This looks great! How many loads can come from this amount?
Thanks!
Erin says
I am not sure exactly how many loads this will actually do, but it lasts my family of 5 about 18 months, so I hopefully that gives you an idea… it’s a lot of loads 🙂
Pam says
Do you add detergent to the inside of your HE machine ir put in the actual detergent dispenser ?
Erin says
I put the detergent into the dispenser 🙂
Patti says
I generally do my laundry (other than towels and sheets) in cold water.
Will this recipe work in cold water?
Erin says
Hi Patti- I have certainly used this recipe in cold water. The trick is to really get the soap into small pieces as cold water doesn’t dissolve the soap as well as warm/hot water does. Hope that helps 🙂
Joanne Sliva says
When I clean my coffee maker with vinegar, I use the hot vinegar with baking soda to clean my drains. It works instantly and I get to use the same vinegar twice.
Carolyn Marvinetz says
I’ve made my own powder laundry soap recipe to make my laundry smell better I added some Purex lavender crystals. smell good
Cheryl says
Hi Erin! Just curious if you have ever tried any essential oils in your homemade laundry soap? I’m relatiey new to oils but wondered if it would work.
Thanks!
Erin says
Great question! I have not added essential oils, and there’s a reason. This recipe contains baking soda, and baking soda absorbs moisture and then hardens, so in an effort to keep my laundry detergent from hardening, I avoid it. If you want to add essential oils to the mixture, I would recommend mixing in a drop or two right to a single “serving” right before doing your load of laundry.
Emily says
My favorite way to add scent through oils is to mix epsom salt and whatever essential oils you want. It just acts as a carrier and is basically a non-toxic and inexpensive version of the scent beads you can buy to go in laundry!
Susan says
Genius Idea for the epsom salts & essential oils. I have a combo i put on my dryer balls, but I love this to add to washing machine detergent. I haven’t made my own in years but I just ordered all your ingredients to try it again. Thanks!
Theresa says
Or you can just add the essential oil directly into the washing machine ! That’s what I do if I’m using one of those “ free and clear” detergents .
Ashley says
Will this work ok in a HE washer?
And by the way… My grandma, my mom, and now I swear by Borax for super stinky, dirty laundry! Don’t know what I would’ve done without it during 8 years of football!
Erin says
I have only used it in a HE washer and I’ve never had a problem 🙂
ellen from ask away says
Def trying this! Thanks girl!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com
Erin says
My pleasure! Enjoy your day Ellen!
Cathy Chapman says
Hi, I have been looking for a DIY clothes soap to make, thank you! How much does it make total in oz., and how much did it cost total? What size is the jar you have it in? You mentioned you compared it to other recipes, just wonder how it compared cost-wise to the others.
Cathy
Erin says
Great questions Cathy! Let me go through them one at a time.
1.) The total amount made was 30 cups (or 240 oz.). Yes, I really did measure it all out because I was curious too 🙂
2.) I typically do a cost comparison in my posts when the DIY version is cheaper than a store bought version. In this case, the DIY version costs almost the exact same as the store-bought detergent I was using (I did a price comparison on cost per load, not ounce to ounce, as liquid is measured in volume and powder is measured in weight). The reason I like this better is that I know all the ingredients going in. When I tried to find the ingredients for ALL Free and Clear (the store-bought brand I was using), the container said to go to their website. I went there and got an error message when I tried to get on the ingredients page (maybe temporary, but weird none-the-less). This version cost me about $38. There are ways to make it cheaper though. 1- buy a 5lb box of Oxiclean vs. two 3lb. boxes (As I explained, we have a sensitive skin issue in our house and I couldn’t find the “Free” version in a 5 lb.box), Buying one 5lb. box instead of two 3 lb. boxes will save you about $5. I chose to use Dr. Bronner’s brand of castile soap (because it was the one most recommended in laundry recipes), but you could go with a cheaper brand OR, if you’re comfortable with Fels Naptha, it costs about 1/2 as much as the soap I used. If you do either one of the options, or both, the cost will be much less than store-bought!
3.) The jar I have is 1 1/2 gallons, but there is a 2 gallon size as well (which would probably hold all the detergent). My jar, with detergent, weighs 15lbs, so it’s heavy! Yes. Again, I actually got on the scale with and without the jar to check 🙂
4.) Other recipes. As mentioned in the post, many recipes used Fels Naptha soap vs. the castile soap. Some called for using Downy scented balls (due to sensitive skin, I choose to leave out added fragrances). Rarely, people used salt or citric acid in their recipes. Also, as mentioned, Borax was controversial, so some chose to include it, others didn’t. ALL the recipes did include washing soda and a soap of some type.
Thanks again for all your questions! Hope I answered them fully. Let me know if you have any others.
Have a great day Cathy!!!
Anonymous says
You can make your own washing soda by taking baking soda and heat it in an oven at 400 degrees. Here’s a link: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/01/make-your-own-washing-soda-for-homemade-laundry-detergent.html
I’ve made it but haven’t washed with it yet so…
Dawn says
Check your local Wal-Mart, they usually have washing soda (that’s where I found mine). I like that you use Lavender Castile Soap, I’ve used the Fels Naptha and that works great too (especially with a husband who’s a mechanic, gets a LOT of the crud out of his work clothes). Maybe I’ll split the mix and use some castile soap for my clothes and keep the Fels Naptha for him? Thanks for the great article!
Erin says
I’m so glad to hear that Walmart might carry this! The nearest Walmart to our house is about 25 minutes away, so I checked online for store availability before making the drive. Every Walmart within a 50 mile radiance didn’t have it in stock and it was unavailable online. Maybe just a fluke. Being that this laundry detergent is going to last me awhile. I’ll certainly check Walmart in the future, maybe it was just in high demand recently 🙂 . Thanks letting me know! Have a wonderful day Dawn!
Prairie Gal Cookin says
This is so neat! Thanks for sharing it! Please feel free to hop on over and check out my site, I have a link-up going on right now and would love to have join! 🙂