Making homemade laundry detergent is one of the easiest parts. Transition to natural life. This natural laundry detergent recipe is a great way to save money and is incredibly easy to make. It makes sorting through that pile of dirty laundry seem like less work!
Do you have a HE machine? Look at this HE text Solving high efficiency washers and borax safety. The recipe is the same as below, but if you have concerns, check with your washer before using a new laundry detergent.
Why should you switch to natural laundry detergent?
Commercial soap is loaded with chemicals such as sulfates, fragrances, dyes, and more. Many brands contain ingredients such as petroleum distillates that have been linked to cancer and lung disease. The fragrances in these cleaners are made from a mixture of harmful chemicals. (That’s why I make my own. Linen spray.)
Fortunately, making your own laundry detergent is a simple and quick process! You only need three basic ingredients to make powdered or liquid laundry detergent. These ingredients are available at most stores including Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc.
DIY laundry detergent ingredients
You can usually find a box of borax and some washing soda in the laundry section of your local grocery store. Sometimes I like to add a few tablespoons of baking soda to refresh clothes. Natural bar soaps are available in the health, beauty or organic sections of the store or online.
Natural laundry soap recipe
Easily make your own homemade soap with the cleaning power of natural ingredients! This powder laundry detergent is gentle on skin and free of harsh chemicals.
Product: 2.5 Cups
- 1 Bar Soap (like Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap or Homemade Coconut Oil Soap)
- 1 Cup Washing soda
- 1 Cup Borax
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Finely grind the bar of soap or puree it in a food processor.
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In a large bowl, mix together the dish soap, washing soda and borax.
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Store in a sealed container like a glass jar
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To use: Add 2 tablespoons ¼ cup detergent per load of laundry.
See below for instructions on making the liquid version of this laundry detergent.
Wondering what’s in these ingredients?
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral made of sodium, boron, oxygen and water. It is in most natural soaps these days, but it is very expensive to make your own homemade laundry soap. Some people are concerned about borax, but here’s why I feel comfortable to use Especially in my laundry room.
Washing soda or super washing soda (sodium carbonate) is made from common salt and limestone or is available as a natural stock. It’s not the same as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), but you can Make washing soda From baking soda. Here are some other great families. Uses washing soda.
Dr. Bronner’s soaps are fair trade and made with vegetable castile soap and pure organic essential oils. Some DIY laundry recipes call for phyllo napta soap or a Zote bar, but I’m not a fan of the ingredients. I switched to this after years of using Dr. Bronners. Homemade laundry detergent In my DIY recipe.
These tallow-based soap flakes Designed for DIY laundry detergent, it works well.
How to make liquid laundry detergent
- Grate the soap with a cheese grater or food processor.
- Place the chopped soap in 2 quarts of hot water in a bowl and heat slowly. Stir continuously until the soap is completely dissolved.
- Put 4.5 gallons of really hot water in a 5 gallon bucket. These are usually available for free in the bakery aisles of grocery stores, just ask for them. Mix in 2 cups of borax and 2 cups of baking soda until completely dissolved.
- Pour the soap mixture into a 5-gallon bucket and mix well.
- Cover and leave overnight.
- Shake or stir until smooth and pour into gallon jugs or other containers.
- Use 1/2 to 1 cup per load of laundry.
Not only is it easy, but you can also save money!
A note about soap vs detergent
As mentioned above, there is a chemical difference between soap and detergent. Conventional washing machines are specially designed to work with washing machines. They can work even in cold water or hard water.
Many soaps are designed for the skin and are not strong. Some sources suggest that over time, natural soaps can leave a residue in the washers.
While this recipe works well for me, I understand that it is not suitable for all water types and sink types. If you use natural laundry detergent and seasoned clothes, this could be the reason. Newer HE washers top load machines and especially front load washers are notorious for not getting clothes as clean as old school ones. You may be more angry about your favorite laundry detergent.
I found a natural soap that works wonderfully and can be used alone or in combination with these homemade laundry detergents. I often add 2-3 tablespoons of Dr. Bronner’s cough syrup As a natural soap in every load. Cough suds are deodorized and still a natural product (although not technically soap, not soap). It even acts as a natural waste remover.
Don’t want to do it?
I’ve always made my own soap but now that there are some healthy options I usually buy a natural brand. Here are some of my favorites:
- Really free– Warning… After you try this laundry detergent, you may never want to go back to DIY. This is the best unscented non-toxic laundry detergent I’ve tried and it works well on tough stains and dirt. Same with my favorite An all-purpose cleanerA big bonus is their eco-friendly approach. The soap is stored in a small filler packet and added to hot water in the provided bottle. Very smart!
- 2 tablespoons Cough suds + 1/4 cup Baking soda Or you can use washing soda (very effective and super easy!) as well as cough suds. Homemade dish soap.
- Emma Eco Me Cleanser – It’s also rated good by EWG and smells great.
- Planet Natural Soap – Relatively environment friendly and cost effective.
The most economical option is to do it yourself, but if you can’t (or don’t want to) do these natural alternatives, they are a good choice.
Other natural DIY laundry products and tips
Instead of toxic fabric softeners, try using vinegar! Simply pour a cup of white vinegar into the wash cycle or washer dispenser.
Some people find better results by adding Epsom salt to their washing machine during the wash cycle. Helps soften hard water and reduce soap build-up for clean clothes. Here are some more DIY laundry recipes to add to your laundry cabinet.
Have you tried making your own laundry detergent? How did it work for you?
