Homemade Laundry Detergent – How To Make Your Own

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent is one of those products that you cannot live without, but the costs really add up. If you are up for making your own, homemade laundry detergent is great for a few reasons: You know exactly what is going into your detergent (a very big deal when you have allergies in the household), it is much cheaper, and it lasts so much longer. Here are a few tips for how to make your homemade laundry detergent.

How To Make Powder Detergent

The first recipe we’ll talk about is for powder detergent. I know everyone has their favorite between powder and liquid, so we’ll cover them both and take them one at a time. Here is what you will need for homemade powder laundry detergent:

1. 1 bar of soap (unscented)
2. 1 cup of borax
3. 1 cup of washing soda
4. Essential oils (optional)

MILLIARD Borax Powder – Pure Multi-Purpose Cleaner 1 lb. BagArm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, 55 oz (Pack of 2)Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed GraterRadha Beauty Aromatherapy Top 8 Essential Oils 100% Pure & Therapeutic grade – Basic Sampler Gift Set & Kit (Lavender, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Orange, Peppermint, Frankincense and Rosemary)Lavender 100% Pure, Best Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil – 10mlScrew Top Bucket – 3.5 Gallon with Blue Lid; Heavy Duty 90 mil

Grab a large bucket (with lid) and make sure that it is clean. If this is a bucket that you’ve had for awhile, you may want to line it with a garbage bag.

Taking your bar of soap and a cheese grater, grate the bar of soap into the bucket so that you are left with shredded bits when you are done. Add and mix in your borax and washing powder. If you have chosen to add essential oils for scent, you’ll want to put in a few drops at this point. Somewhere between 5-10 drops should do the trick, depending on how powerful you want the scent.

Note: if you wash your clothes in cold water regularly, you may want to toss your mix into the blender for a finer powder. This recipe will dissolve easily in hot and warm water, but in cold water it may have a bit of a harder time dissolving if it isn’t super fine.

This recipe can be doubled or tripled if you go through a lot of detergent and want to make a larger quantity.

You’ll use approximately 3 Tablespoons for a large load or half that for a smaller load. 

How To Make Liquid Detergent

Now, let’s talk about liquid. Liquid detergent is used mostly for its stain fighting properties and the fact that you don’t have to worry about the powder dissolving. It’s also the version of detergent that many people have turned to using regularly. Here’s a great recipe for homemade liquid laundry detergent:

1. 1 cup borax
2. 1 cup of washing soda
3. 1 bar of soap (unscented)
4. 4 cups water (plus)
5. 5-gallon bucket with lid
6. Essential oils (optional)

Grab a large bucket (with lid) and make sure that it is clean. If this is a bucket that you’ve had for awhile, you may want to line it with a garbage bag.

Taking your bar of soap and a cheese grater, grate the bar of soap into a large cooking pot so that you are left with shredded bits when you are done. Add 4 cups of water and cook on medium heat until your soap has melted. Stir until it is an even consistency.

Now, fill up your 5-gallon bucket with warm water until it is halfway full. Pour the melted soap into the bucket. At this point, stir in your washing soap and borax. If you want to add a scent to your detergent you can add in the essential oils of your choice. Somewhere around 20 drops is what you’ll need, depending on how fragrant you want your mixture.

Fill the bucket the rest of the way with warm water while you continue to stir. Snap the lid onto the bucket and let it sit overnight so it becomes a thicker, gel-like consistency. Once it reaches a gel consistency, it may look like liquid with chunks of gel in it – that’s totally fine – it’s ready to use. Pour 1/2 – 1 cup of the solution for every load of laundry and get washing!

Learning how to make your own laundry detergent can save you a TON of money and keep harmful chemicals away from you and your family. Do you have any homemade recipes for laundry detergent that you want to share? I’d love to know!

Note: None of this is meant as medical advice. I am not a doctor and do not play one on the internet. Please consult a physician if you have any questions about making your own detergent so that your doctor can better explain to you the benefits, possible side effects, and any warnings about homemade detergent products.