I love saving money in pretty much any way I can. Still, I’ll admit that every time I come across an article about how to make DIY cleaning or beauty products, I skip over it. However this is a simple quick & easy DIY homemade laundry detergent that is easy to make.
My first thought whenever I see anything with the word “recipe” in it is, “well…that’s not gonna happen.”
But my best friend Neva recently asked me if I wanted to give homemade laundry detergent a try. I figured that with the help of two awesome ladies (Neva and our friend Jen), I (probably) couldn’t mess it up.
I actually found that it’s simple and it’s a great way to save money! The total cost is about $14 (which leaves you with PLENTY of extra borax and washing soda leftover to use in the future) and you should be able to wash over 100 loads of laundry with it – compared to traditional laundry detergent that typically costs $10-$20 and doesn’t last nearly as long.
What you need:
- 1 bar (or 4.5 ounces) shaved Fels- Naptha soap ($4.56 at Walmart)
- 1/2 cup of borax (20 mule team, $4.47 at Walmart)
- 1 cup of washing soda (Arm & Hammer, $3.97 at Walmart)
- Bucket (2 gallons or larger)
- Saucepan
- Spoon to stir
- Measuring cup
- Cheese grater or knife to grate soap
- Large containers to put the laundry detergent in
Directions:
Step One: Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.
Step Two: Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts.
Step Three: Pour soap mixture into a large, clean bucket.
Step Four: Add washing soda and borax; stir until dissolved.
Step Five: Add 2 gallons of water; stir until well-mixed.
Step Six: Add 15 drops of essential oils (if desired) for scent.
Step Seven: Let the soap sit for 24 hours and it will gel.
To use:
- Use ½ cup of detergent per load, stirring detergent before each use
- Note: the soap is a low “sudsing” soap. If you don’t see suds, it doesn’t mean that you did something wrong.
Have you ever tried making homemade laundry detergent or other cleaning products? What tips do you have?
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Awesome! I’ll have to try that too!
I use the same recipe, but I don’t boil. I use it as a powder. 1-2 tablespoons per load. Works great, and less steps. . Thanks for the great ideas.
Awesome article. Very easy to follow and gives motivation to do it yourself. I also love it because my best friend wrote it and its about us and our activities.
Thanks Neva! Yes, you might be slightly biased :)