Have you thought about making homemade laundry detergent? Is it easy to make? Does it really clean? And will homemade laundry powder ruin your washing machine?
In 2011, we made the switch. I walked away from expensive detergents and decided to try homemade powdered laundry detergent. I was nervous because I have a
I was nervous because I had a one-year-old HE washer, but I put on my brave face and went to the store. I picked up a box of washing powder, a box of borax, and two bars of Fels Naptha soap.
I was worried about putting a bar of soap in my food processor since it is not a quality machine. (The first time I tried to shred cheese, the grating blade broke!) So, I chopped the bar into smaller pieces using my utility knife.
Using the chopping blade, I put my food processor to the test. Doing a little at a time, I finally had the big bar chopped into a fine gravel. I really thought that this was not going to work since the pieces were still large – from my point of view. (See the notes below!)
I mixed the soap bits with 2 cups of washing soda and 2 cups of borax, placing it in an old detergent box.
My friends told me that I only needed one tablespoon per load. I thought that they had probably never seen a full load in my high capacity washer. I mean, come on! I have four kids! Bill and I were very skeptical but we decided to make the first load a heaping load of towels.
Guess what? It worked!!!
Our clothes are fresh, clean, and static free (with help from wool dryer balls.) I love it!
If you think you might forget the instructions, just remember the power of ONE:
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup Borax
- 1 bar Fels Naptha
- 1 tablespoon per load
Tips for using homemade laundry detergent
After using this recipe for years, here are my best tips:
- When you put your Fels Naptha into the food processor, add a scoop of washing powder. The powder adds friction and allows you to create a finer chop on the soap meaning that it dissolves easier.
- Run your washing machine on the highest temperature allowed based on the garments in each load. The soap does not dissolve well in cold water.
- Avoid homemade laundry detergent recipes that call for Zote Soap. Zote did not dissolve well in my HE washer and caused a thick residue I had to remove with a knife.
- Reader-submitted tip: When using homemade laundry detergent, your whites might get a little dingy. To stop this, you can buy Mrs. Stewarts Liquid Bluing and use a cap full per full load. Be careful not to pour directly on clothes as it will stain. Instead, mix it with a cup of water then add to whites.
UPDATE: Fast-forward five years… Do we still use homemade laundry detergent? No, because I noticed my whites were not white anymore. However, as I consider the facts, I think it was the washing machine causing the problem and NOT the detergent. Even after switching back to an expensive brand-name, we still struggle with dingy whites.
Love homemade cleaners?
Be sure to check out these other great homemade cleaner recipes:
I made the switch a while back, although am using the liquid version because i have a basic washer. i love it. my husbands clothes even come out great.
Do you mind sharing the recipe for the liquid version? I also have a basic washer. Is is not recommended to use this recipe in a basic washer?
I too made the switch a couple of months ago and I love it. Also switched from pricey fabric softeners to plain white vinegar which I think works even better. I used an old chese grater and grated the fels naptha. I did find though unless you are using hot water it doesn’t dissolve quick enough in the HE detergent dispenser. If I am using cold or warm water cycles I just sprinkle it on the clothes at the beginning rather than using the dispenser.
I switched a few months back as well. I also used to use a cheese grater because I don’t have a food processor. Now I put the fels naptha in a big microwavable tupperware container and microwave it for 2 mi
Nutes and let it cool for about an hour, when its cooled it just crumbles in your hands so much easier than using the cheese grater
I also make the liquid one. I have a GE front loader that is several years old and it works great. We used the pink zote soap, borax and washing soda. We made a 5 gallon bucket and still have about half of it left. We fill up an old laundry detergent jug with 1/2 water and 1/2 soap. I can’t remember the exact recipe we used, but there are a lot online you can look up.
We now have a top loading machine and still use the liquid detergent. I use the Duggar’s recipe here, except I use Zote soap. http://www.duggarfamily.com/content/duggar_recipes/30455/Homemade%2520Liquid%2520Laundry%2520Soap-%2520Front%2520or%2520top%2520load%2520machine-%2520best%2520value.
We keep it in a 5 gallon bucket and mix it 1/2 soap & 1/2 water in a gallon tea pitcher (like a sun tea jar with a spigot). Makes it easy to dispense. 🙂
I made the switch about 7 months ago. I make mine in the liquid version and keep it in a 5 gallon bucket. I love it, and it really works great!!! I won’t go back to the expensive detergents because this is dirt cheap to make and i only have to make a batch up about every 6 to 7 weeks. One thing I have changed though is I no longer use the Fels Naptha. I switched to Zote. It is a little bit cheaper and works just as well, and i prefer the scent of it better also!
Darlene, Where do you get the Zote? I would love to know. 🙂
I get it at Food World. It is with all of the mexican products. I think I paid 1.00 for it on sale about a month ago. It usually goes for 1.09 a bar i think. It is a huge bar too. I will get 2 batches of laundry out of the one bar.
Sorry. Couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of people eating it. It’s with the Mexican foods, really?
yes, it’s down the snack aisle at food world in theodore. LOL…i know what you mean, but they have a small section for all of their mexican products. Anything from nectars, tacos, and their cleaning products. It’s all bundled together in that one section. 🙂
Ha! Thanks, Darlene. Next time they have a nice meat sale, I am going to try it. 😀
I just made my first ever laundry detergent thanks to you! My first load of clothes (hubby’s work clothes) are in there now!!
Awesome, Marsha! Hope you love it and see significant savings!
Is there any difference between washing soda and baking soda? I checked the ingredients once and it seems like they were both the same. I can’t remember how they compare in price.
Washing powder is different from baking soda, although I am quite certain baking soda is a major ingredient in the washing powder. The washing powder costs slightly more but the Arm & Hammer website has a coupon club and allows you two coupons for each product offered every six months.
I am curious if this or the liquid version works with hard water. We have very hard water and no water softener.
We use pretty much the same recipe except I make it into a mayo-like paste on the stove because the Fels Naptha would not melt all the way on cold loads and I have never been a fan of powders.
Also, Fels Naptha is only 98 cents a bar at our Walmart.
For the lady asking about baking soda, the pH is different from washing soda. If anyone in your home has skin sensitivities or you plan on making this in any form other than dry, I would suggest staying with washing powder.