Making Laundry Detergent
I have already posted most of my cleaning recipes in an article creatively named, “Cleaning Product Recipes.” As I was preparing to make another batch of laundry detergent, I thought I would photograph the process for those who were still unsure if it was easy enough to do by themselves. It took us less than thirty minutes to have a 5 gallon bucket full of detergent.
First make sure that you have these supplies. You need a clean and empty 5 gallon bucket with a lid. You need a medium sized pot, a long handled spoon, a grater, and a measuring cup. You also need access to the kitchen sink. Now for the ingredients. You need a bar of laundry soap. I use Zote because the local grocery store carries it. Fels Naptha, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, or Ivory are acceptable soaps. You just don’t want anything heavily perfumed. You need borax and washing soda. These are fairly easy to find on the cleaning aisle.
Grate the bar of soap into the pot. The soap looks like mozarella cheese so my kids and I tease each other with reminders. “Don’t eat the soap.” “Hey, remember that is not cheese.” Now add 4 cups of hot water and turn on the burner to a medium low heat. Stir with your spoon until the soap has melted. This is the longest part of the process.
It really does look like mozzarella cheese.
In your 5 gallon bucket, put a cup of washing soda and a 1/2 cup of borax. Now pour in your melted soap mixture and stir. You also have the option of adding any essential oils at this point. I chose Eucalyptus and Lavender. I used 25-30 drops of each. The use of essential oils is completely optional. I buy mine from a company called Beeyoutiful. I saw from their catalog that they now have lemon oil which I want to try.
When the powder has dissolved, add hot tap water. Fill halfway and then stir. Fill all the way and then stir. Put on the lid and allow it to sit for a day. It will almost turn into a gel. At this point, you can pour into an empty laundry detergent container. Fill it halfway with water and shake. It needs to be diluted in order to flow through the built-in nozzle of the bottle. Or, you can fill the container with only your detergent. Pour out half of what you would usually use because it is concentrated at this point. Or, you can just scoop out about 1/4 cup of detergent from the 5 gallon bucket for each load.
Filling the bucket with hot water from the tap.
As the water is flowing into your washing machine, add the detergent and let dilute before putting in your clothes. I have begun doing the latter. It just works better in the area I have. Also the kids know one scoop does the job instead of eyeballing the amount they pour into the machine. If I am washing a load of whites, I will occasionally add hydrogen peroxide to the water to help brighten the whites. It is much gentler than bleach. If my clothes are extremely smelly like wet, moldy towels, I will also add some white vinegar.
Using this recipe for laundry detergent is very inexpensive and easy to make. My children could make it by themselves. Regardless if you dilute the detergent or use less in its concentrated form, the recipe yields the equivalent of 10 gallons of laundry detergent for about $2.00. You cannot beat that. I urge all homemakers to try it.
I just wanted to let you know the current edition of the Homesteading Carnival is now posted http://mountaineercountrywv.blogspot.com/2009/07/homesteading-carnival-104-no-frills-im.html . Thanks for participating.
Can you make it more concentrated so it takes less room?
Great question! Half of the 5 gallon bucket is warm water which makes 10 gallons of laundry detergent. You could experiment by not adding water to the bucket. Let me know how it works.
[...] back to the question about the cleanliness of the soap. My recipe for laundry detergent does not include SLS or any preservatives. I include tea tree oil to give antibacterial, [...]
Is the soap HE (high efficiency) washer compliant?
AWESOME SITE. I just found you as I was looking for a new jelly recipe. Great info and I can’t wait to try it. i am a homeschool mom of 4 in northern ca and i can’t wait to share your site with my friends! thank you so much for sharing!
I do not believe it is. I have a friend who used to use a recipe similar to this one who does not now that she has a HE washer. I would definitely read your user manual and follow its directions.
Thank you, Michelle. There is power in word to mouth advertising. Please tell everyone.
I have used this recipe and it truly works. Do you happen to have a recipe for fabric softener that works?
I am glad that you like the detergent recipe. I do not have a fabric softener recipe. The dryer sheets that you buy in the stores are full of formaldehyde according to our family doctor; therefore, I just stay away from them.
you can use this recipe in an HE machine….it is a very LOW sudsing formula
here is a link to info on what’s so important about HE formula detergents
http://housewares.about.com/od/laundryappliances/f/hedetergents.htm
Usage: ½ cup per laundry load is adequate to clean your clothes. This homemade laundry detergent works well in high efficiency washing machines since it is low sudsing.
One word of caution, if using a high efficiency machines: Before pouring the lumpy gel into the detergent receptacle, stir it to break up the lumps. Very large lumps may not fully dissolve, stirring the detergent with a spoon, pencil, or whatever you have available (or your finger), works fine.
http://natural-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/washing_clothes_for_pennies
Andrea,
Thank you so much for the information and links. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us. Thanks again. Lara
Use around half a cup of vinegar in the liquid fabric softener part of the washing machine instead of dryer sheets.
Hi. Read the article about you in Countryside Mag which led me to your website. Subscribed so I’m excited about that. I make all of my cleaning products except for laundry detergent. Since I’m almost out I’m going to make my first batch this week. Thanks for the recipe. Jamie
I make a powder laundry detergent that I use in my HE machine. 1 small bar of grated soap, 1/2 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax. Put all in the food processor. I also add about 10 drops of tea tree oil, totally optional. I use 2 tablespoons in each cycle and white vinegar in the fabric softener side.
I found your web-site in Countryside magazine in homesteading,It only takes an acre in Texas.In these day when you are in retirement the bottom line of money come’s up fast thank you for lanundry soap recipes.
Stephanie,
Thank you for your advice with HE machines. I do not have one so I greatly appreciate your experience and the fact that you shared it with us.
Thanks again,
Lara
I have an HE washer and have been using a recipe very similiar to this and haven’t had any trouble at all with it.
Also, for the person who wanted smaller portions, try 1/3 bar soap (I use Fels Naptha), 1/2 C. washing soda, 1/2 C. borax. Same process as above but it only makes 2 gallons. I have to make it a little more often but the 2 gallon container fits on my laundry shelf.
Theresa,
Thank you for sharing your recipe for a smaller batch of laundry detergent. I appreciate it. Lara
I just read the new CountrySide magazine and your article, wonderful advice and love the laundry detergent recipe!
Blessings to your family
Just read your article in CountrySide magazine, people like you and your family inspire me. I have visited your blog daily to read up on more self sufficient ways.
I’m just about out of laundry soap, so I’m going to give this one a try. Do have a question tho…since the Zote is 14 oz. bar, does that mean I need to use 3-4 1/2 oz. bars of Ivory? I’ve tried the Fels-Naptha but my clothes came out dingy so I went back to store bought soap powder (I need to be careful as my skin is very sensitive). Not sure if that is due to our hard water or not….any suggestions? Will also remember to try the vinegar (which I use alot of) and peroxide.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
I would definitely use equal amounts of soap. Therefore, do not be afraid to use two small bars of Ivory. If you are washing whites, pour in some hydrogen peroxide to the water. If you have a stained piece of white clothing, you can spray/pour the peroxide directly on it. I have had great results. Happy soap making!
I just started making my own laundry soap with Fels-Naptha, but am looking to try a different bar soap. The Ivory soap you mentioned–is it just the regular Ivory bar?
I really enjoy your site!
I enjoyed your article in Countryside Mag! So many people think one needs lots of land to be mostly self-sufficient, so getting the word out that each can do a lot for themselves even in the suburbs or city is much needed.
Thank you for providing your easy beauty aid recipes, too. I can’t wait to try the baking soda/acv on my own long hair!
Making the soap right now and will move peroxide beside washer. Thanks for responding and the great tips.
A reader was asking how much Ivory she should use. I have not tried it with Ivory, but my understanding is that she was using the regular bar. The important thing is choosing a bar that is soap. It does not need dyes, chemicals, etc added to it.
Enjoyed your article in Countryside, so came here to check out your website. I have been making my own soap for a couple of years now and have and HE washer and love the soap. My question is, how much perioxide should I use in my washer. I also have a problem with dingy clothes.
Carla,
I would start out with about 1/4 cup of peroxide and go from there. I hope this helps.
Lara
Found your site from the Countryside article. Now have it in my favorites.
Can homemade bar soap be used in the detergent instead of a drier bar soap like Ivory or the naptha?
Great question, Regina! I will have to look into it. Lara