Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

Last Updated on May 8, 2023 by Ellen Christian

Have you ever tried to make your own laundry detergent? One of the ways we keep our grocery budget under control is by making our household cleaners.

You only need a few simple ingredients to create cleaning products yourself, including this laundry detergent. 

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

So, this laundry detergent is in powder form. Depending on how large your container is, you can make it in large or small batches.

And I’ve heard of some people making a liquid version, but this is less messy and easier for me to store. There are no preservatives in this detergent, and I don’t want to worry about bacteria growing in a liquid version.

Materials:

• One bar of Fels Naptha bar soap (2 cups grated)
• 1 cup of Washing Soda (This one is all-natural.)
• 1 cup of Borax

Please note that washing soda is NOT the same as baking soda. You cannot use baking soda in this laundry detergent recipe.

You should be able to find the Fels Naptha, Washing Soda, and Borax in the laundry section of your store. My tiny store has it. But, you will probably have to look up at the top shelf or down at the bottom.

Fels Naptha is a brand of laundry soap that was created in 1893 and has in the past been marketed as a home remedy for poison ivy.

It was the first soap to include the ingredient Naptha which is effective for cleaning laundry and dissolving the oil of the poison ivy plant.

It no longer contains Naptha because it was removed as a cancer agent. However, the soap is still very effective for laundry.

Borax is a natural mineral that is also known as sodium borate. It is used quite often in natural beauty and natural cleaning recipes.

How to make your own laundry detergent

1. Allow the washing machine to fill with water. Warm works best with this laundry detergent.
2. Add two tablespoons of detergent for each load of laundry. Swirl slightly.
3. So, if you want a scented detergent, add a drop or two of essential oil to the water before adding the clothes. My preference is lavender or peppermint.
4. And, add the clothes and allow them to wash as usual.

So, this laundry detergent lasts quite a while and works well on average wear. If you have a hard-to-get-out stain, you may want to try a laundry pretreat before washing the item.

Store this in a 5-gallon plastic bucket with a tight-fitting lid if you have small children.

You might want to learn more about adding essential oils to the laundry.

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