homemade laundry detergent

usernewname · January 2014

anyone have a good recipe for homemade laundry detergent? I prefer the dry one as opposed to liquid. We are almost out of our Sunlight and wanted to switch to something more natural for baby, plus more economical for the wallet

Any recipes? Tips? Thanks

deanna1313 · January 2014

Pinterest has quite a few on there, but I haven't tried any. Love the idea, though.

usernewname · January 2014

Thanks - I have checked out Pinterest but was hoping for some tried and true recipes

I never have any luck with Pinterest - always a fail

lv2011 · January 2014

Equal parts washing soda, baking soda, and oxyclean free. Add in an equal part of salt if you have hard water. I have a large glass jar that I mix it all in and it lasts a really long time. Only need a tablespoon per load...2 if it's really large and dirty.

busterbeagle · January 2014

I used this recipe for awhile: https://theecofriendlyfamily.com/2009/08/laundry-detergent/

I also used the recipe for CD detergent (same minus soap).

Our clothes always were clean and smelled like nothing, which I liked, but so so many of DD's clothes ended up with stains. Even her tiny stuff is badly yellowed from breast milk. We don't have issues with stains using a store bought detergent. It could just be that the homemade stuff doesn't work with the pH of our water, or that we needed to tweak it, but I never had the time or motivation to play around with it.

jenb_99 · January 2014

I used this recipe for several years. I put vinegar in a Downy ball for the rinse instead of using fabric softener. Unfortunately I had to go back to regular detergent because our area has hard water and my clothes were getting dingy and my washer scummy. The vinegar helps, but it couldn't keep up with our cruddy water.

1 cup grated non-lotion bar soap
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

Note: To make a large batch grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Super Washing Soda and 3 cups 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in a covered container.

PikaPikaChick · January 2014

I used the same recipe as @jenb_99 for years until my food processor broke and I could no longer make it in there. I'd throw a little Oxyclean in there for really bad stains and poopy diapers. Worked great.

jenb_99 · January 2014

@PikaPikaChick Did you get your recipe from Mary Hunt/Everyday Cheapskate too?

I never thought to add Oxy. I really wish the recipe had continued to work for me. I loved the way it made my clothes feel and smell.

Oh...smell... That's right. DH had just started working in restaurant kitchens around that time, and he came home covered in stinky grease. The homemade soap didn't cut the grease or the stink. That might've been the bigger reason I quit using it.

Katemr1146 · January 2014

jenb_99 said:
I used this recipe for several years. I put vinegar in a Downy ball for the rinse instead of using fabric softener. Unfortunately I had to go back to regular detergent because our area has hard water and my clothes were getting dingy and my washer scummy. The vinegar helps, but it couldn't keep up with our cruddy water.

1 cup grated non-lotion bar soap
1/2 cup Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

Note: To make a large batch grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap
and then add 3 cups of Super Washing Soda and 3 cups 20 Mule Team Borax.
Mix well and store in a covered container.

This is my recipe too, except I do one bar of Fels Naptha soap instead of one cup. So it sounds like yours has double the actual amount of grated soap.

I don't have any complaints about my receipe. It cleans just as well as the tide did. I think I'm going to go back to using a hypoallergenic liquid soap when the baby comes though.

PikaPikaChick · January 2014

jenb_99 said:

@PikaPikaChick Did you get your recipe from Mary Hunt/Everyday Cheapskate too? I never thought to add Oxy. I really wish the recipe had continued to work for me. I loved the way it made my clothes feel and smell.

Not sure where it originally came from. I think I was just searching the Internet for something quick and easy. Those ones that involve cooking soap on the stove grossed me out. I tried that once but it was a mess. Also, I'm lazy.

usernewname · January 2014

Thanks everyone

I'll give this a whirl

Shell+Bell · January 2014

I've been very curious about trying out some homemade laundry soap. Would these concoctions work with an HE washer?

Katemr1146 · January 2014

Shell+Bell said:
I've been very curious about trying out some homemade laundry soap. Would these concoctions work with an HE washer?

Yep!! The recipe posted above with just Fels Naptha, Borax, Washing Soda works really well in my HE machine.

Runningtostandstill · January 2014

I use:
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1 bar finely grated Castile bar soap (I use Dr. Bronners unscented and then add my own pure essential oils -- no chemical fragrances this way)

I like lavender or eucalyptus or sweet orange and lemon essential oils.

Works just as good as any other soap. You could keep it scent-free if you wanted. I also use it with cloth diapers. And I have an HE washer, and it works fine! HTH

MissLadyTay · January 2014

I love this thread! Want to try something more natural.

Shell+Bell · January 2014

How much of the oils do you use? Clothes just don't seem clean to me unless they have that fresh smell. I accidentally bought some free and clear detergent and its just not the same.

Runningtostandstill · January 2014

About 20 drops, give or take. Oh, I also sometimes use vinegar in the rinse cycle since this will absolutely get rid of any gross smells. Or, ahem, if it accidentally sits overnight in the washing machine. I mean...I never do that... :P

Jillzy86 · January 2014

My DH makes ours and he puts it in a sealed home depo orange bucket. We love it and one batch can last us three months. The recipes above sound like ours.

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