...
...
...
...
SSL
All site content, including photos, © Busy-at-Home 2009-2011, All Rights Reserved, Contact Busy-at-Home for permissions
Well, I did it! I have pinned various recipes for homemade laundry detergent for months, now, thinking that soon I would gather the exotic ingredients and muster the courage to make some. I should have paid a lot more attention to those recipes I was pinning. There is nothing exotic about the ingredients, nor is it difficult. I’m actually mourning a little bit, for all the money I have wasted over the years, just not realizing I could do this quickly and simply. Two weeks ago, I sat down to earnestly study all the pins I have for DIY laundry detergent. With a few minor variations, they are all essentially the same. Who knew? I was just pinning pictures with the good intention of “exploring the possibility”, later. 
Once I actually stopped to look at the details, I was shocked.
My own DIY brand! It's awesome!
The one thing that they all had in common was that they make gigantic batches – 10 to 12 gallons, at a time. I don’t want to be storing all that and so I decided to quarter the recipe I finally settled on. It turns out that it is adapted from the recipe that the Duggar family uses to make their detergent. I decided if it is good enough for the Duggar’s clothes, which they wear on national TV each week, it was probably a safe bet that it would work for us.
Why would I bother to make laundry detergent when I could just conveniently grab a bottle off the shelf at the store? Several reasons, the first of which is cold, hard cash. I have always purchased the large economy bottles of a name brand “he” (high efficiency) laundry detergent. It’s not the cheapest, nor is it the most common $14-a-bottle brand. I pay, on average, $8.00 for a 75-load bottle of my old detergent. I would have been happy to cut that price in half. Instead, I discovered that by making the recipe I am going to share with you, a 75-load bottle of DIY detergent saved me $7.79¾!!! That is a little more than a 97% savings! Hello! Making my own is no longer JUST an option. It’s ridiculous not to. It cost only 20¼¢ for the ingredients to make a 75-load bottle of detergent! Translate that savings over a year’s worth of laundry and that put’s a tidy sum back into our family’s budget.
These ingredients are easy to find and very inexpensive!
Still need a list of reasons to try this? Okay. Here it goes:
- 20¼¢!! Hello! (It only takes putting away $19.24 per week to have $1000 in your savings account, by the end of the year. Making laundry detergent at home, won’t earn the whole amount, but it will be a substantial chunk towards reaching that goal.)
- Low suds – The water pumps on “he” washing machines are damaged and wear out faster if you’re using soap that creates too many suds. That’s why manufacturers have “created” the special “he” laundry detergents. Did you know that regular laundry detergent actually has something added to it to make it suds up? Soap isn’t able to do that so profusely on it’s own. People think that more suds = more clean, so those doing the marketing know it boosts the bottom line to add that ingredient. See how public perceptions drive the market and increase costs? Weird, isn’t it! (Yes, I am using this detergent in my “he” washing machine with absolutely no difficulty. Obviously, I can’t make claims for your machine, but mine is alive and well. I’m pretty sure Michelle Duggar’s is, too. )
- Less waste – I’ve read several posts where people have purchased bottles and buckets and extra equipment to begin their detergent making process. If you’re going to do it in monstrously large batches and will be reusing those things over and over, I get it; but you can seriously save the expense and the waste, by just recycling your old detergent bottles for the job. They have built in measuring cups and they don’t cost you an extra penny. Not one more plastic bottle will end up in a landfill or have to be hauled to a recycling center due to my family’s laundry. Cool! I just saved and rinsed out the last two bottles from my old store-bought laundry detergent when they were empty. They work perfectly! When I am feeling more ambitious, I may even soak off the old labels and create some very crafty attractive ones of my own.
- You know what’s in it. – You can add essential oils to your batch to scent it in any way you want, but it’s an added expense, and before you do, I hope you’ll try at least one, just straight. I actually love the light scent of the Fels Naptha and it transfers to our clothes. Remember when you were a kid, that plain, fresh, clean smell that laundry had? Now, I know what it was and I LIKE it! You also aren’t adding any chemical sudsing agents, emulsifiers, gobbledy gook and alphabet soup chemically-type names or dyes. That makes me happy.
- It’s easy. – I didn’t time this process, but I doubt that I invested more than 20 minutes. Other than grating the Fels Naptha and stirring while it melted into the water, it was pretty minor labor, on my part. You can totally do this!
- There are only 3 ingredients and I can buy them at Walmart. – Stores are not sticking these products on end counters or even at eye-level for you to find, but they’re there. You’ll have to scope out the detergent aisle to find where they have them. At my Walmart, it’s on the bottom shelf, underneath the fabric softener section. All you need is a bar of Fels-Naptha, a box of Borax and a box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda). Total cost for these ingredients was about $7.50 and with the exception of Fels Naptha (Mine was 97¢) which I will need to re-buy after every 4th batch, I won’t be buying ingredients, again for at least a year, probably more.
- It works! – I have been using this detergent on all our laundry for two weeks, now. In my house that’s literally a couple dozen loads. I have used it on bedding, towels, undergarments, regular clothes and even my husbands greasy, grubby work clothes. It works exactly the same as my old detergent. I even conducted a stain test, in the beginning, in hopes that I could tell you that DIY detergent is some miraculous stain-fighter that excels beyond my regular detergent. Knowing that my detergent could not get out mustard stains, I took an old t-shirt, stained both sides with equal amounts of mustard and then both sides with equal amounts of barbecue sauce. Then I pre-treated both by rubbing a teaspoon of my old detergent into the stains on one side and a teaspoon of the DIY detergent on the other side. I washed each side in hot water, using it’s coordinating detergent. Alas, DIY does no better on mustard than the store-bought detergent and they both got out the barbecue stain. So, while there was no difference in the way they cleaned and both would require a pre-treater for really stubborn stains, hello! 20¼¢! -lol- DIY still wins. ( Does anybody have a recipe for homemade pre-treater? )
Well, if you’re convinced, now; here’s the recipe that I used to make mine. It’s the scaled-back version and made two 75-load bottles.
Ingredients
- 1/4 bar of Fels Naptha soap
- 2 Tablespoons Borax powder
- 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
Instructions
- Cut Fels Naptha bar into fourths and store the extra 3 in a ziptop bag, so you have them handy for your next 3 batches.
- Grate the 1/4 Fels Naptha Bar into medium shreds.
- Put grated Fels Naptha and 1 cup of water into a pot and melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until all the soap has dissolved. It will be a little sudsy, but no chunks of soap should remain.
- Pour 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water into a large container or bucket and add the cooked soap mixture, Borax and washing soda.
- Stir.
- Add 2 1/2 quarts more (10 cups) water.
- Stir again. You'll notice a few suds on the top of your stirred soap.
- If you have a lid for the container you're mixing this in, just put the lid on it and let it set overnight. I mixed mine in a bucket and ended up transferring it to another container with a lid, before setting it aside for overnight.
- The next morning, your soap will have thickened and gelled considerably. Stir it up and then you're ready to transfer it into two laundry bottles for your use.
- Divide the soap evenly between the two 1.17 gallon laundry bottles you've saved. They'll be about half full. (If you're using empty milk jugs or some other size container, the ratio is one part soap to one part water. Just fill the container you're using half full with your DIY soap and then finish filling with water.)
- Finish filling each bottle with water.
- Shake the bottles vigorously to mix and you're ready to wash laundry.
- It takes 1/4 cup per load.
- Give the bottle a shake before each load, to make sure nothing has separated and it's mixed well.
Notes:
Just because I love you all so much, I actually went to the trouble of measuring out the Borax and Washing Soda in each box. (A little nerdy, I know, but I wanted to do the math.)
All the calculations I've done are for "he" machines that will require 1/4 cup of this DIY detergent. If you have a regular top-loading machine, you will use 5/8 cup per load and so will only get about 30 loads per bottle which increases your cost per load from about 3/1000 of a cent per load to about 7/1000 of a cent per load. I'm guessing that's still substantially less than your current store-bought brand. :)
There were 12 cups of Borax in one box which converts to 192 Tablespoons. That means I will get 96 batches of laundry detergent made, before I use up that one box!
There were 7 cups of Washing Soda in one box, which is 28 quarter cups. 28 batches of laundry detergent, before I need to buy more washing soda!
Fels Naptha bars need to be quartered so, I have to buy a new bar after every fourth batch.
…
,,,
I made homemade laundry soap once-from soap. It worked just fine and cost me a lot less then my ‘pre-made’ detergent! Thanks for sharing!
It’s a great way to save, isn’t it, Chacoy? I appreciate your visit!
Okay, this is beyond cool! You make it look so easy, thank you for the detailed instructions, I could even do this!
Julie, you definitely can! I was so amazed at how easy it is. Thank you for visiting!
this is awesome, thanks! I bet you could add essential oils maybe? If you wanted some scent that is natural?
Diane, you definitely can!
EXCELLENT!! I have all the ingredients already, but was using them dry….I think I’m going to make up a batch of this liquid detergent now!! Thanks for the share!
Glad you stopped by, Jen!
You are wonderful!!!! I bet you got A’s in math!!!! Thanks for the great recipe. I can’t wait to try this!!!! Rita
lol – thanks, Rita! I’m so excited for you to try it. I have been using it on all our family’s laundry for almost a month, now and we love it. I like the fresh fragrance and our clothes are as clean as always. For our big family, it’s a huge budget savings. I hope your experience is just as positive!
How long does a batch last or I guess what I am asking is does it go bad? I know it sounds like a silly question. I made my first batch but am finishing up my last bit of store detergent. Do I have to separate with water asap or can it stay in gel form until needed?
Super excited to try it! Thanks for the savings!
Nicole, I mixed mine half and half, right away, so I’m not sure how long it would last as concentrate. I can’t imagine it would be a problem. There really isn’t anything that can spoil. The recipe I adapted mine from made 10 gallons at a time! I didn’t want to store that much, because of space, but my guess is that it keeps fine.
I only mix mine when I need to refill the container. It takes a month or more just to get to the bottom and had never gone bad. Don’t know that it ever would!
Have you tried the recipe with other types of soap (i.e. dove bar soap)? Would it still be HE compatible if you did? And do you just use the same amount of detergent when washing as you would with the store brought kind?
Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to try and make my own!
I haven’t, Ann, but I would definitely be careful about other soaps, just because of the sudsing issue. Too many suds will ruin the pump on an he machine.
Dove soap isn’t a good choice because the moisturizers can leave residue on your clothes. Ivory works, though.
Ann, you should be careful using other soaps like Dove. They contain sulfates which is what causes soaps, shampoos, detergents, etc to suds.
Glenda…amazing! Thank you for sharing your quartered recipe! I live in an apartment and definitely have no room for clothes, let alone 9 additional gallons of detergent!
The fels naptha bar actually works great as a pretreater. Just wet the stain and take a bar (I usually pick up an extra bar to have laying around) and rub it in till a little suddsy. Let sit for a little while (or days if you are like me and only get to laundry once a week) and then wash as normal.
Good tip, Sally. Thank you! I’m so glad you stopped by!
I just heard about a DIY stain treatment. The person who told me about it said it was wonderful, but haven’t had a chance to try it myself yet. It’s just equal parts Dawn diswashing liquid, water and ammonia.
Arlene, someone just mentioned that this past week. I’m anxious to try it, too!
Just becareful using ammonia if you are doing a load of whites and will be using bleach the 2 combined will cause a toxic fume that will make you sick and can even be deadly
Absolutely! Thanks Serena for mentioning that! Never, never, ever mix bleach and ammonia!
Would this be safe for infant’s clothes?
Paula, I honestly don’t know how to answer that. It certainly doesn’t have all the dyes and added chemicals of regular laundry soap. If it were me personally, I would use it, but then, I washed all 5 of our kids’ baby clothes in the same detergent as the rest of our family, with no ill effects or problems. You’ll just have to use your own judgement on that one.
Late comment, but as I just found this post via stumbleupon, figured I would answer this question in case anyone else was wondering. And the answer is yes!
I actually started making my own laundry soap, with a very similar recipe, when I was pregnant, because I needed a detergent free of dyes, optical brighteners, perfumes, etc. We use cloth diapers made with microfiber, which holds in residues from detergent and will start repelling liquid if washed in a detergent with all the “extras”, and are also right next to a baby’s most sensitive skin. I’ve used my homemade laundry soap for a year now and never had any issues, and I know that other people I’ve seen posting online have said that they resolved their skin issues by switching to this recipe. I would definitely say that this is safe for infant’s clothes.
Yay! Lauren, thanks so much for chiming in! That’s so helpful to know and yes, several have asked.
Paula, I have been making this detergent for over a year now. My youngest was a few months old when I started, and was prone to diaper rashes and skin irritation at seams of his clothing. Since I started making our laundry detergent (and our wipes) he has had diaper rash exactly three times, always minor, and does not have any irritation from his clothes anymore. So, yes, these are definitely safe for infant’s clothes, because there are no added dyes, surfactants, or perfumes, which are the major irritants in commercial detergents that are omitted in expensive ‘baby’ detergents like Dreft. I haven’t used any essential oils or scented soaps, though, so you may want to wait to add those to the basic recipe until yours is a bit older and not as sensitive. I hope this helps!
I just found your site by doing a search for DIY stockings and then started clicking around. . . and around. . .
I have heard about the homemade laundry detergent and you may have talked me into trying it. I’ve been couponing for most of this year, and this is cheaper and sounds more natural than store bought detergents. 
God bless and Merry Christmas!
Kelly, thanks so much for stopping by! The detergent is so simple and saves so much money. I hope you find it to be a great blessing to your family, too! Have a fabulously blessing-filled Christmas and I look forward to “seeing” you around the blog, in the new year!
Do you add fabric softner to your rinse?? How stiff are the clothes when you take them out of the dryer?? Can’t wait to pick up my supplies tomaro!!!!
Kris, I don’t have any problems with stiffness in the fabrics, whether I remember to use a dryer sheet or not. When I use them, it is more for avoiding static cling from the dry winter air, than for a need to soften the fabrics. The washing soda used in this recipe is also a natural water softener, so that may have something to do with it.
I use the powdered form of this recipe, and I fill my fabric softener dispenser with vinegar. It kills germs and softens the clothes. I also found that it help clean out the washer to prevent it from getting gummed up from detergents/fabric softeners. I have sworn off store bought laundry soap and fabric softeners because I have fallen in love with this cheap and clean recipe.
For static issues: take a wash cloth and attach a few safety pins to the corners. Throw it in the dryer with every load, reuse it each time. The metal from the pins kills the static.
My recipe: 1 shredded bar of Fels-Naptha or 123 Rosa or Zote, 1 cup of Borax, and 1 cup of Washing soda. Mix with food processor. Use ONLY 1 Tablespoon per small load or 2 Tablespoon for a large load. This totally decreases the watery-goopy mess of the liquid, and it is the SAME exact soap. The powder keeps in a small Tupperware on my washer and takes up very little space.
Allisona, thanks so much for all your tips! I can’t wait to try the safety pins on a wash cloth trick in the dryer!
I have been using vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser for a week now and have loved it! Thank you for the tip on static as that was my only complaint. I have just made my first batch of dry detergent per your recipe and wonder what type of food processor you use? Mine didn’t seem to get the fels-naptha very fine and I wonder if that is going to be a problem.
Is it possible to reduce the amount of water in order to lessen the amount used per load?
Kassee, I suppose it would be possible. Just remember it’s concentrated when you’re adding it. I suppose you could simply use the concentrate in 1/2 the amount. It would just be really thick and harder to pour and measure.
Do you have a recipe for Shampoo and Conditioner?
Thank you!
Alison, I haven’t tried it, yet, but this site has 10 different recipes for shampoo! http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Shampoo/
I made this and it smells fantastic. I do have one question though. I melted the Fels Naptha down all the way and combined and waited over night. Now I have floating gel bits in the mix. Is this normal?
Sarah, yes that is normal. Give your bottle a good shake, before pouring it out and you will notice they mix right in.
Is there a liquid homemade dishwashing recipe? I believe there is a powder type of recipe for dishwashers. I have used the powder form for the laundry, but I am really excited to do the liquid version of this. Was just wondering if there was a liquid dishwashing recipe. Any info is greatly appreciated. Love saving money!!!!
I have been using this same recipe (not scaled back & do not add water to dilute @ the end) for over 1 yr & have had no problems with it @ all.. love it… eco friendly & cleans as good as the expensive ones you buy @ the store
I can’t wait to try this!!! One problem I have been looking all over (I live in Canada) and I can’t find the washing soda or the Fels Naptha ANYWHERE!!! Any suggestions!?
Jessica, I know you can get it on Amazon, but that’s not the cheapest option. I found Fels Naptha for $1.99 on this website http://www.soapsgonebuy.com and they DO ship to Canada. Hope that can help.
Sorry this is a late reply so it may not help, but if you live close enough to Buffalo, I suggest the drive down when you can & go to Wegman’s. I know the 1 in Cheektowaga (suburb of Bflo if you’re not familiar) on Dick Road has the washing soda, it was the only place I could find it (well, ok, I only looked at Wal Mart too!) for $3.49…the Fels Naptha I got at Wal Mart for $0.97 along w/ the Borax, which I can’t remember how much how I paid, under $4 I want to say. I didn’t check Wegman’s for the Fels Naptha or Borax as I already had those.
I live in Canada and I found the Washing soda at walmart or Safeway. I can’t remember which one. I also am hoping to try this with a sunlight bar, not sure if it will work, but hopefully.
Jen, thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to stop back and let us know how it worked out with the Sunlight bar, so our other Canadian readers may benefit.
I am definitely going to try this. I wash in cold water, would that make a difference? Also, any idea on a fabric softener recipe? Thanks for sharing.
Carla, I use cold water, too, on many things. It’s worked very well.
I use the dry powdered version of this recipe and I always use the grating plate on my food processor to grate the soap. it works just fine.
I used my food processor when I grated the Fels Naptha, since I too seem to have some signs of carpal tunel.
Hi. I have done this recipe myself a few times over the last couple of years. I like the soap, but I have trouble grating the fels naptha (I also use octagon occasionally) because I have carpal tunnel.
Daisy, I wonder how long it would take to dissolve if you just used it in chunks? Mine went pretty fast grated. I’ll bet chunks wouldn’t be too much longer.
I just use the salad shooter to grate. Quick and painless and washes easily!
For food stains when doing laundry I just use plain old Ivory liquid dishwashing soap. Works really well. Just put small amount on stain, rub gently and put into laundry. Can’t remember using it for mustard, but have used it for just about all other food stains.
Great tip, Dee! Thanks so much!
Made a batch of this. Cleans great, but I do have one question. Since using this I have noticed sweaters and sweat shirts are getting fuzzy balls when they come out of the dryer. Any suggestions? I am not sure if it is the soap, or just my dryer needing a good cleaning out.
Not sure what to tell you, Julie. We’ve used it for several months, now, and I’m not having that issue. Has anything else changed with your laundry? machine? water softener? I can’t really guess what it might be.
Go to Henkle on-online http://www.henkelna.com/contact-us-6118.htm, go to the ‘customer information center’ and send the company an email. Then tell them that you love their products (which you obviously do), both fels-naptha and borax, they will send you 3 coupons each. You can request every 3 months. This lowers your already cheap laundry soap!
Wow! Thanks for the great savings tip, Tammy!
What do you think about omitting the last step (dividing the mixture into 2 bottles and adding equal parts of water) and just leave as is. Take 1/8 c of undiluted mix, add 1/8 c. water, mix then add to washer?
Laurie, you could do that, I think, but you will want to be very careful to shake and smooth out your concentrate each time. It’s pretty inconsistent in it’s texture until the water has been mixed in, so my concern would be that sometimes you would get the gloppy part and sometimes the more liquidy part, which would lead to inconsistent results.
I have been making this for awhile and love it. With a set of 2 year old twins and a 6 year old son, we get lots of food stains. I’ve been adding 1/2 cup of the Borax into my HE washer at the beginning and using the “presoak” option, and it takes care of 90 percent of the food stains. You can also pour the diluted detergent into a spray bottle and use it like a pre-treatment for difficult stains (cute little white t-shirts with blueberry stains). Works for me.
Rachel, I hadn’t even thought of diluting it as a pre-treater. What a fabulous idea! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you SO much for sharing! I am so excited to share this on my blog for all my friends. Happy New Year!
Blessings,
The Treasurista
Thank you for your kind words and enthusiasm! I appreciate it!
I always wanted to know what that fels-naptha stuff was. In the first few photos it looks like you’re making Velveeta dip!
It really does, doesn’t it?
Well, don’t eat it, but it will sure save you tons in the laundry room!
You have inspired not only myself, but the man of the house! Kudos! We both were amazed at how much money we were allowing to go down the drain, literally! Thank you for sharing. I’m sure we will be using this for years to come. : )
You’re so welcome, Tina! Thank you for your visit!
I just finished separating my first batch! Is it supposed to be pretty runny? Almost like the consistency of water? I was expecting something thicker. Just wanted to make sure I did it right! Thanks!
Yes, Stephanie, it’s pretty thin – sort of a slick liquid – thicker than water, though. Sounds like you did it just right! Be sure to give the bottle a good shake to make sure it is mixed well.
I love all of your suggestions – I’m and old lady and
I am going to give this a try and then pass along to
family members. Thank you all
Cosette, thank you so much for stopping by!
[...] the spirit of sharing, I also came across this recipe for laundry detergent from Busy-at-Home. It is so stinkin’ inexpensive, you won’t believe how much it costs to make. But first, [...]
As a college student, I will try anything if it’s going to save me money wherever possible – I can’t wait to try this! Thank you!
I was wondering though, if I were to add essential oils to the batch, is there any specific type you would recommend using? What about ratio?
Victoria, 3 or 4 drops of lavender essential oil would be AMAZING in this. Let me know how it turns out!
Have you had any trouble with it hardening on you? I had a friend who said hers hardened, but have other friends who have had no trouble. Thanks!
A great pre-treater is Blue Dawn dishwashing detergent. Gets out everything, and if you watch sales/coupons, you can get it for 25cents for a small bottle (lasts a year in my laundry room with 2 kids).
Ramie, I haven’t had any difficulty with that at all. Thanks for the tip about Dawn!
I am definitely going to try this out!! I love love love the Gain Apple Mango Tango, but alas, I am not made of money. Thanks for sharing!!
P.S. Mix one part Dawn Dish cleaning soap and one part hydro peroxide for a great stain treatment remedy. Not sure how well it works on mustard ( a dirty word in my house lol!) but it goes great with, barbeque, ketchup and even blood. Thanks again!
Renee, so glad you stopped by! Thanks for the awesome tip!
This actually was not safe for my HE washer, which I found out after a repair call. If this hardens on the cup you use to scoop it with, or wherever you happen to drop it, then it also hardens in the chute that your detergent goes through and will eventually make the water back-up and spray out of your detergent dispenser. I stopped using it at the advice of the repairman.
Kim, I wonder if your recipe is different? My detergent doesn’t harden. It is an extremely viscous (slick and almost slimy) liquid and stays that way, even if dripped down the sides of the container or onto the counter. However, the he detergent I purchased at the store, DOES harden if spilled or dribbled down the side of the bottle. That’s so sad about your washer.
I just realized you said you “scoop” yours which made me realize you must be using a powdered detergent. This recipe is for liquid.
Hi! Thank you so much for the recipe! I finally made mine and I did have a couple issues so I’m guessing I did something wrong.
After I let my soap sit over night, I was like one giant gelatinous glob! It was kind of hard to break it up well … even after squeezing it all up with my hands I still had mostly little globs. Is this normal? Is letting it sit over night to solidify an important part of the process or would it would if I added the water right after combing everything? Thanks!!
oops, *it was like one giant glob .. not “I” hahah
Heidi, you did it just right. One big gelatinous glob is how mine turns out, too. Then after adding the water, it is more like slippery liquid. You really need to shake the bottle well, in order to mix the water and soap thoroughly. It really does come together fairly easily, it just has to be mixed and shaking the bottle seems to be the simplest method. I’m not sure what would happen if you add the water right away. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works for you.
I did not realize that you were using “pour” containers and my detergent bottle i have saved to re-use is a spiggot bottle,so i am going to mix in….or try to mix in the other part water before hand. I noticed on another recipe…the big one…that she actually used an emmersion blender…i don’t have one of those so i will post back and let everyone know how i end up
It should work the same if I cut the recipe in half again so I’d only end up with one laundry soap bottle, right? I have a tiny laundry area (the corner of my bathroom), so even storing one extra bottle would get in the way.
Yes, I think it would work just fine.
[...] s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); After two and a half months making our own laundry detergent and loving the results, I’m moving full-steam ahead to find frugal substitutes for the other [...]
[...] There’s also a liquid recipe which I didn’t make because a) it took a whole lot more effort and b) it made five gallons at a time, and we don’t have any place to store five gallons of laundry detergent in our flat. But if you have some spare time and storage space, the liquid recipe is here. [...]
HI!
I just made my first batch. Couple of questions…
1.) After i let my batch sit over night in a bucket, it was not hard. Very slimy and clumpy. I didn’t have a lid for my bucket, so i used a large plate to cover it. Do you think this had something to do with it?
2.) I does not make any suds of any sort in the washer. I’m assuming this is normal too right?
3.) Do you have any tips for DIY fabric softeners?
Thanks for your post!!
Hi Gina, it sounds right, actually. It won’t be hard, just thickened – sort of like coagulated slime. That’s why you have to stir or shake it up thoroughly before dividing it and adding the water.
also, not seeing suds is normal. Especially if you have an he machine. You won’t to avoid suds as much as possible, which is why I love the Fels Naptha. Remember, manufacturers actually add a chemical to detergent to MAKE it suds up, because they think consumers won’t use something without them. They aren’t necessary for cleaning.
I’ve found a couple fabric softener recipes, but nothing I am jumping up and down about. I love the Wool Dryer Balls we reviewed in this post http://busy-at-home.com/blog/wool-dryer-balls-are-saving-me-big-money-in-the-laundry-room-save-10-on-your-own-enter-the-giveaway/ and that’s all I’m using in my own laundry.
Hi Gina and Glenda, first thank you Glenda for the laundry receipie. I have made it several times now and I love it. I make it in a large bucket and just make a small jug at one time. It does keep well in it’s gel form. As for a fabric softener I use 6 cups warm water, 3 cups vinegar and 2 cups of your favorite inexpensive hair conditioner. Mix well and you can add to rinse cycle of your wash or as I do, put some on a rag, rub well and through into your dryer. No static and clothes come out so soft and fluffy. I will never buy laundry soap or softener again. Love it. Hope this helps.
Kathy
Kathy, that’s awesome information! Thanks so much for your tips and I’m so glad to hear that the detergent is serving you well! I’m sure that your fabric softener formula is going to be a great help to many people!
[...] Pretty Handy Girl, I was led to a post about making liquid laundry detergent by Busy at [...]
[...] Pretty Handy Girl, I was led to a post about making liquid laundry detergent by Busy at [...]
[...] There are LOTS of recipes very similar to this one floating around the internet these days. I use this one mainly because it cuts the normal recipe in 4, and when the normal recipe makes 8 GALLONS of [...]
I have a question! I made this the other day. And have been waiting to use it. On a different blog the woman didn’t say anything about mixing with water after letting it sit over night.
Like you said fill two containers halfway with the soap mixture, and then the rest of the way with water. The other site didn’t say anything about that. So I’m curious if she just forgot to mention that step, or if it’s just a more concentrated version?
I’m really was planning on doing it the way you have outlined here, but like I said I was just curious.
Thanks.
Hi Melissa! I definitely do mix mine and have used it that way, with good results for months, now. I would assume if she is leaving hers as a concentrate, she would only need to use 1/8 rather than 1/4 cup. The problem I would have with that is that the concentrate when thoroughly stirred is sort of a chunky, thick goo. Mine thins out and is smooth to measure after it is mixed with the water.
Thank you for your quick reply! I’m gonna mix! Can’t wait to try it!
Like another commenter- mine never gelled up- after it sat for 24 hours it was still completely liquid (water consistency)- I went ahead and finished making it as detailed above and it seems to be cleaning the clothes fine, but I have wondered if it’s really doing the job. I have hard water and I wondered if that had anything to do with preventing it from gelling. I have also noticed after about 10 loads that I now have a filmy residue on the sides of the glass on my front loader- not the face where the clothes rub against it, but on the sides where the clothes don’t really touch.
Hmm…I’ve never had it not gel up, so I’m not quite sure what to think of it. Mine is beginning to gel about 1/2 an hour after it is mixed with the first batch of water and by morning it is thick gelatinous sludge. I’ve made three different batches, now, and the results have been the same, each time. I’ve also never had any residue experiences. I wonder if hard water really does make a difference? Though I’ve heard that in most instances, hard water cuts down on sudsing of any soap and you sometimes have to use more, I don’t know why it would keep something from gelling. I’m curious to know the answer if you figure it out. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been using a recipe almost exactly like this one for over 2 years, the ingredients are the same but the steps I take are different. I pour the borax and washing soda into my bucket, and then pour the boiling soapy water on that and mix it until it’s completely dissolved. Once you dissolve it you add ***COLD*** water, the cold water being added to the hot solution is what makes the borax and washing soda react and gel-ify.
It’s good to know that there are variations that work as well. It sounds like you boil water and add to soap and we boil soap and add to water. I’m guessing that they both gel up for the same reason — hot to cold combination. Thanks for sharing!
I use the same ingredients to make a dry detergent. 1 cup each of borax and washing soda to 1 bar Fels-Naptha. Grate the soap, add 1/2 cup each of the borax and washing soda and then spin it in the blender so the soap is pretty much powdered, then dump it all into a giant bowl, add the other dry ingredients and mix. You could store it in a glass jar. I use 1 tbsp max for a load, depending on load size and dirtiness I also use white vinegar in the downy ball as fabric softener.
Hi,
I am super excited to try this recipe out at home, however, does anybody knowthe equivalant to Fels-Naptha in Australia?
Could I use Sard Soap or just the Homebrand laudry soap bar?
Thanks
Emma, I’ve never used them, but after your question I checked around some blogs and it sounds like it would definitely work. Check this blog http://slowlivingessentials.blogspot.com/2011/11/homemade-laundry-liquid.html post. The author is from Australia, too!
Where do you find the Fels-Naptha? I’ve never seen it before? I can’t wait to try this!
Dawn, I buy it at Wal-Mart. It is on the very bottom shelf, under the bleach and whiteners. They have boxes of washing soda, Borax, and the Fels Naptha is right beside those. If nothing else, I have seen it on Amazon.
I am making this right now. I was a little worried at first because I wasn’t sure if I liked the sent of the fels-naptha but once it was mixed with the washing soda and Borax and diluted with water it smelled great. Also the Walmart in my area didn’t carry fels-naptha but I went to their web sight and they had a list of stores that do. I finally found it at a true-value hardware store. I can’t wait to wash my clothes with it!
Thanks
A great pre-treater for clothing is Dawn dish soap! Gets chapstick out after clothing has gone through dryer & everything!!! Great on kids clothes soiled w/ food & dirt too:)
I live in Canada and use the Sunlight bar soap, the washing soda is arm & hammer, I have to go to two different stores to find the ingredients but I find them.
I am really excited to try this recipe and I love that you did the math. “Nerds” are awesome.
My fiance and I are saving for our wedding so this’ll help a lot. Also, thanks to Tammy E for the coupon link.
I’ve been making my own laundry detergent for about 2 years, it’s very close to this recipe- however I use 1 bar of ivory soap, 1/2 cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda to 7 gallons of water, I washed out an old chlorine bucket I had laying around really well and I keep it in that, it worked out to be $7 for 45 GALLONS of finished detergent. Every time I do a load of laundry I just dip in an old cap I kept from a bottle of store bought laundry soap and pour it in the washing machine. I’ve always used ivory because I love love love the smell, it isn’t heavily perfumed so it doesn’t leave oils on my clothes, but it gives me enough scent that it makes me feel like I just washed them.
1. Can I store the mixture in the bucket that I mix in or does it have to be transferred in jugs?
2.Where can I find the essential oils? I can’t seem to find them anywhere. Either that or I’m just not looking hard enough.
Also I’ve read on some blogs that they’ve used extract. Is that weird?
[...] and has saved me A LOT of money! Sure, you’re asking yourself “Why make my own laundry detergent?” Is 97% savings enough reason? How about paying 201/4 cents for 75 load bottle? Now [...]
is this safe to use on baby clothing and flat cloth diapers? i’m expecting and this would be great, especially if i could use it for everything.
Shawnee, I, personally, have not used it that way, but if you read through the comments, here, there are several who have used if for diapers and baby clothes with no problems.
There is someone on ebay that sells all three of these for only $7, including shipinng!!!
Thanks for the heads-up, Isabel! That’s a great deal!
Thank you! This is fabulous! It washed dried mud out of my son’s shirt with no stain remover. I am quite impressed.
Yay! Terri, I’m glad you’re loving it! Thanks for stopping by!
I’m a stay-at-home dad always looking to save money and to live healthier. Thanks for the recipe. I made it for the first time today and I’m anxious to try it out.
I am wondering if anyone has had any type of allergic reaction to this? I am they only male in the household and we’re all a little sensitive. I’m going to try it out on socks and underwear tomorrow before I start using it full time.
When my grandmother lived on a farm she used to make her own detergent. When she moved into an apartment later in life she started buying the store brands. She always said that her clothes never got clean after she switched.
Thanks,
Daniel in Nashville
I hope it does great for you, Daniel. We use it for family from age 2 – 54 and everything in between. My husband has eczema and it does not irritate his skin. We have loved all the money we can save with it and it does a great job cleaning even work and play clothes. Thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful recipe for this!
Just wondering if anyone has experienced any fading more then conventional laundry detergent with this recipe? My husband is VERY picky about his clothes and I do not want to make up a big batch of this if it is going to fade his clothes faster then normal.
We’ve used it for months, now, Tamara and I don’t see a bit of difference between it and the commercial brands we used previously.
Would it be any different if you just skipped the last step of watering it down and used half as much detergent in each load or is it absolutely necessary to cut it in half with the water?
Emilie, someone above asked that, too. It is so thick and congealed, before adding the water, that I think it would be very difficult to pour and measure. I’ve never seen a response from above that anyone has tried it that way and been happy. I just don’t know what to tell you since I haven’t tried that and probably wouldn’t. Hopefully, you’ll have the space to just go ahead and dilute it.
Can it be used in “HE” washers?
Hi Dawn! Definitely you will have to make that decision on your own. I use it in my “HE” washer with no problems and if you read through the list of comments, above, so do many other people, but I’m certainly not a washing machine manufacturer or repairman. You should check with an expert whose opinion you are comfortable with. For me, I know that “he” machines need a much smaller amount of suds than regular detergent can provide. This homemade detergent is so incredibly low suds that I, personally, am completely comfortable using it in my machine.
I made this last night but it didnt gel or thicken…..any ideas?
I’m not sure Rebecca. I’ve never had that happen before. Did you heat the Fels Naptha in the water until it was 100% melted? If so, and all your measurements are right, I think I would give your bucket or container a very vigorous stirring to be sure all the other ingredients are fully incorporated and not just sitting on the bottom. Then let it sit overnight, again, and see if it gels. I’d appreciate if you let me know how it comes out. Sending good laundry thoughts your way!
Thanks for the recipe. I made it and melted the bar soap, added the other ingredients and the water. I let it set overnight and it is separated. I shook it, but it still separates. Any ideas how to blend it so that it doesn’t separate?
Hi Shelia! After it set overnight did you separate it into two containers and add the second batch of water? It will mix better then. Also, I give my jug a shake each time, before I pour it in my machine.
The same happened to me. I made mine last night & sure enough its still like water. I will try mixing again. I know I measured right. Did u get yours to gel up?
Be sure you’re not adding the second amount of water until AFTER the batch has set over night and gelled.
Its the washing soda that thickens it. I dissolved one cup washing soda in one cup hot water and added it. It was unreal thick in 4 hours.
I made the detergent and it came out perfect! I love it! My only question is this….can this be stored outside in the heat without it “spoiling”? I live in south Louisiana and my washer is outside. I don’t want the detergent to mold!!
Hi Tabitha! Wow, I don’t know what to tell you about that. Have you had other detergents get moldy? Since the only ingredients are soap and water, I’m not sure if mold could grow in it. You definitely have me curious, now, though.
If you figure this out, will you come back nd post an update for us, please?
Thanks for the speedy reply! I have never had any other detergents mold but I thought that may be b/c of all the additives in store bought detergents! I will store my extra bottle indoors for now and keep the one I’m using outside! If there is any sign of mold or any other problem caused by the heat I will be sure to come back and let you all know!! Thanks again
[...] for top loading washers. If you are looking for a recipe for front loading HE machines, check out this recipe. This blogger has actually quartered the “5-gallon-bucket” recipe so it’s quite [...]
OK, I was the one having really runny soap. Well after trial and error I discovered it is the washing soda that thickens it. I finally added one cup soda dissolved in one cup hot water to a double batch of laundry soap. poured it in and mixed, it thickened considerably immediately. and within four hours was as thick as kids gak or slime. So, if yours is to thin just add washing soda.
Yay! Rebecca, I’m so glad you figured it out! I wonder if hard or soft water would make a difference in the amount of washing soda you need to use?
Me and my husband have sensitive skin. Is this good for sensitive skin or does it need to be changed?
Michelle, I’m not a dermatologist, so I can’t say for sure. My husband has eczema and has suffered no ill effects from us using it. There are multiple commenters on this post who are using it to wash their baby clothes and cloth diapers. Since, it’s so inexpensive, my suggestion would be to give it a try and see if you like it.
This is really cool! I’ve always wanted to try and make my own household products, so I know exactly what’s in them. I have really sensitive skin, and at least when you’re making your own detergents and soaps you can control exactly what goes into it and hopefully isolate the irritants. great post! thanks for sharing!
Ok…just used it for the 1st time this morning. I’m hoping I did everything right. After letting it sit overnight, it was full of gel-like clumps, which made for a good time for my husband & I transferring it, we were laughing!! And when I used my 1/4 cup in the 1st load, it just drained right into the spot I put the detergent. I’m hoping that is normal…the store bought would kind of just sit there, it seemed thicker. My husband shook it for me, to mix it all up really good…I’m hoping that’s ok, maybe it will thicken more as it sits a little, since we just mixed it all up this morning too. Anyhow, I’m very excited to try it…going to give it a couple weeks or so & if I’m happy with it, I’m sharing it w/ all my friends & family who I know are trying to save $$ where they can as well!!! Thanks for all your help!! I love reading the comments too, good suggestions, and nice to see if there are others w/ similar questions!!
Thick gelled clumps is normal, Jaime. Once you mix them half & half and shake it up, it still won’t be as thick as commercial detergent, but it will work just as well. Sounds like you did everything correctly!
Well I did 2 loads with it, the 1st one I just folded after drying & honestly, my clothes feel softer than ever!! I have some fabric softener & softener pads I’m using up, I don’t plan on buying any more of those anymore either! But I always use those, the only thing different I did was the DIY detergent. So after just 1 load, I am impressed already!!
Excellent! I’m so excited for you. It will save a big chunk of your budget!
[...] it is due, I first became aware of this recipe over at Busy at Home. She has a great recipe for liquid laundry detergent. Someone commented on that post that it is easier to use the same ingredients to make dry powder. [...]
Ohhh i just lost a ton of neurons makIng this! Love the idea, but the execution didn’t go well. The melting soap stinks so bad, i got dizzy.. And it wasn’t exactly melting, more like softening into smth gooey.. It felt like forever ( i didn’t time it), and after what seemed like half an hour of stirring and breathing the stink the shavings still weren’t dissolved completely.. I got tired of it and just proceeded wit the recipe and of course there were clumps, borax and soda didnt dissolve good eiter.. Also, i wasn’t sure whether to use cold or hot water. Started with cold, but then decided on hot. Well will see what happens, it’s sitting covered in the pot now.
lol – I love the fresh, clean smell of Fels Naptha, Kristina. Sorry you seem to have a sensitivity. I’m guessing, because I don’t time it either, but I suppose it takes 7-10 minutes for mine to melt. I work with cold water, but I don’t know why warm would hurt anything. I use a wire whisk as I’m stirring and that seems to help the borax and washing soda dissolve more quickly. I just keep stirring until they do. After 24 hours, you should see a large mass of gelled soap in your pot. Again, use a wooden spoon or wire whisk to stir it very well. Once it is a uniform consistency, divide it and add the water to make your final laundry soap. Good luck!
[...] Make Your Own Laundry Detergent 15 Resources to Organize Your Home, Computer, Work, and Life 10 Things You Can Clean in the [...]
Hi, I too made this same recipe about 2 months ago and love it. The only thing I did differently was to use Dr. Bonner’s bar soap. Fels Napa has a lot of stuff in that I don’t want on my body. Dr. Bonners comes in scents, however, once you make the detergent, the scent doesn’t last. I too have an HE machine and have no problems so far.
Hi! Is this hypoallergenic? I have a lot of allergic reactions to laundry detergent and other items that come into contact with my skin. Just wondering before I try this.
Heather, I honestly have no idea. That means so many things to so many different people. If I were you I would research the individual ingredients, to be sure. I know people who use it on cloth diapers and baby clothes and my husband has eczema and we use it with no ill effects, but you will need to search out the individual ingredients for your own assurance that your particular skin condition won’t be irritated by it. Sorry I can’t be more help.
I tried it and the results were sub par. My complaint is that most people don’t have a concept of dirty clothes. I’m a terminal DIY guy and my stuff gets grimy and these soaps don’t seem to have the power to remove grease, and stains. Not sure what I should add to turbo charge this recipe? I added a little dawn and that helped but I need a better solution. my intuition seems to say there is not enough borax and washing soda and the the whole mixture is too dilute. which gets worse when the machine adds it’s own water??
Hi John! I’m not sure I can help you, but I’ll try. My husband is a machine operator at an auto parts manufacturing facility. He comes home every day head to toe covered in grease. I use GOOP hand cleaner or rub some of the Fels Naptha directly on the spot for tough stains. This detergent hasn’t let me down in the more than six months we’ve been using it. You could try increasing the Borax and washing soda, but I would be cautious. They can both be fairly harsh and might put some extra wear and tear on your clothes. If you do decide to try it, I would be curious to know your results.
The walmart by me put regular baking soda on the shelf in place of washing soda. Nice. Now in search of actual washing soda.
Oh! Frustrating! Sorry, you’re having trouble. Mine actually has baking soda and washing soda right next to each other, so I have to be very careful about what I’m picking up. Hope you find it soon!
Adding essential oils is a great idea… DoTerra’s lemon oil will even remove tough stains like coffee, wine, ketchup, mustard…etc. the list goes on! If u don’t have a doTerra rep near u please feel free to visit my site mydoterra.com/amandarhoades adding lemon oil @ $10 a bottle with 250 drops is pennies per use. U can add it to the whole mix for extra fresh sent or just a drop to a tsp. For spot treatment. Keep in mind essential oils are great for Ur health too… Find out how on my website. Thanks!
Thanks, Amanda! I didn’t know that about lemon oil. It’s good to know you have been using it so effectively.
Thanks, It won’t work the same with just any lemon oil though it has to be the certified pure therapeutic grade (cptg) that is only offered through DoTerra.
@ john… Try adding the lemon oil I mentioned above it will cut through the grease and gunk of everything I’ve tried so far… I even use it straight as my “goo gone” now plus I can add it to my drinking water to purify every glass and increase the alkaline levels in my body! And SO much more!