Homemade Laundry Detergent

I'm sure, by now, you've heard that LOTS of people are making their own laundry detergent. With the way prices are increasing every day, people are trying everything they can think of to save themselves some money.

I made my own laundry detergent YEARS ago, but got away from it when my life got in the way. I started making it again a little over a year ago, and I can tell you I am never going back. It is easy to make and ridiculously cheap. There are tons of different recipes out there, and honestly, there really isn't a "wrong" way to do it. Everyone likes their detergent differently, and over time you will learn which way you prefer it.

I'm going to "show" you how to make liquid detergent, and tell you how to make the powder. I use both. If I'm honest, I prefer the powder, but the liquid is cheaper. They both work just as well, though.

You will need the following things to make your detergent:
Fels Naptha bar soap
Borax
Super WASHING soda (NOT baking soda)
OxyClean (or generic version of)
A grater or food processor
5 gallon bucket (if making the liquid)
Water (if making the liquid)

Liquid:
First thing you want to do is grate of the Fels Naptha. For MY liquid detergent I use 2 bars. (Many recipes call for only 1 bar of soap and 1 cup of everything else. But this makes it too much of a liquid for me. I like there to be a thickness to it, so I double it. This is just my personal preference. To save money, half all of my ingredients, except water. It will still clean your clothes well.) Put into a pot and fill it up to just above the soap. Put it on medium heat, and stir until melted. This does take a little bit of patience.

In the 5 gallon bucket, add your dry ingredients. 2 cups borax, 2 cups super washing soda and 2 cups of OxyClean. (The OxyClean isn't needed. I add it, because I like the thought of the extra "boost" but skip it if you want to.) Add the soap to it, and fill the bucket HALF WAY full with HOT water.

Mix until dissolved. (I like to use the handle to the swiffer duster thing. It's plenty long enough and I think it stirs it really well, with the "forked" end.) Fill the bucket the rest of the way with water. Let sit for 24 hours.

VERY IMORTANT: Don't actually fill the bucket ALL THE WAY to the top. It needs some room to expand. Also, DON'T put the lid on tight until the liquid is cooled.

Oops.... ;)

After it has sat for 24 hours. Stir again. I then use a measuring cup with a pouring lip to fill up empty laundry detergent containers. Note, the picture below looks extra lumpy, but that's just because it was the very top of the bucket. When mixed it doesn't look like that.

Don't fill these all the way to the top either. If you're like me, and use double ingredients, it will be a little lumpy. It's really no big deal, but I like to shake the detergent bottle, before pouring it out, to break up some of the lumps.

I use the lid to the laundry detergent container to measure it out. And, before anyone asks, YES, this will work great in your HE washer. It is not a sudsing detergent, so you don't have to worry about that.

Powder:

To make the powder detergent, It's the exact same ingredients, you just mix it all together, and don't add any water. So 2 bars soap, finely grated; 2 cups borax; 2 cups super washing soda; 2 cups Oxy. Use 1 tablespoon per load for HE machines and 2 tablespoons per load for regular washing machines.

I do want to also add that other types of soap can be used. Ivory is a good substitute. I have not tried it in the liquid detergent, but I do half Ivory and half Fels Naptha in my powder detergent. (Cause I got if for free couponing.) The rule is this, it CANNOT be a "beauty bar" type detergent. So, nothing like Dove or Caress. But if it were up to me, I'd just stick with the Fels Naptha. Google it. It's some GREAT stuff. :)

Cost: This whole 5 gallon bucket full of detergent cost me less than $5 to make. Score.