When I first started on my homemaking and homesteading journey I wanted to save money and make as much as possible from scratch. I had no prior experience with making homemade laundry detergent but had made various bar soaps. So, I figured that making my own detergent wouldn’t be very difficult. It turned out that it is very easy.
At that point I was making my detergent in bulk. I used a 5-gallon bucket since I would be keeping it in my basement where I did laundry. Now, I have a small laundry area in a closet on the main floor of my home. So, I needed to scale down my laundry detergent, however, I will give you both methods here, as well as a powder version of this laundry detergent.
Pros of Using Homemade Laundry Detergent
- Bulk homemade laundry detergent that will last you for months and at a fraction of the cost of store bought.
- Septic safe
- Natural ingredients
- Very cheap to make
- Safe to use with HE machines
Ingredients:
Fels-Naptha Soap: This is a stain remover.
Borax: This is sodium borate. This works by softening hard water. Hard water results in less effective detergent which means dull looking clothing. Adding borax allows the laundry detergent to work more effectively, removing stains and neutralizes odors.
Washing soda: This is sodium carbonate. This also softens hard water making your detergent more effective at removing stains, making your laundry brighter.
Why Make Homemade Laundry Detergent?
The cost of conventional laundry detergent can truly add up. You shell out $15-$20 for a large bottle, only to find it empties after a mere 50-70 washes. What’s worse? Many are packed with harsh chemicals and questionable additives. Fortunately, there’s a powerful alternative. Making your own homemade laundry detergent transforms a modest initial investment into a massive yield, offering a safer, more economical way to tackle laundry day
Break Down of Ingredient Cost
- A bar of Fels-Naptha soap costs around $1-$2.
- A box of Borax is typically $5-$8.
- A box of Washing Soda is also in the $5-$8 range.
From these few dollars, you can make enough detergent to last months, sometimes even a year or more, depending on your laundry habits. Just imagine cutting your annual laundry supply budget by 70-90%! This adds up to significant savings that can be redirected to other family needs or savings goals.
It’s a simple calculation: You buy the ingredients once every few months or a year, rather than a new bottle every few weeks.
Powdered Homemade Laundry Detergent
Materials needed:
- Airtight container to store it in
- Grater or food processor with grater attachment
- Measuring cups
- Mixing spoon or close the lid and shake to incorporate ingredients
- Gloves (optional)
- Dust mask (optional)
Ingredients:
- Fels-Naptha Soap (usually found in the laundry isle)
- Super Washing Soda
- Baking Soda
- Borax
Powdered Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by grating the entire bar of Fels-Naptha with a cheese grater, or by using your food processors grating attachment. If you use the food processor, I advise cutting the soap bar into a few smaller chunks so it is easy to drop them through the feed tube. The goal is to have fine flakes that easily disolve. Finally, put this into your mixing bowl or your airtight container.
- Next, add in 1 cup of Super Washing Soda to the Fels-Naptha flakes and give it a quick shake or mix it with a spoon.
- Add 1 cup of Baking Soda and 1 cup of Borax to your mix and either put the lid on and shake or mix with your spoon.
- Add in 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil or leave it as is.
- If you used a mixing bowl, scoop the laundry powder into your airtight container.It would be helpful to label this and add instructions as a helpful reference.
- Regular size load: 1-2 TBS of the powdered laundry detergent
- Large or heavily soiled load: Increase to 3-4 TBS of the powdered laundry detergent
- HE & Front load washers: This is very low-sudsing making it safe for HE and front load washing machines. Because HE washing machines use less water, you could even go down to 1-2 TBS for a regular load.
- Depending on your washing machine, you could sprinkle it at the bottom of the drum then add your clothing. this will help the laundry detergent to dissolve.You could add it directly to the powder detergent section of your washing machine. Don't add it to the liquid detergent section.If you use cold water to run your wash, you could dissolve this first into a cup of water, then add it to the drum before adding your clothing.
Liquid Homemade Laundry Detergent (5-gallons)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by grating your bar of Fels-Naptha directly into your 5-gallon bucket or grate it with your food processor. Then, put it into the bucket.
- Add one gallon of hot water to the bucket to dissolve the soap. Once it is dissolved add one more gallon of hot water. make sure most if not all of the soap shavings are dissolved. this is a total of 2 gallons of water. Note: You can also melt the soap over the stove. Put the grated soap into a pot with 1 qt. of water. Boil this until all of the soap flakes have been dissolved. Be careful that it doesn't boil over and keep mixing. Adjust the water amount if you do it with this method.
- Next, add 1 cup of Super Washing Soda to the mixture and give it another mix dissolving it into the soap mixture.
- Add in 1 cup of Borax to the soap and washing side and combine evenly.
- Then, add 2 more gallons of hot water and stir again until everything has mixed together evenly
- Add in 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil and mix thoroughly
- Finally, add in one last gallon of water and mix again.
- After 24 hours you can now fill your gallon jug or dispenser halfway with detergent. Fill it the rest of the way with warm water and shake it to mix evenly.
- Small loads: 1/4 to 1/2 cupMedium loads: 1/2 to 3/4 cupLarge loads: 3/4 to 1 cup
Space Saving Method
If you don’t have the space to store a 5-gallon bucket, you can make this in a smaller quantity.
Calculations
To break this down even further, we need to do some math. Don’t worry it’s all done for you, but I will let you know how I got this formula.
For your smaller 5-gallon batch, you’ll need to use 1/5th of the original amounts for each ingredient. Since we’re dealing with smaller quantities that won’t easily fit into a cup, it’s best to measure in tablespoons.
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup.
1/5 * 16 = 3.2 TBS ( 1/5 gallon = 1 gallon * 16 TBS in one cup)
So, you will need 3.2 TBS. of both Super Washing Soda and Borax. To make things easier I just use 4.
5 gallons with 1 bar of soap just equals 1/5 of a bar of soap. Easy!
Using 2 qt. of very hot water-dissolve your soap or melt it down on your stove top. Then, add in your 4 TBS. of both washing soda, and Borax. Mix this to combine then add the other 2 qt. of hot water. Add in your essential oils. You will need 4-5 per gallon.
1 Gallon Concentrated/Final Dilution Homemade Laundry Detergent
When I moved, my laundry room downsized to a small hallway closet. I no longer had room to store a 5-gallon bucket. So, I broke down the formula by 1/5, and created a concentrated version for 1 gallon, or a diluted version for 2 gallons. With the concentrated version, all you have to do is dilute using a 1:1 ratio of laundry detergent and water. You can try these glass gallon jars.
Directions:
Step 1: Shave down 1/5 of a bar of your Fels-Naptha and add it to your gallon jug or a large bowl for mixing. I use a wide mouth jug and was able to mix just fine.
Step 2: Pour 1 qt. of very hot water to your Fels-Naptha and stir until it is mostly dissolved.
Step 3: Add 5 drops of your choice of essential oils, and stir.
Step 4: Then, add in another qt. of very hot water to this mixture and stir.
Step 5: To this add 4 TBS Super Washing Soda and 4 TBS of Borax and mix until it is completely dissolved. (You can also add this directly to the quart of hot water and dissolve first)
Step 6: Add in the last 2 qt. of very hot water to your one-gallon jug and mix thoroughly.
Step 7: Once it has dissolved, you can do one of two things.
- Put a lid on your jug/jar and let it sit over night for 24 hours.
- You can dilute it now. (The easiest method).
Diluted Homemade Laundry Detergent Method: Yields 2 gallons
To dilute your concentrated laundry detergent, you will need to fill another gallon jar halfway with your concentrated laundry soap. I use a canning funnel to prevent a mess.
Step 8: Fill each jar the rest of the way with very hot water and stir to combine.
Step 9: Let it sit for 24 hours. After the 24 hours you will notice that it has separated water from gel. This is completely normal, just give it a good shake before each use.
1 Gallon of Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by grating 1/5 of your Fels-Naptha bar soap into your jug or a large bowl
- Using very hot water, add 1 QT. to the soap mixture to dissolve it. mixing until it is completely dissolved. Note: You can also do this on the stovetop on a medium heat. continuously mix until all of the grated soap flakes are dissolved.
- I like to add my essential oil at this point. Add in 5 drops of your choice of essential oil.
- Next add 2 QT. of very hot water to this mixture and stir. This will bring the heat temperature back up. Or continue on the stove top turning your burner to a low heat.
- Add the remaining QT. of hot water and stir.
- This is concentrated. So, you can dilute this now or wait till you do laundry.If you want to dilute it now, simply take another gallon jug and pour half of the laundry soap into it. Fill each the rest of the way with hot water and stir. This method will yield two gallons.
- If you want to dilute it the day you are doing laundry, then you will need to useCONSENTRATED: Dilute the day of by using half the amount below, or add directly to your washing machineConcentrated Version:Small loads: 1/8 cup to 1/4 cupMedium load: 1/4 cup to (3/8 or 6 TBS.)Large loads: (3/8 cup or 6 TBS.) to 1/2 cupAdd these to equal amounts of water and mix or just add it to your wash as you normally would.
- Diluted version:Small loads: 1/4 to 1/2 cupMedium loads: 1/2 to 3/4 cupLarge loads: 3/4 to 1 cup
Q & A
Is it okay to dilute my laundry soap before it gels?
Absolutely! Diluting your laundry soap before it gels is actually much easier. Here’s why: prior to gelling, your soap is very thin, which makes mixing in the rest of the water easier. Once it turns into a gel, it becomes much thicker—some of mine has been thicker than pudding at times—making that water incorporation a much bigger mixing job.
How long will it last?
This homemade laundry soap is viable for about one year. If you ever open your container and it’s dried out or smells off, it’s likely time for a new batch. Personally, mine has never gone bad, and I always manage to use it up before it dries. Should you notice it becoming too thick after shaking, just add a little hot water and mix well.
Will this laundry detergent freeze?
Yes, your homemade laundry soap will freeze in cold weather. So, don’t store it outside or in a vehicle when temperatures drop. Always keep it indoors where it won’t fall below freezing. I’ve even had mine in an unheated basement during winter with no issues – my pipes froze near the wall, but my detergent was perfectly fine!
Can I use a drink dispenser for my laundry detergent?
Yes, you can use a drink dispenser for your laundry soap! However, I don’t recommend plastic. Opt for a sturdy glass one with a very good seal around the spigot/gasket. Also, place something under the nozzle the first time you try it, just in case it leaks. Full disclosure: I haven’t personally tried this method. If you do, please let me know how it works out!
Check Out These Other Homemade Cleaners
I hope you enjoy making your own homemade laundry detergent, and I hope it encourages you to explore other homemade cleaners that are easy to make. Check out these posts for more ideas.
The Benefits of Lavender (Free Recipes and more!)
How to Make Powerful Disinfecting Cleaner
How to Make The Best All-Purpose Cleaner
