Making your own Homemade Laundry Detergent
I finally decided to try and make my own homemade laundry detergent using ingredients you can buy at your local supermarket. I was a little bit worried when I saw how many ingredients I needed to buy to make this, and wondered if this would really be cost effective or not. But after making this, doing the math and using it I can tell I will always be making and using my own homemade from now on. It’s a great way to save money!
Here are the cast of ingredients to make your own homemade laundry detergent:
1 Box of Super Washing Soda 3 lb. 7 oz. ($3.24)
1 Box of Borax 4 lbs 12 oz. size ($3.38)
1 Box of Pure Baking Soda 4 lb. ($2.12)
3 bars of Fels-Naptha 5.5 oz. or you could also use Ivory soap ($0.97 x3)
1 container of Oxy-Clean 1.3 lb ($3.86)
*optional: Purex Crystals 28 oz. for scent (or you could use Downy unstoppables ) ($5-$6)
All these ingredients cost a total of $20.27 out of my pocket (Walmart prices).
And that was without using coupons. If some coupons become available you will spend even less.
The first step is to grate your Fels-Naptha Bar. You can use a cheese grater to do this, but I used my food processor as it was a lot quicker. Using my food processor I first grated the bar like cheese, and then used the regular blade to grate down fine. You could use Ivory soap (just microwave it and it will foam where you can just crush it into a fine grade).
Next I grabbed one of my plastic tote bins and put a black garbage bag inside of it. Then I poured each one of the ingredients inside like so.
Mix all these ingredients up well. Possibly throw in some free child labor.
Then add it all to your container of choice.
There is quite a lot of this homemade laundry detergent. In fact it is 18 lbs. worth!
That is 18 lbs of Laundry Detergent!
You only need to use 1-2 tablespoons per load, and yes you can use it in your High Efficiency washing machines (that’s what I have been using). Some people worry that just 1-2 tablespoons is not enough, but this stuff is concentrated and works really well! I have been using it for months now. My daughter has really sensitive skin, and this has been wonderful for her since all the others out there have add-ins.
But is this cost effective?
So I did the math of course, to figure out how much per load this recipe makes. I am super excited about the results because it is as low as $0.04 per load which is a stock up price when it comes to laundry detergent and using coupons. But watch for coupons on these items to even make the cost lower.
By Comparison –
Ultra Tide powder 143 oz. box, 8.9 lbs. = $17.97 at Walmart ($0.12 per load)
This Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe makes 18 lbs (or 288 oz.) and costs $20.27. 1 lb of this is about 28 tablespoons. 18 lbs equals 504 loads @ 1 tbsp per load. Final price is just $0.04 per load!
So $0.04 per load homemade versus $0.12 per load (Tide).
So even the largest box of Tide detergent at Walmart which has 102 loads won’t last as long as this homemade stuff. And you can save so much money by making this yourself. Give it a try, you won’t be sorry…I promise!
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 1 box Super Washing Soda 3.7 lb
- 1 box Borax 4 lb 12 oz. size
- 1 box Pure Baking Soda 4 lbs
- 3 5.5 oz bars of Fels-Naptha
- 1 container Oxy-Clean 1.3 lb
- 1 28 oz *optional: Purex Crystals for scent or you could use Downy un-stoppables
Instructions
- Finely grate the Fels-Naptha. Mix all the ingredients together and store in container of your choice. Use only 1-2 Tablespoons of detergent per load.
Homemade Laundry Detergent – costs $20.27 to make – can last a whole year or even longer (504 loads)
Updating this post: this recipe has lasted 10 months for my family of 6!! Plus I wanted to share this awesome comment posted from Nick (thanks for your service Nick!):
I think that is the best comment ever!
OTHER GREAT DIY CLEANING RECIPES
- Best EVER Homemade Carpet Cleaning Solution
- All Natural Carpet Cleaning Solution Using Vinegar
- DIY Carpet Cleaner Powder Dry Shampoo
- Homemade Armor All Car Cleaning Spray
- DIY Liquid Hand Soap recipe
- Make Your Own Swiffer Wet Pads
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Heather says
Karrie…Hi. This is on my task list for next week, but I have a dumb question…Did you use just 1.3lbs of the Oxyclean or did you use 3lbs for your mix? I bought two 3lbs. tubs, but just reviewed your recipe again and am confused? (Plus, your tub in your photo looks a lot bigger than mine…) Help 🙂
Karrie says
I used around 1.3 sized (my tub was bigger but had already been used so there was only about half left in there.)
Heather says
Thank you for the reply! Copy I will use about half of my 3lb-er! (I have enough for 3 batches for years to come! LOL!) Going to grab my grater right now and begin! Have a wonderful week! Thanks again!
Heather says
My daughter made homemade detergent at church about a month ago. I honestly just put it aside and never thought about it again. Well this past week money became very very tight and with 5 people in my family we ran out of detergent. I didn’t say anything to the family cause they think Tide is the ONLY way to go, but on 5 loads everything form towels, to delicate, to sports attire I used the homemade soap. Well tonight at the dinner table I asked if anyone had noticed there clothes smelling or feeling any different…..everyone said no!!! I explained to them what I had done and to my surprise they all are EXCITED about making our own detergent!!!! I can not wait till payday :))
Heather
Karrie says
That is awesome Heather!! My family also loves it, and it works really well. So glad you are enjoying it and saving money.
Robin DeMaio says
I just finished making my girt homemade detergent.
My 1st load is washing. I’m so excited to see the out come.
I was wondering if it would make a difference if I added the remainder of the
Oxyclean in the mixture?
Karrie says
I would say go for it! Either that or save the oxy for another really bad stain someday.
K.s. Pierce says
I like the homemade soap without any additives. I keep the oxy, chlorine bleach, etc. in the laundry room and add it when needed. You are not supposed to mix oxy and chlorine bleach. Just gives me more choices to use it if I keep it “plain” with just the bar soap, borax and washing soda. I’ve been using this now for over two years. Newer front load HE washer. I have used Fels Naphtha, the pink Mexican laundry bar soap, Kirk’s Castelle and Ivory to make it. I’ve not noticed any difference in the cleaning power with just using different bar soap. Just take notice of the weight of the different bar soaps you use and get as close to the original product called for in the recipe’s weight. I used Ivory this last time because I found it on sale. Also found both the Borax and the Washing Soda on sale. It was a total price of $10 for 21 pounds of the dry laundry detergent. I generally use two tablespoons per load, but I do very full loads the majority of the time. I have always done a quick pretreat of any stains before tossing the clothes into the washer. Someone who’s better at math than I am can calculate what the cost per load will be this time. When I first began making it two years ago, my first batch cost about $20. So you can find the products on sale and save even more. I just pick them up when I either find a coupon or see them on sale and store them until I need to make more. That’s usually between six months and a year. Probably if I would stop giving away samples to friends, it would be closer to a year. I usually do between 15-20 loads of laundry per week, so we have lots of laundry. For the ladies with septic tanks, flush one or two yeast packets down your commode once a month and you shouldn’t have septic problems. It’s usually lack of the necessary bacteria and enzymes in the septic system that causes the problem. I would never go back to commercial laundry detergent. The combination of using this recipe with a second rinse and switching the soap we use to bath with to Kirk’s Castille has cleared up all the allergic skin reactions (eczema, diaper rash, allergic dermatitis and dry skin itch) that my family suffered from prior. I usually use plain white vinegar for the rinse. We’ve had no washer repairs, no plumbing repairs and lots of clean good smelling laundry. I’m not certain what products others were using or how many loads of laundry they averaged, but using this saves us three to five hundred dollars per year (depends on whether I can find the ingredients on sale or not) Our Christmases are full of more gifts now and our chargecards are almost paid down.
Cat says
Being single, it sounds like a lot of laundry soap! Think I will be having a soap making party with some of my other single friends!
Robin Marceau says
Can’t wait till payday to try this.Amazing idea!Thank you for sharing!
Stephanie Jones says
Made a batch of this soap today and i used it on one load and it seems to work very well and i didnt add the purex so it just smells like clean laundry (which i like). The only complaint that i have is that the soap smells SO strong….i have had a headache for hours now from it….may have to try something different next time. Anyone know of any similar soap that is fragrance free or a VERY lite smell?
Karrie says
I know that the day I make it my whole house smells like laundry soap from all the mixing and such, and yes it can be strong smells that day. But after that I don’t notice it anymore.
Hazel says
I use Kirk’s Natural soap. It’s not too bad, even when I’m running it through the food processor to grate it. I make the liquid version and there is almost no scent once it cools. I’ve also heard of people using Dr. Bronner’s Soaps (not the liquid ones, the bar ones) if you can tolerate those scents.
Tanya says
You can call and get coupons every 6 months sent to you for Borax and Fels-Naptha. The number is 1-888-468-6673. They aren’t very high value coupons but its totally worth it since it just takes a phone call. I found this out from another blog that had a homemade detergent recipe.
Karrie says
Sweet!!! Off to do that now. Thanks Tanya!
Stephanie Jones says
I have a question. I am going to be making my own as soon as what i have runs out and i was wondering which is better, the liquid or the powder? I would much rather use the powder b/c its less steps and less storage space BUT i have seen on many recipes where hot water is needed to liquefy the soap and i run 99% of my laundry on cold wash….does the powder that you make work the same on cold wash or will it have to be run on hot?
Thanks so much, i am SUPER excited to try your recipe 🙂
Karrie says
I have used this powder on cold water and I have NEVER gotten white residue or anything left over. I have also heard that the liquid versions do not work as well, but I have never tried them (too many more steps).
Stephanie Jones says
Im right there with you on the to many steps for the liquid…plus that makes a LOT to store so i would have to do a smaller batch…at least with the powder i can put it all in a tupperware container. lol
Vickie says
One of the other ladies was saying to just mix the powder with a cup of hot water & give it a little stir before you put it in the washer. Then add your clothes and wash on cold water cycle.
Nick says
So, just out of curiosity, I wanted to see how easy it was to make my own laundry soap. Keep in mind, I’m 23 and am in the military. So my uniform is always SUPER stained with oil, dirt and grease from different aircraft. I also love the out doors and consider myself a “Manly Man.” So for me to make my own laundry soap, I feel like I’m stepping out of my “manly zone.” But right now, I followed your steps. Everything cost me around 22 bucks at walmart and I just finished my first load. My uniforms are looking great!! I’ve tried numerous types of soap but none have compared. So happy for your insight on this. Definatly going to spread the word. 😀
Karrie says
Awesome, thanks Nick! So glad to hear your experience with this recipe. It works so great for me and my messy kids too, and if you are single and on your own that big box of laundry soap you just made should last you like 2-3 years!!! I have a family of 6 and it has taken us about 10 months to use up that $20 worth of mix.
Barb says
I just started making my own soap and I love it ! I am always looking for way to save money for us.
I need help finding out how to make hand soap and dishdetergent and fab softner. I also heard you can make your own toothpast? Any help you can provode would be helpful.
Looking forward to hereing more things about home made items.
Thanks Barb
Vickie says
For toothpaste just mix some coconut oil in the solid state with baking soda. Make a paste consistency. Add a couple drops of peppermint essential oil to the mix. Just put in a small container with a lid. Whitens teeth better than whitening toothpaste without the other questionable ingredients they put in there.
Donna says
I read on one site that I could use Irish Spring soap, but I only saw it on one site. Have you heard of anyone using it successfully?
Karrie says
No, I haven’t used Irish Spring, but I do love the scent from it. I would assume that if you can use Ivory or Fels Naptha you could also try Irish Spring? Not really sure, but if you try it come back here and let us know how it works.
Lynn says
Irish Spring tends to cause allergic reactions, in my experience. Would stay with mild and simple if I were you.
Regina says
An easy way to grate the fels naphtha is to cut it into about 8 pieces and place on a dinner plate in a circle. Microwave for 3 minutes. it is quite a site, it bubbles up and looks like bread or cheese. Let it cool and then place it in a Baggie and squeeze it to break it up while you watch TV. It breaks up to a corn Meal consistency. Great for dry or liquid versions
Laura says
Watch out using a glass dinner plate.I microwaved my fels on one and right before it was done the plate popped and broke,so be careful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karrie says
Yikes Laura…that would not be fun.
Joyce says
How do I find out if I can use the home made powdered laundry detergent with a septic system?
Charlotte says
We used a very similar recipe to this one without issue for 6 months, after which we had our septic pumped as we were having issues with the washer draining. While we were having the guy pump it out, he noted there was a “heavy build-up of powder-style laundry detergent gumming up the bottom of the septic tank”. After we had the septic pumped, the drainage issues went away. Just a cautionary tale for you.
I know what my city-water-and-sewer friends are getting for Christmas this year (in a extra large colored mason jar with a bow)!
Lara says
I lived in a home WAY out in the country for most of my life. Our washing machine water did not go into the septic system, it went down a pipe off the side of the hill. Washing machine water should not go into the septic tank. It is notorious for causing problems.
Lisa says
Looking for ways to save money . Searched for recipes for laundry soap and saw yours. Just made a batch this morning and its was so easy. The time invested ( which is not much) is definitely worth it for the savings. I have done three loads so far and am quite happy. I have a front loader and I took the little doodad for liquid or dry soap out of my washer and there is no soap left in my dispenser. I use vinegar and baking soda for fabric softener,which I also like. For 5 to 10 cents a load,when all is said and done, I will definitely continue to make my own. Thanks for the recipe!
Karrie says
You are so welcome! Glad you love it too.
AppyHorsey says
How do you use Vinegar & Baking Soda for fabric softener? Do you put them BOTH in the little cup for softener? Together? Or just one or the other?
Thanks.
AppyHorsey
Nicki says
Even though you may be able to find A & H or Purex for the same price, I love knowing I’m impacting the enviroment less and putting less chemicals on my kids & I…and its better for my septic =))
Karrie says
I feel the exact same way.
Charlotte says
Nicki, I would have to disagree.
We used a very similar recipe to this one without issue for 6 months, after which we had our septic pumped as we were having issues with the washer draining. While we were having the guy pump it out, he noted there was a “heavy build-up of powder-style laundry detergent gumming up the bottom of the septic tank”. After we had the septic pumped, the drainage issues went away. Just a cautionary tale for those living out in the country.
I know what my city-water-and-sewer friends are getting for Christmas this year (in a extra large colored mason jar with a bow)!
Mechelle says
Charlotte, you could just add to a cup of really hot water. would really only take a second longer to do ! Then no build up in the septic 🙂
Ashley P. says
I found this just a couple days ago. After reading a bunch of comments and how to make it I went out to walmart bought everything and made me a batch. Since making it I have done about 3 loads of laundry and LOVE this recipe. My clothes are coming out spelling great and looking cleaner than the store bought stuff I have bought for the last many years. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Karrie says
You are so welcome, so glad you like it too!!
Stacey crum says
I love this recipe. Thank you for sharing it! It was so easy to make too. I was skeptical of making my own soap but was very impressed with the outcome. Since this recipe is for HE washers do you know how much to use for a normal washer? I shared the recipe with my friends and family and that was one of the questions that was asked. Thanks again!
Karrie says
I think the same amount applies, you don’t need much for this recipe. 1-2 tablespoons only.
Cheryl Moyer says
Hi~ Love the idea of making your own lip balm ~ especially BURT’S BEES 🙂
Vickie says
Burts’ Bees sold out to one of the mega companies. If you have always loved Burt’s Bees products, keep a lookout for changes in the ingredients.
Philomena says
I’ve seen the recipe you’ve used but with only the Borax, Washing soda, and Soap.. just the 3 ingredients.. I can imagine the extra benefit of the OxiClean.. but does the added Baking Soda do much for it or is it just filler? I imagine leaving out the Baking Soda and Oxi would make it a lot more concentrated.. this is my first time so i’m just trying to figure out the proportions of what to do first.
Philomena says
i mean more concentrated in that if we still used the recommended dose per wash we may be getting too much of the Borax and Washing Soda..
Karrie says
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, maintains pH balances, and neutralizes acids and bases so it works really well in washing clothes. The Oxi is for stain removal mostly. You can definately try it out using just the 3 ingredients and see how it washes your clothes. In the olden days they used a bar of soap only, so I feel like this is a step up from that. 😉
Wendy says
I have been using the the recipe with just the 3 ingredients for over a year now and it works great. My only wish was for a scent when the laundry was done, I can’t wait to add the scent beads to it.
Trish says
I use 1 bar Fels-Naptha, 1 cup Borax, and 1 cup Washing Soda. Use 2 tsp per load, makes about 75 loads and it cleans really well.
Debbie says
Did you ever get the recipe for dishwashing soap? I would love to make that. I recently lost my job and my pay and hours have been cut in half. I am looking for any all ways to save money.
Karrie says
I haven’t made it yet, but I will soon! Thanks…
Ashleigh says
I made this today! I love it, it smells so FRESH!!! I had no problem with it in my HE washer! Thanks for the recipe. Have you tried making any other soaps or household products?
Karrie says
My other recipes are coming soon, stay tuned!