How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
If you’ve got a knack for DIY projects and enjoy finding new uses for household products, you might be interested in making your own laundry detergent. While the idea of saving a few bucks and making your own laundry detergent might sound attractive, you might also be wondering what the process is like and just how effective homemade laundry detergent really is. If you’re curious about DIY laundry detergent and are dying to learn more, read on!
Before laundry detergent was commercially available, everyone made their own. Hard to believe there was a time before being able to get whatever you need at Target and Amazon, right? As supermarkets began to stock laundry detergent, DIY’ing fell out of fashion as most people chose the convenience of premade laundry detergent as opposed to the cost savings of making their own.
Today, families across the country are discovering just how much money they can save and just how much control they have over the ingredients they include in their homemade laundry soap. DIY’ing is coming back into favor.
To start, you’ll want to gather your ingredients. For this recipe you’ll need:
● 1-2 cups of Washing Soda (click here to see how you can turn baking soda into washing soda, as they are two different chemical compounds)
● 1-2 cups of Borax
● 1-2 bars of soap (preferably natural and unscented) or liquid soap if you want a more liquid formula
Next, you’ll need to grate the bar soap (or grind it using a food processor) until it is very finely ground. In a large mixing bowl or bucket, mix together one-part grated soap with two-parts Borax and two-parts washing soda. Often this comes out to about one bar of grated soap, one cup of borax and one cup of washing soap.
Finally, you’ll want to transfer your mixture to a closed container. You can use something as small as a mason jar or as large as a resealable bucket.
The last step of the process is using your homemade laundry detergent! When you use your laundry detergent, you’ll use it just as you would with any other detergent. Aim for about two tablespoons per regular-sized load of laundry, with a bit more for a large load. Remember, you’ll want to avoid over-doing it with laundry detergent to avoid any residue and unwanted odors.
As you get more experienced making your laundry detergent you can experiment with slightly different formulas and with adding scents to your mix. Lemon, orange, and eucalyptus essential oils all make for a clean, fresh scent. In time you’ll likely wonder why you ever bought laundry detergent in the first place!
