Regular readers of this blog will know that I’ve been sharing recipes for years and years now. For some time I have been making my own laundry detergent. I wanted to share this recipe today because it works very, very well and saves our household a tremendous amount of money every year.
Ingredients for Laundry Powder:
3 (5.5 oz) bars Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar – 3 x $0.97 = $2.91 *
1 (65 oz) box Borax Detergent Booster – $4.47
1 (55 oz) box A&H Super Washing Soda – $4.12
2 (8 oz) boxes A&H Baking Soda – 2 x $0.67 = $1.34 **
2 (3 lb) boxes OxiClean Free (No Dyes or Perfumes) – 2 x $6.72 = $13.44 ***
1 (21 oz) bottles Purex Crystals Fragrance Booster (Optional) – $3.97 ****
Total: $30.25 (6 to 8 months supply)
Notes:
* Zote laundry bar or Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castille can be substituted quite easily
** Original recipe was 2 cups 2 x 8oz is close enough
*** Quite often we will use Dollar Tree’s LA’s Totally Awesome
**** Optional but sometimes my shirts smell a little funny without the fragrance
Step 1 – Make Powdered Detergent
First, you’ll break down the bars of Fels-Naptha into fine pellets of laundry soap. The pieces need to be small enough that they will dissolve readily in your washing machine.
I like to do this by chopping the Fels-Naptha bars into big chunks, then blending them in my Blendtec along with a scoop of OxiClean. (The OxiClean just helps keep the laundry soap pieces from sticking to each other too much.)
If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you can use your food processor or even a cheese grater to break up the soap. (Grating soap by hand is quite the workout, but it gets the job done!) Recently I have been buying Zote Soap Flakes to make assembly easier. (17.6oz – $3.00)
Step 2 – Mix The Ingredients
Next, you’ll combine all the detergent ingredients. In my experience, the easiest way to do this is to use a couple of trash bags!
Pour the laundry soap pellets, borax, washing soda, baking soda, OxiClean, and Purex Crystals (if using) into one trash bag.
Tie the trash bag shut, then place the tied bag into another trash bag. Tie off the second bag, then push, tumble, and roll the bags around for a few minutes to mix all the ingredients.
Step 3 – Transfer To A Container
When you’re done mixing, just cut a hole in the corner of both bags and pour the detergent into a big jar or container for storage.
If you live in a humid area, make sure to choose an airtight container so that your detergent stays dry! You can also toss a few silica gel packets into the detergent to help absorb any moisture.
How Much Detergent Should I Use?
For a standard wash load, use 2 tablespoons of homemade laundry detergent.
For large or heavily soiled loads, use 2 1/2 tablespoons.
For small loads, use 1 1/2 tablespoons.
This detergent works perfectly in any washing machine, including high-efficiency machines! (Bonus HE Tip: Skip the dispenser and toss the detergent right into the washer!)
Homemade Laundry Soap – Trial Size Version
1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap
3 cups Borax
2 cups washing soda
3/4 cup baking soda
4 1/2 cups oxygen bleach
1 cup (heaping) fabric softener crystals – store-bought or Homemade (optional)