Homemade
Homemade Laundry Detergent
LET’S TALK ABOUT A GREAT HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE! USING SIMPLE INGREDIENTS, THIS DETERGENT IS INEXPENSIVE AND CAN BE SCENTED WITH ESSENTIAL OILS.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
WHY MAKE YOUR OWN LAUNDRY DETERGENT?
When it comes to laundry … well, I have two toddler boys. I have LOTS of laundry and it is always very dirty! I’ve been making my own laundry detergent for years, long before the boys arrived.
I was introduced to this homemade laundry detergent recipe during a time when I was suffering from a lot of allergies. My skin would become covered in hot, red, bumpy patches when I came into contact with nearly all detergents. After switching to different types of free and clear detergents, I was still itchy and uncomfortable. I was desperate to try anything to soothe my skin.
When making your own laundry detergent, you are in control of what ingredients are in it. If there is an ingredient that you don’t feel comfortable with, there are always substitutions. As I mentioned, I have been using this homemade laundry detergent recipe for years. I used it throughout my pregnancies, with newborn babies, and even now to this day. This recipe was introduced to me by family, who have also been using it for years!
Did I mention that making your own laundry detergent costs so much less than purchasing store-bought detergent? DIY detergent is more eco-friendly too, as the ingredients generally come in cardboard boxes and there aren’t any large plastic tubs to dispose of. This detergent is safe to use in efficient washers, I’ve been doing it for years.
DOES DIY LAUNDRY DETERGENT REALLY WORK?
At the time that I’m writing this post, my boys are four and (almost) two. Their favorite thing is to dig holes in the garden and sit in the dirt. It doesn’t end there. There are dirt piles, dirt fights, dirt houses, you get the idea. We have had excellent luck using homemade detergent over the years!
MY SIMPLE LAUNDRY HACK
I never quite understood the purpose of sorting laundry. But once I gave it a try, it became a game changer in our home. I tend to be a laundry procrastinator, and would get so disappointed when my son’s favorite shirt would become dingy or mildewy from sitting in with wet washcloths. (Or of course, from building dirt castles or having dirt throwing contests) I purchased a rolling laundry sorting cart, with four separate bins for clothes. Here is how I generally separate our dirty laundry:
- Towels – we throw all of our towels, washcloths and dish rags here. Basically anything damp goes in here! This bin gets washed first, as we are always running out of dish rags and towels! Keeping the damp laundry separate eliminates the possibility for other clothes getting ruined.
- Bleach – the second bin is filled with whites, light colored laundry, sheets, bedding or anything that needs to be bleached.
- Regular clothes – pajamas, clothing, pretty much everything goes here unless it’s extra filthy.
- Delicates – work clothes for my husband and I, or anything that I don’t throw in the dryer will go in here.
For the extra filthy pile? I’ll just throw it immediately into the washer and not mix it with anything else. Always take clothing out of the washer as soon as it’s done to prevent that musty-washer smell. Also, by keeping the washer always-available, you’ll be able to wash those extra-filthy clothes in a pinch.
EXPERIMENTING WITH SCENTS
This homemade laundry detergent is virtually scent-free, which is why I love it so much. This recipe calls for one bar of Castile soap (which can come in a scented variety or plain). I have used plain, lavender and orange scented soaps to give the detergent a nice fragrance. Essential oils are a great way to add scent to laundry detergent too.
When I became pregnant with my first, I had thought about purchasing a baby-specific detergent. I figured, it’s for babies – so I must need to use it. After opening the bottle and smelling how fragranced it was (it stunk), I decided to give it away and continue to use our homemade detergent instead. It’s funny what you get used to! Over the years, I’ve discovered that my favorite way to give laundry a nice scent is to use a scented bar of Castile soap and put a few drops of an essential oil onto wool dryer balls just before tossing them into the dryer.
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE LAUNDRY DETERGENT?
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
As mentioned earlier, you will need a bar of Castile soap. You can choose to use Kirk’s, Dr. Bronners’ or any other brand out there. I typically purchase Castile soap in bulk, about a dozen at a time. There are different scents to choose from as well.
This laundry detergent is powdered, so the Castile soap will need to be grated with a cheese grater.
The rest of the ingredients are washing soda, borax and baking soda. I generally purchase these from Walmart while I’m stocking up on other supplies. Some people do not feel comfortable using Borax in their detergent. I have used it for years without any issues, but there are several recipes out there that omit Borax and the rest of their ingredients are nearly the same as pictured above.
I use a small plastic scoop from an old laundry detergent that I saved. If you need to purchase a scoop, a coffee scoop would be perfect!
Lastly, you’ll need a container to store the laundry detergent in. I use a large glass jar with a glass lid.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
This homemade laundry detergent recipe was created by Faith Rodgers, of “The Little Herbal Apothecary” blog. To access the full recipe, please check out her blog post.
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I hope this homemade laundry detergent recipe is helpful, whether you have little ones, skin sensitivities, or just want to make your own detergent! What is your favorite scent for laundry?
This post was featured on the Home Matters Linky Party #295 by Modern on Monticello!
