DIY Laundry Detergent #Recipe

We do a lot of laundry around here! I have been studying several recipes for making your own laundry detergent and how cost efficient it can be.  I was a little concerned because my husband is a diehard Tide customer. 😉  He will be the first to say “um Babe, please don’t buy that anymore” when I try the latest brand on sale.

I tried several recipes, then tweaked them a bit to make my own.   I even tried making liquid detergent and it worked well, but didn’t have a scent.  Again, hubby didn’t like the water-like consistency.  He just wasn’t convinced!  ( If you would like the liquid recipe, leave a comment below and I will give it to you.)

So far, with this powder recipe… no complaints! I have been washing at least 3 loads per day for over a week and he hasn’t said a word. With that being said, I feel like the coast is clear to share this with you all! 🙂

Here’s what you will need:

1 cup Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1 cup of OxiClean (not pictured above) Chlorine Free
1 cup Purex Crystals or crystal softener of your choice
1 Fels-Naptha Bar (can substitute Ivory Bar or Zote Bar)
Cheese Grater

Here is how I made it:

I put a large kitchen trash bag over a tall laundry basket – (you can use a large jar, huge bowl, or even 5 gallon bucket).  I grated my soap into the bag first.  It took me about 20-30 minutes to grate the whole bar.  I wore plastic gloves while holding the soap and grating.  My son and I took turns. 😉  Then, after the hard part was over, I measured out the remaining ingredients and poured them into the bag.  Then I closed it up and shook the bag to mix all ingredients.  After mixing well, I poured into containers with lids.  You will only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load.

Note: This recipe makes a lot!  There are other recipes that use all ingredients listed above to make enough for months at a time.  Like I said, I have been experimenting and did not want to waste the ingredients if I didn’t like the detergent.  For the next batch I will use this recipe:

1 Box Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
1 Box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 Box Borax
1 3lb container of OxiClean – Chlorine Free
1 -2 Bottles Purex Crystals or crystal softener of your choice
2 Bars of  Pink Zote  (can substitute Ivory Bar or Fels Naptha)
Cheese Grater

Update:  I wanted to let you know that the Zote Laundry Bar comes in white or pink.  The white is available already grated! I bought the pink because we liked the scent best.  The Zote is softer and larger than the Fels Naptha Bar and easier to grate! 😉  I found all ingredients at Walmart on the laundry and cleaning isle.   Below is a picture of the second batch with the pink Zote instead of Fels Naptha.  

I would like to thank the following ladies for inspiring me to try this by sharing their recipes – Thoughts on the Matter & Being Creative to Keep My Sanity & Reader, Katrina H!

On a side note:  I have a HE washer and it works perfectly.  There are not a lot of suds which is a good thing.  I place the powder in the same container that the liquid goes into and it disolves completely during each wash.

Disclaimer:  Please use at your own risk.  I decided to try it for myself before sharing it.  We have not had any allergic reactions or problems with it.  I have a family of 5 and wash everyday! 🙂