Making your own Homemade Laundry Detergent is by far one of the easiest DIY’s I’ve done so far! Let’s face it, laundry detergent can get expensive. Not only is it getting more expensive by the day, but most store bought laundry detergents are full of additives and chemicals. I love good smelling laundry, but have you ever stopped to consider what in the world they put in there to make it smell so good? In an effort to cut down the use of chemicals in our home, I decided to try making my own detergent, and guess what? I LOVE IT! I also make my own Homemade Fabric Softener, and it’s super cheap!
It only takes 3 ingredients to make this detergent, and it is much less expensive than any store bought detergent that I have come across.
You start by grating one bar of FELS-NAPTHA soap in a bowl. It costs less than $1 per bar and can be found in the laundry section of the grocery store. If you have a food processor, you can grind it up in there instead. It only took a few minutes to grate it using a cheese grater.
It will make about 1 1/2 cups.
Next, add 3 cups each of the Washing Soda and Borax Detergent Booster. Mix well.
I stored mine in a glass containger and added a small scoop!
My scoop is 1/4 cup scoop, which is exactly what you will need for each load! It cleans my laundry so well, and actually smells good too!
The Borax costs less than $4 per box and so does the washing soda…both can be used multiple times!
I cannot guarantee it, but have tried this in an HE washer. It worked fine and didn’t suds a lot, which is the problem with most non HE store bought detergents.
Need a little help with getting the stains out of your laundry? Click HERE to view and print my Laundry Stain Remover Cheat Sheet!
Looking for more Tips and Tricks, like How to Clean In Between the Glass on Your Oven Door? Click HERE or the photo below for tons of cleaning tips and tricks!
Have a tip or trick you would like to share? Email me at jessica@mom4real.com !
What kind of washer do you have? Wondering if this works for he washers?
It should be fine for HE, I can’t guarantee it, but because it suds less than some store bought, it should be. Hope this helps! ~Jess
I have an HE and it works great, love it and thank you for ALL your posts!!!
It’s definitely safe for HE! Thanks for sharing! ~Jess
I use the formula in my front loader HE. It works very well. I scent it with scent oils.. I never use softener, but do use wool and/or alpaca dryer balls.
Hi, I was wondering if this will work for my HE Front Loading Washer?
It should be fine for HE, I can’t guarantee it, but because it suds less than some store bought, it should be. Hope this helps! ~Jess
my sister uses it in her front loader and says it works great, I add a couple more bars to mine when I make it
This is pretty much the recipe I’ve been using for the last year, only I use 2 cups of the washing soda and borax each…not for any particular reason, the recipe I found actually only called for one each and I thought that seemed a little stingy! I guess on my next batch I’ll try 3 cups instead! I feel like this does a perfectly fine job, it’s easy, it’s cheap, and it’s fun to feel like you’ve accomplished a little do-it-yourself. :^)
I have a HE washer and I have made this with ivory soap. I used ivory only because the kids did the expand ivory in the microwave experiment and it then crumbles. I didn’t want it to go to waste. I throw it in directly with the clothes and have t tried it in the dispenser, but have had no problems in my HE front loader.
Thank you so much for sharing, Jolene! Good to know! ~Jess
Hi!
I am really trying to find out what I should use overhere in the Netherlands in regards to ingredients. Anybody any idea?
Thnks!!
How well does it clean?
I have been using 1 bar Fels Naptha to 1 cup each borax and 1 cup Washing Soda. I guess I could switch to 2 or 3. I use it in my HE washer with no problem at all. Has anyone calculated the cost per load? It would mean knowing the number of cups of content in boxes in Washing Soda and Borax
Hey guys!!! I’ve been using this recipe for years!!! LOVE IT! I usually just shred my Fels Naptha bar with my food processor. I do three bars at a time. I use one, then put the other two individually in zip lock bags, ready to be mixed and used for the next batch. ALSO….I like to add “oxi clean”…about 1 cup to my batch. And I’ve added the Downy scent booster flakes. The cheapest is at Dollar Genreal for $5. I just add 1/4 to 1/2 cup per batch. (Still want to keep things economical!!!)
I watch my husband’s stinky blue-collar shirts with this as well as baseball pants etc. Stains come out, clothes are fresh. I haven’t noticed much color fading with this recipe either.
Downy scent booster is just epsoms salts saturated with fragrance. Save your money! Epsom salts are super cheap then make or purchase essential oil blends to sanitize your laundry. Save the fragrance for the diy softrner!
Great idea, thanks for sharing!!
I’ve been using basically this same recipe for years
My husband does construction and I have two little dirty boys and everything comes out clean. We only use a couple tablespoons per load. I didn’t figure it out per load although I usually do at least one load a day… here is my cost breakdown http://littlesproutgrowing.blogspot.com/2010/11/laundry-soap-update.html?m=0
I would just like to add that I have been using an awesome stain remover. It is 2 cups peroxide and 1 cup blue dawn dishwashing detergent. Mix them together and put in a spray bottle. It does an awesome job. Even on sweat stains and mud. We live on a farm and my husband comes in all the time with all kinds of new stains.
Do you have a recipe for liquid laundry detergent?
I have a he washer and I have been using this recipe. It works great . It doesn’t sud up like other brand soaps. I love it. Saves my family a lot of money on laundry detergent.
So I love your scoop and am getting ready to make this recipe and have been renovating my laundry area and was wondering where you got it. Thanks so much!!!
you can get the scoops at Walmart
does anyone have a problem with yellow stains on their clothes, which I think is from the Fells?
help I have an old top load whirlpool washer that was my g-mas an still going strong, I live in Pa (USA) an how can I get the stains out, I thought it was something else but where it is winding up is not where food stains would b?????
If you put FELS-NAPTHA in the microwave and zap it for about 30 seconds it will blow up and then you take it out. Let it cool down and after a few days you can just crush it into fine particles. It is allot easier than grating it, I always seem to get my skin in it when I do that. But the zapping will be easier to do and you can tell that it is done when it is about ten times bigger than it was. It will also make your house smell too.
I cut my bar of soap into smaller chunks and put it in with the dry ingredients into my food processor. I make it in minutes. Have been using this recipe for five years. I will try your Fabric Softener Recipe.
Just wondering, does the grated soap dissolve in cold water washes?
To save $$$$ on my electric bill I always use cold water for everything! Works well for whites this way also! About once a month I wash my All whites in very hot water and add Clorox. Just for a boost to my well washed white things including old lady protection bed and chair pads! I am very fussy and am happy with my method!