This is a post I have been waiting about three months to put up. Why? Because I wanted to test out my homemade product for a good long while to make sure it really worked before I shared it with you. And guess what? Can I just say, this easy homemade laundry detergent is awesome. It is incredibly easy to make and costs mere pennies.
Being the crunchy momma that I am whenever I used to purchase laundry soap from the grocery store I would always get the most natural, non-toxic, good-for-the-environment. (Read: the VERY, most expensive bottle). It would just kill me every time I had to fork over money to buy a new jug, which when you factor in that my husband works manual labor and my daughter uses cloth diapers, was pretty often. And on top of that, when you turn over any bottle of laundry soap and you read the list of ingredients the list always goes 1) water 2) a bunch of chemistry terms I don't recognize.
So I decided to embark on a journey to make my own. This is my recipe. It may not work for everyone but it works for us. We even use it on diaper loads without any problems.
Easy Homemade Laundry Detergent
Makes 1 quart
1 quart-sized container
1 tablespoon washing soda (make your own)
1 tablespoon baking soda
1.5 tablespoons Castile Soap
Water
To make, in a small dish mix washing soda and baking soda together. Add enough water to mix. Pour into quart-sized container. Add more water to almost fill. Shake well. Pour in Castile soap. Shake vigorously. Add more water to fill the container. Use 1/3 cup for regular load. (Note: for cloth diapers I rinse my load in cold water first, then add the detergent and wash load on hot.)
It's that easy.
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This post featured on: Natural Living Monday, Penny Pinching Party, The Mommy Club, Country Homemaker Hop, Healthy 2Day, Raising Homemakers
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, Jacquelyn! I was actually just cleaning the disgusting detergent residue off my washer today and this is such a great solution. I love eco friendly tips! Would love for you to share at the party tonight! xo Bridgett
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Thank you for sharing your wonderful laundry detergent recipe with us! My recipe is still packed. I am going to try yours this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI have the high efficiency washer/dryer. Do you know if I can use this in it? I'm so sick of washing with all of the chemicals but didn't realize when I bought this set that they require special detergents. Personally, I think it's a gimmic to sell their high priced chemicals, they refer to as detergent. I would love to know this will work for me!
ReplyDeleteI have an HE washer also and I use 1/4 cup of homemade detergent and it do NOT harm my machine. In fact..the nasty musty smell is also gone once I started using it
ReplyDeleteYeah! I'm glad to finally see a recipe without Borax, I'm still on the fence with that one. Have you made a giant batch yet, for a 2 or 5 gallon bucket? I'm wondering what the amounts would be. I'll try what you have first. I have the "environmentally friendly" Costco detergent. I think they changed the formula because it is very perfumy! It almost makes me sick. Yet another reason to start purchasing Castile soap, can't wait! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI made this laundry detergent and I'm loving it, but... lately my diapers come out smelling clean, then my baby pees and they smell like poopie. I wash them with 1/3 cup detergent, and put peroxide in the bleach dispenser, and vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. I also do the cold prewash and hot wash, then 2 cold rinse cycles. Is there something I may be doing wrong?
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