Of course for me, a project like this requires a call to my best friend to discuss it before actually completing the project, right. Do you do that or is that just me? My best friend had made her own detergent a while ago and had told me how easy it was. I still didn’t believe it. However, I chatted with her for a while about the concept. If you search the internet for laundry detergent recipes, you will find that there are two variations. There is a liquid form or a powdered form. Heidi has shared her liquid version here on The Frugal Girls: How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
In discussing things with my best friend, she knows me well, we decided the liquid form was not for me. She said it had to be mixed each time you use it and it can get clumpy. She also said it works really well (she doesn’t even need to use a stain stick!). While I love that it works really well, she is right, cooking your own detergent that needs some mixing each time you use it is not for me. I couldn’t see using my All-Clad to cook laundry detergent and then cook in it again and I didn’t want to buy a pan just for cooking laundry detergent.
I decided to make a powdered form of homemade detergent. I had everything I needed on hand(I finally used the Fels-Naptha my mom gave me when I got married, 13 years ago), so I hung up the phone and proceeded to make a small batch of homemade laundry detergent. Literally 10 minutes later, I was done and back on the phone with my best friend, telling her how crazy easy that was! She of course said something along the lines of, “I told you so.” But what are best friends for, right!?
- Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (affiliate link)
- Pure Baking Soda (affiliate link)
- 20 Mule Teaem Borax Laundry Booster (affiliate link)
- Fels Naptha Soap (affiliate link)
Large Batch Homemade Laundry Detergent
Make your own homemade laundry detergent with this easy large batch recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (3lbs 7 oz)
- 1 large box Baking Soda (4 lbs)
- 1 box Borax (4lbs 12 oz)
- 3 bars Fels Naptha (or other soap you prefer- use same number of oz as Fels Naptha)
Instructions
- Grate the soap. Put the soap in the food processor or blender and process to a smaller consistency(optional).
- Place all ingredients in a trash bag or large bucket.
- Mix.
- Use 2 Tablespoons per load of laundry.
Recommended Products
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i’ve made this in the past but only in a small batch..when i saw the large batch “recipe” i ran out to walmart and got all the stuff and whipped it up in no time. now i have a garbage bag of soap that will probably last me forever lol Thanks!
Your welcome! So glad you liked it and now that you have the big batch ‘recipe.’
That was nice to include the small batch because I’ve wanted to try the homemade batch but didn’t want to commit to a huge batch in case I didn’t like it! Do you use a front loader? I just bought a new one and I heard that low suds was the best so I’m anxious to try this out since the HE detergents seem to be most expensive:) thanks for this great recipe
Yeah, trying the smaller batch is exactly what I did, just in case.
I don’t have a front loader. I have read though that this is low to no suds and is fine to use in HE washers. I did read one place that the powder didn’t work well in the HE, but I only saw that one place. Everywhere else said it was fine. There is a recipe for a liquid version if you feel safer trying that. If you want that, I link to it near the top of this post. It is on the Frugal Girls site. Hope that helps. Thanks for stopping by!
I have made this soap for years, and we have a maytag he front loader. I just add it to the interior (not the dispenser) and it works grrrrrrreat! I also add several drops of essential oil to the entire batch, when I mix it up. Sometimes it is Lavender, sometimes Citrus, always good! Happy Laundry!
Sounds great! I love the addition of the essential oils.
Interesting…I really need to try this.
Bobi
https://westernwarmth.blogspot.com
P.S. Planning to go follow you now! 🙂
It really works and really saves a lot of money! Enjoy (if you try it)!
🙂 Jumped over from the party on 36th ave….tickled because I just made this last week (almost same recipe except I add some generic oxy clean) and I am happy to see how much money we save by making our own!! I also love how long it lasts with my big family!
So glad I could help you see how much money you are saving! I’ve seen a lot of people that add the oxi clean. How long does this last you? I’m curious how long mine will last.
Found and followed you through 36th Avenue’s link party. I just love your blog! Feel free to stop by mine as well 🙂
https://www.the-not-so-desperate-chef-wife.com
Krista
Thank you so much!
Found you on Happy Go Lucky party. I think this is the best post I’ve seen on this! I can’t wait to try it. Pinning. And following you now 🙂
Candice
candicecraves.blogspot.com
Ahhh… Thank you! That’s so sweet. I hope you really like it when you try it. Thanks for pinning and have a great night!
I need to stop being lazy and just try making my own detergent. I hear great things about it! I would love to have you come share ‘Your Great Idea’ over at the link party on ‘Or so she says…’, it’s happening right now! Hope to see you there. 🙂 http://www.oneshetwoshe.com
Thanks so much! I have liked it so far and it saves so much money! Thanks for the invite to link up…what’s funny is I had just linked up when you invited me. 🙂 Have a great night!
I’ve tried to make this before but I couldn’t find all the ingredients since we live on an island. We do have a Wal-Mart though. Maybe I’ll try there. Thanks!
I bet you will be able to find them at Wal-Mart. I rarely shop there because I try to boycott them, however I have had to go there to get some of these ‘ingredients’ as I can’t find them at my usual stores. Hope you can find the things you need. Enjoy!
I have so wanted to try this for so long! Happy Fall! Angie xo
Hope you are able to try it one of these days and that it works well for you! Happy Fall to you as well!
Thanks so much for sharing this at ‘Your Great Idea’ link party on ‘Or so she says…’! Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be featuring it tomorrow, as one of my two favorite submissions. 🙂 It will also be shared on Pinterest and Facebook. I would love to have you come share again, as well. Have a great day! ~ Mariel http://www.oneshetwoshe.com
Thank you so much! I will be there to share again. Thanks so much for the link party and for featuring my post. I appreciate your letting me know as well. See you tomorrow.
Thanks for the recipe. Been wanting to make my own laundry detergent for awhile now. Do you know how well it works with hand washing? We hand wash all our clothes on a concrete washboard.
You are welcome. I am sorry to say that I have no idea how well it works with hand washing or using it with a washboard. Wish I could help, but I have no idea.
I would love to make this but I am unable to get the ingredients needed . What a brilliasnt idea tho
What a bummer? What are you not able to find? There may be a substitute product. I’ll see if I can help you figure it out.
KC
I love this recipe, I made the big batch and started using the first week of November, it is now the middle of February and I have about half left. I wash around 10 loads a week. I did not put oxi clean in mine, it tends to fade my nicer tops so I only add to certain loads. Also if you cut the fels naptha into 3 pcs per bar and microwave the 3 pieces for around a minute until all puffed up, if not do 10 seconds at a time till done. let is cool completely and crumble. The kids loved doing this as it crumbles very easily. Then just mix into the rest and use. I did all three bars and let sit till after school, and let the fun begin. lol
Was wondering if you could possibly add links to the exact products that you purchased and used please? Just found your blog n I’m absolutely loving it! Thank you for sharing!
I just edited the post, Brittney, and added the products as well as a printable recipe. Enjoy!