How to Make Detergent for Clothes

Save money on laundry by making detergent at home.

You can make your own liquid laundry detergent for about 40 cents per gallon. Compared to the cost of a gallon of manufactured liquid laundry detergent, homemade laundry soap saves a lot of money, but it performs a little bit differently than purchased detergent. Homemade laundry soap does not bubble the way purchased detergent does, and it needs to be stirred or shaken before each use because the ingredients tend to separate.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 bar gentle soap, such as Ivory or Fels Naptha
• Cheese grater
• 1 stockpot, 3 gallons or larger
• Large bowl, 1 quart size (optional)
• 2 gallons water
• Wooden spoon
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup Borax
• 2 laundry detergent jugs, 1 gallon size

Instructions

1. Scrape the bar of soap against the cheese grater to make a coarse powder. Grate the soap directly into the stockpot or a large bowl.

2. Pour 2 quarts of water (and the grated soap, if you haven't already) into the stockpot and set the stove heat to medium. Use the wooden spoon to stir the mixture until the grated soap dissolves in the heating water.

3. Leave the pan on the hot stove and add the washing soda and Borax. Continue stirring while the powders dissolve in the hot water.

4. Remove the pan from the burner and stir frequently while slowly adding the rest of the water.

5. Allow the detergent to cool, stir one last time, and fill the two laundry detergent jugs. Shake the jugs before each use. For each normal-sized load, use 1/2 cup of your detergent.

Tips & Warnings

• Using natural cleaners, such as washing soda and Borax, is listed by the River Raisin Watershed Council as one of the top 10 environmentally friendly things you can do to protect the watershed.

• If you have hard water, double the amount of Borax and washing soda used in this recipe.

References

• Living on a Dime: Homemade Laundry Detergent
• Tipnut: 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes
• River Raisin Watershed Council: Top Ten Things We Can Do to Protect Our Watershed
• Eco-Cycle: Alternative Cleaners and Recipes