How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent With Sodium Bicarbonate

Clean your next load of laundry with homemade laundry detergent.

There are several basic ingredients used to make homemade laundry detergent. One of them is sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is the scientific term for baking soda. It is beneficial to add baking soda to your laundry detergent recipe since baking soda is a powerful odor eliminator. Make a large batch of homemade laundry detergent so that it lasts a month at a time.

Things You'll Need

• 2 gallons hot water
• 2 cups baking soda
• 2 cups of liquid castile soap
• 15 drops of lavender essential oil
• Large bucket
• Empty laundry soap containers

Instructions

1. Fill a large bucket with 2 gallons of hot water. If your sink doesn't get the water hot enough, boil it first.

2. Place 2 cups of baking soda, 2 cups of liquid castile soap, and 15 drops of lavender essential oil in the bucket of hot water. Stir until all of the ingredients are dissolved.

3. Let the homemade laundry detergent sit overnight to thicken.

4. Transfer the homemade laundry detergent in to empty laundry soap containers. Store until needed.

5. Use 1/2 cup of the laundry detergent with each load of wash.

Tips & Warnings

• Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle if desired.

• Substitute rosemary essential oil for the lavender essential oil.

References

• Tipnut: 10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes
• Arm & Hammer: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

Resources

• Green Footsteps: Homemade Detergent for a Cheap and Effective Wash