Homemade Laundry Detergent - Updated Recipe

I previously posted a recipe for homemade laundry detergent. Now having made and used it for a little over two years I have tweaked the recipe some and changed the way I use it so I wanted to provide an update. One of the changes I made was I started using Kirk's Castille Cocoa bar soap instead of the Fels Naptha. Big G has sensitive skin (and taste and smell!) and he did not like it. He doesn't seem to have any issues with the Castille. So far I have only been able to get it in regular but there is a peppermint one I would love to try. 

 Homemade Laundry Detergent

What you'll need:

~ 4 Cups of water

~ 1/3 bar of cheap soap, grated (I use Kirk's Castille)

~ 1/2 Cup Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda) I use Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda)

~ 1/2 Cup Borax (20 Mule Team)

~ 5 gallon bucket for mixing (a lid is helpful)

~ 3 gallons of water

**Optional Additions:  Peppermint and Le Savonnier Marseillais All-Purpose Natural Liquid Soap

DIRECTIONS: 

First grate the bar soap and put into saucepan with 4 cups of water. Heat on low until the soap is completely dissolved. While soap mixture is heating, add 3 gallons of water ( I used warm water) to the 5 gallon bucket.  Add the Borax and Washing Soda to the water in the bucket and stir to dissolve. When the soap in the pan is completely dissolved, add it to the mixture in the bucket and  continue stirring until thickened. Let mixture stand for 24 hours.

After it sits for 24 hours, it is ready to use. Some people leave it in the bucket. I saved my empty laundry jugs in preparation of making this.

It may thicken up or have globs of gel-like material in it when you uncover it. I just used my Tupperware hand mixer ("stick" type mixer) to blend it well, then transferred the detergent to the bottles.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

I have a GE Duet front load washer. I have started adding the detergent directly to the load instead of using the dispenser on the machine. In talking about homemade recipes with others this came up and so I tried it. I don't know why, but I feel like it works better.

Notes: You'll find the Borax and the Arm & Hammer on the laundry aisle. At my Walmart it is on the opposite side of the brand name detergents. If you want to use Fels-Naptha bar soap, you'll find it there as well

~I have started using Kirk's Castille bar soap instead. It can be found in the health and beauty department (past the pharmacy) with the other bar soap brands.

Additional Notes:

~ I added small amounts of two other things to my detergent with my last batch. The first was a couple of tablespoons of Le Savonnier Marseillais All-Purpose Natural Liquid Soap. I am not sure if this is available in stores. I received a bottle of it for the purpose of writing a review of it. It is a 100% natural olive oil soap. They offer a couple different varieties. I used the natural eucalyptus essential oil one.

~ The second thing I added was a couple of tablespoons of peppermint extract. I didn't have any peppermint essential oil so I improvised. I liked the results of adding these two things, but they are not necessary for the cleaning properties.

~  I didn't have a lid for my bucket so I covered and secured wax paper over it and it worked fine. I have transferred the mixture to detergent bottles I had been saving for easier handling and shaking, should it thicken. I have read others statements that they just keep it in the bucket with the lid on.

~*~  Always use caution with the bucket around children and do not leave it where a child could get get into it as it is a drowning risk. ~*~

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

There is a powder version of this recipe and it can be found online in various places. I have not made it but it is basically the same ingredients without water.

1 Cup Borax

1 Cup Washing Soda

1/3 of the bar of soap, grated

I believe you simply combine the ingredients into an air-tight container and add 2 to 3 tablespoons to the wash.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

So there it is. My recipe has evolved a bit. I use what works for me and my family. If you haven't done this and wanted to, I hope I've inspired you to give it a try. If you have any questions, ask away. I'll do my best to help any way I can.  :)

UPDATE: Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been using the homemade laundry detergent for several weeks now. I have used about 3/4 of a 100 ounce bottle. I can say I like it! Our clothes are clean, there is no unpleasant odor and it seems to do a good jobs on stains. I haven't crunched the numbers for comparison to the store bought, but the bottle I put the detergent is a saved Trend detergent bottle. The homemade detergent has lasted about the same amount of time as the store bought . And that's just the first 100 ounce bottle. I still have a 150 ounce and 2 100 ounce bottle left! I am happy with the results and savings too! I like that the Borax, washing soda and Fels-Naptha soap can also be used for other household chores too so it saves on other cleaning jobs. I am just starting to use the  homemade dishwasher detergent (Borax and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda), so I will have to wait a bit before offering up an opinion on that.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

     I had been wanting to make homemade laundry detergent since coming across the recipe online. I set out to do it but had trouble finding the ingredients around here. After searching in vain every time I went grocery shopping, I finally found that Wal Mart had started carrying all three main ingredients again. I brought them home then promptly got so busy doing other things that they just sat there. I ended up opening the Borax to repel some ants. I opened the Washing Soda to add some of it and some borax to a dish washing mixture. The bars of Fels Naptha just sat there and I swear they were starting to look at me with contempt for buying them and not yet using them! I think I was afraid that the process of making the laundry detergent was going to be a long drawn out ordeal . Yesterday I finally just did it. Was I ever surprised! It did not take long at all. so far I am pleased. It seems to have only a faint smell and very low suds. after letting it sit for the 24 hours, mine was quite the thick gelatinous blob. A quick double check and I realized I did use more of the bar soap than the recipe called for. It calls for 1/3 of the bar and I used a half a bar. O well. I just got out my Tupperware hand mixer and churned it all up and then refilled four large detergent bottles I had been saving. My batch made 450 ounces, or about 3 1/2 gallons! I have a front load Whirlpool machine... considering that I read recently that these machines typically only need about 2 - 3 tablespoons of detergent, this batch looks like it may last me until next year! For those wondering or wanting it, this is the recipe I followed.

What you'll need:
~ 4 Cups of water
~ 1/3 bar of chear soap, grated (I used Fels-Naptha)
~ 1/2 Cup Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda) I used Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda)
~ 1/2 Cup Borax (20 Mule Team)
~ 5 gallon bucket for mixing (a lid is helpful)
~ 3 gallons of water

First grate the bar soap and put into saucepan with 4 cups of water. Heat on low until the soap is completely dissolved. While soap mixture is heating, add 3 gallons of water ( I used warm water) to the 5 gallon bucket. When soap is completely dissolved, add it to the water in the bucket and stir in the Borax and Washing Soda. Continue stirring until thickened. Let mixture stand for 24 hours.

A few notes from me: I didn't have a lid for my bucket so I covered and secured wax paper over it and it worked fine. I have transferred the mixture to detergent bottles I had been saving for easier handling and shaking, should it thicken. I have read others statements that they just keep it in the bucket with the lid on.

~*~  Always use caution with the bucket around children and do not leave it where a child could get get into it as it is a drowning risk. ~*~

Next up, thinking of trying out a homemade dishwasher detergent recipe!! :)