I have been asked several times over the past few years for my Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe!
I LOVE this recipe mix! I started using it shortly after my second son was born, so I know it works great on sensitive skin. The detergent is put directly into the washer, regardless if you have a top load or front load laundry machine. It is safe for high efficiency washing machines; just ensure the products you purchase have the “he symbol”.
I buy all of the products from my local Walmart or Target. (Target seems to be more expensive, and one of the awesome things about making your own laundry detergent is saving cash- so just keep that in mind when you shop). Overall, it was a little over $24.00 and it last upwards of a year- depending on how much laundry you do. I do A LOT of it- so I know it works and lasts throughout the year!
So how do we make it?
Ingredient List:
• 1 box Borax 4 lb 12 oz. size
• 1 box Pure Baking Soda 4 lbs
• 1 box Super Washing Soda 3.7 lb
• 1 container Oxy-Clean 3 lb
• 3 x 5.5 oz bars of FELS-NAPTHA
• Downy Unstopables or Purex Crystals
**Get prepped! (Like you would using any recipe)**
I use a 5 gal bucket (You can get then at any hardware store or Walmart) and I line it with a 13 gal garage bag from the kitchen to mix the product in. I try to locate everything together in the garage or outside if possible. It can create a dust cloud as a majority of the products are powdered based. You will not want to add extra cleaning to your “To Do List”.
I get all my products laid out in the mixing area, so we are organized and ready to go!
**Get to work!**
Now, the first product you will work with is the FELS-NAPTHA soap. I use my food processor to grate the soap, it will look similar to shredded cheddar cheese. After you grate all 3 bars, use the chopping bade and chop it down to even smaller, finer pieces of soap. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a hand cheese grater and go to town- but the prep time will be increased.
(Take the finely graded FELS-NAPTHA soap to your mixing area!)
At this point, open all of your ingredients and I recommend adding about ½ of each product to the mixing bucket- in any order just do it in a layered fashion. so when you are done, you have two full layers of all of the ingredients. (Remember the old school sand art bottle projects- its similar to that.)
I take the top of the bag and spin it (I do not knot it but I want to make sure nothing comes out). Carefully remove the bag from the bucket and just mix it all together… arm to arm, up and down (If you have finger nails- make sure you do not poke a hole in the bag!)
After a few minutes of mixing the ingredients, you are ready to store the product. I use a large glass jar for the storage of my product, and I use a smaller jar that fits easily into the cabinet above my washer or the pedestal storage under my front-load washing machine. You can decorate them however you would like. I shared a photo of mine, but get creative! I purchased both of my containers from Walmart a few years ago and they have worked really well!
When you use the detergent, you only need 1-2 Tablespoons. I keep the small scoop that came with my Oxi Clean in the smaller jar- so I just reused and recycled! But you can get as fancy as you would like.
****Tips and Tricks****
I have never encountered this mix not dissolving in a load of laundry. Just make sure you do not overload your machine with laundry (Common laundry rule).
One of the ingredients is Oxi clean, so I would not recommend using this mix with bleach. I have before with no issues, but the two should not be used together. The mix works great on whites without bleach. My grandmother used to tell me, “My whites have never been so white!”.
After a few months, if you see any clumps in your jar of detergent just break them up. Sometimes the FELS-NAPTHA soap has a bit of moisture, but don’t let that concern you. If you live in a humid area- try adding a boil in bag of rice to your jar. Do not open the bag, just place it in your jar of detergent so the rice stays secure and doesn’t contaminate your detergent.
This mix is mostly unscented. If you want smellier stuff- buy the Downy Unstopables or Purex Crystals. You can add them into your mix or just when you do a load of laundry. (I add mine to each wash load- somethings I do not want scented).
This mix is awesome for upholstery cleaning. I have personally used it on my kitchen chairs (microfiber), automobile carpets and seats, and so many other things! This can easily be done with a mixing bowl- add a small amount of the detergent and warm water to quickly dissolve it- scrub away!
WASH- DRY-FOLD- REPEAT
Happy DIY-ing!
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Secret Squirrel Moment 