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    Home » Do it Yourself

    Easy Homemade Laundry Detergent

    Published: Mar 31, 2016 · Modified: Apr 8, 2025 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 37 Comments

    6577 shares
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    Making your own Homemade Laundry Detergent is easier than you may think. I make a 6 month supply at once for pennies per load. It smells wonderful and cleans amazing!!

    a plastic bin with pink and white homemade laundry detergent

    HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

    I have been wanting to make my own Homemade laundry detergent for years. I have been using natural cleanersf or years to save money and become more a little more green. But sheer indecisiveness has kept me from getting in gear with making laundry detergent.

    I couldn’t decide if I wanted powder or liquid. I know, really?!  I have read and read and have several recipes printed.  I kept leaning toward liquid, but most of the recipes have to let it sit for 24 hours and I guess I’m a little impatient and want to start using it right away.

    The first batch will be a tad more since you may have to buy your container, a scoop and a new 5 gallon bucket with a lid.  I spent about $20.00 on these  items.

    The ingredients cost me a little less than $20.00 for 270 LOADS of laundry detergent  Just about $0.07 a load!!

    borax, baking soda, oxi clean, and zote bar soap

    Ingredients – Makes 2 gallons of powder detergent

    (1) 76 oz box of Borax -$4.99 at my local grocery store

    (1) 55 oz box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda – $3.24

    3 lb container of OxiClean – $7.52

    (1) 4 lb box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda – $2.24

    (2) bars of Zote Soap (400g ) – $0.97 each at Walmart

    *** or (3) bars of Fels Nathpha, grated  or (3) bars of Ivory Soap, grated

    an empty plastic container with a metal scoop

    One Time Expense

    Container to put the detergent in – I bought mine for $14.97 at Walmart

    2 tablespoon Scoop – I bought a coffee scoop at Walmart for $1.67

    5 Gallon Bucket with a lid – about $4.00 at Walmart

    HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

    1. Pour the 1st 3 ingredients -Washing Soda, Borax, and OxiClean into the 5 Gallon bucket

    2. Grate the Zote Soap in a food processor. It will fit through the feed tube of the food processor if you cut it in half and then cut those pieces in half. You can also use a regular cheese grater if you don’t have a food processor just be sure to grate it as fine as possible. I have also read that you can heat the soap in the microwave 4 minutes if you don’t have a food processor.  Then let it cool and it will crumble easy.

    I did use my food processor because it’s so much faster.  It’s only soap so it’s just fine when you wash afterwards.

    A close up of a gar of pink zote soap

    3. Use the shredding disc on the food processor to grate the Zote Soap 1 at a time. Put the first batch in a separate bowl.

    a food processor with shredded zote soap

    4. Put the regular blade back onto the food processor and add 2 cups of shredded soap with 1 cup of baking soda at a time.

    a closeup of shredded soap and baking soda

    5. Blend the soap and baking soda for about 20-30 seconds until it forms a powder. (mixing the baking soda with the soap keeps the soap from getting clumpy.

    A close up of pink laundry detergent

    6. Add each batch you pulse to the 5 gallon bucket as you go. When you are done with all the Zote, add the rest of the baking soda to the bucket as well.

    7. Put the lid on the 5 gallon bucket and roll and shake it until it is mixed completely.

    8. Voila!! You’re done! Pour or scoop the detergent into your choice of container!

    Use 1 scoop or 2 tablespoon for each load of laundry.

    a closeup of homemade powdered laundry detergent bing scooped with a metal scooper

    For HE Front Load Washers – You can either add it to your dispenser if your washer says it accepts powder or liquid.  Or you can simply but it directly into the tub before adding the clothes.

    Regular Top Load Washer – Add it first then add clothes as the cycle starts.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Glenda Cook

      January 04, 2023 at 6:26 pm

      I don’t have a food processer. will this turn out?

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 07, 2023 at 9:00 pm

        You can definitely still use it with the larger shredded pieces. The food processor just makes it more like commercial powdered brands.

        Reply
    2. Cleaners Ruislip Ltd.

      September 08, 2015 at 9:14 am

      Fantastic article. Homemade laundry detergent is really cheaper. My advice is to put some 20-30 drops of essential oil in it. I always use orange or lavender. It makes my clothes smell amazing. Thank you for sharing your article. Greetings!

      Reply
      • Sherri

        September 08, 2015 at 8:18 pm

        I really need to do that!

        Reply
    3. Cotty

      June 17, 2015 at 6:18 pm

      Is it better to use hot, cold, or warm water???

      Reply
      • Sherri

        June 17, 2015 at 9:00 pm

        I use it on all temperature settings 🙂

        Reply
    4. Katie

      March 30, 2015 at 9:40 am

      I have been doing this recently & love it. I also add a few drops of citrus fresh essential oil to give it an extra fresh scent. Also, I have been using wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. I add a few drops of EO to those as well. Doing laundry is so much cheaper this way 🙂

      Reply
    5. Catherine

      March 07, 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Just got all the ingredients to make this detergent. I am going to add espon salt because our wster is very hard.

      Reply
    6. Lisa

      November 05, 2014 at 4:09 pm

      Can anyone tell me if this DIY detergent makes any suds? I made it and it DOE NOT seems to make suds.

      Thanks!

      Lisa

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 05, 2014 at 4:25 pm

        This homemade laundry detergent does not have the same suds as commercial detergent. An active ingredient is actually added to store-bought detergents that cause the sudsing.

        The less suds also makes it safe to use in HE washers “-)

        Reply
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