It seems that everyone’s making their own laundry soap these days but I haven’t jumped on that bandwagon…until now!
I’ve always been a Tide Free girl. I love that it doesn’t have a scent and gets my clothes clean every time. But, I was curious to try one of the homemade laundry soaps. I searched through blog post after blog post looking for a recipe that I’d like to try that I thought would work well, but I could never find one I was happy with. And then I found one! YAY!
This recipe contains the usual ingredients you find in most recipes – Borax, Washing Soda and Fels Naptha bar soap AND it contains Baking Soda and Oxi Clean! There’s many that believe adding baking soda really doesn’t make a difference, but I love cleaning and deodorizing with it, so why not add it to my wash?! It can’t hurt and it’s cheap! The next ingredient, Oxi Clean, is to freshen AND bleach colors and whites. Before, I was afraid we’d be walking around with dingy clothes, but once I knew that this could be added into the mix, I thought it was worth a shot. PLUS it’s super safe for your skin.
We’ve been using this soap on everything and I’m super pleased! It seems to work just as well as our regular laundry soap and it’s much cheaper! And this makes a large batch that lasts a long time. I just use one scoop (that came in Oxi Clean jar) for a normal load and two for an extra dirty or heavy load – such as towels. I also add vinegar to my rinse – which I’ve done for a long time. It doesn’t leave a smell and it takes the place of fabric softener. If you like a scent on your clothes – this won’t do it. So, you can add something like Purex Crystals or Downy Unstoppables to your mix. I don’t like those – so I don’t add them. Plus, that would add unwanted chemicals to the mix. However, I DO add essential oils to my individual loads. I add in 6-8 drops of my favorite scents – lavender, lemon and orange are my favs! Try out this DIY All Natural Laundry Soap – it will save you time and money!
DIY Laundry Soap
Ingredients
- 1 box of Borax
- 1 box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
- 1 large box of Baking Soda
- 2 jars of Oxi Clean
- 2 bars of Fels Naptha soap only one shown in picture
- 30-40 drops Lemon Essential Oil
Instructions
- Using a food processor or a hand cheese grater, grate the bars of soap
- Next mix ALL ingredients in a large bucket
- Then, place in a cute container of your choice!
- Use 1 scoop for a normal load or 2 scoops for a large load
- Use vinegar in place of fabric softener
- This recipe is safe for hE machines - just place the scoop in the drum of the machine BEFORE adding clothes. (as always tho, consult your machine manual)
We’re loving this stuff so far! You won’t be disappointed!
Can you sprinkle this just over the top of your load?
How much dose it make
I worry about this mixture bleaching/fading out my colors and darks/blacks too quickly… What do you think?
You know, I haven’t had that problem. But, I would do a test load or two if you’re worried – try it on something you don’t mind fading. Let me know how it works for you!
been using this for years and it has never faded or bleached out any colors no matter how dark or light
Can’t wait to try this laundry detergent recipe. Sooo proud of you! luv ya. Toni
I just made this detergent and it smells great so far! Kasey, can you tell me how much “one scoop” should be?
Thanks much!
HI Suzanne! I use the scoop that comes in the oxy clean container. Seems to work well for us! Let me know what you think!
For a top loading machine would you put the laundry detergent in the drum of the wash machine or in the slot you normally would put powder or liquid soap?
I would put it wherever you normally put powder. 🙂
That slot is only for liquid, powder all goes into the drum
I just use the little scoop that comes with the oxy clean! Experiment with what works best for you!
Hi Kasey, I have three questions….1.Where can I find the fels naptha? 2. Do you have to use hot or warm water in order for it to dissolve? 3.Do you ever scent it with any essential oils like lavender or anything like that?OOps, sorry did you ever get that link from Monique for the homemade soap? I would love that too if you would share that.Thanks so much for all the info.I truly appreciate people like you who help others.
Deborah –
1.Fels Naptha is in the laundry aisle. Usually on the bottom shelf. I’ve seen it everywhere from the grocery store to Target to hardware store. You might ask.
2. I use all water temps and it seems to be fine! I just put my scoop right in the drum before I add the clothes – front loader.
3. I have not scented it – but you can! I do sometimes put in a few drops of essential oils to my vinegar (fabric softener drawer) rinse.
4. I haven’t got a link for homemade soap from Monique yet! But, I did a ton of research and decided to go with semi homemade for hand soap. I haven’t tackled using Lye yet! haha! Here’s the link to that post! https://www.allthingsmamma.com/2013/12/how-to-make-homemade-soap-the-easy-way/
Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes!
I also use hoemade laundry detergent, but I use homemade soap in place of fels naptha. I love it! I also use vinegar for the rinse, too.
I need to make homemade soap next, Monique! Do you have a link to your recipe?
“Hoemade”…. How I jokingly refer to homemade things All The Time! Also, I’ve been making this recipe for about 10 years and love it!
Kasey, how much vinegar do you use in rinse cycle?
thanks, Judy
I fill my dispenser – so I would say about 1/4 cup. About the same amount you would use of fabric softener. : )