DIY Laundry Detergrent

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If you’re looking for ways to save money, consider making your own DIY laundry detergent. If your life is anything like mine, you spend more time than you want in the laundry room. If you’ve ever added up the cost per load, making your own laundry detergent is way cheaper and it isn’t hard at all. Keep reading to find out how to make your own laundry detergent. 

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DIY Laundry Detergent – Easier than you think.

I’m not a huge DIY gal. I like the idea of making stuff and being all crafty and Pinteresty, but the truth is, I’m really not that mom. I’m the mom who gives the illusion that I’ve got it together ONLY because Amazon Prime exists. 

But laundry, man. Do you know how much dirty laundry two little boys can generate? Maybe you do. I remember going from a family of two to a family of five within the span of about a year. My husband and I were empty nesters for awhile. Then we adopted our son Zack. Then Laura came home to live with us for a bit. Then we adopted Kyle. There was a lot of laundry.

A. Lot. Of. Freaking. Laundry.

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Why learn how to make your own laundry detergent?

It was overwhelming and besides the fact that I’d started to become comfortable talking to my washer and dryer (not joking) I started to realize how much laundry detergent we were going through. My inner cheapskate started thinking about how much that was costing us.

I heard about people making their own laundry soap and honestly? That sounded a little too Little House on the Prairie for me. I was a busy, professional woman and making cleaning products was for tree-hugging women who smelled like Patchouli oil and Ma Ingalls wannabees.

Then I tried it. It takes almost no time. It costs a fraction of the amount that we were spending on Tide. I’ve been making my own DIY laundry detergent for several years and I’m sharing my recipe with you.

Ingredients for DIY Laundry Detergent

1. 3 bars of Fels Naptha, grated
2. 1 box of Super Washing Soda (3 lb, 7 oz)
3. 1 large box of Baking Soda (4 lb)
4. 1 box of borax powder (4 lbs, 12 oz)
5. 1 container of Oxy Clean stain fighter (1.77 lbs)

Mix the ingredients together. I use a spaghetti fork to stir things up because sometimes, the super washing soda and the borax will have lumps. I mix everything up in a large utility bucket. If you double my recipe, it all fits nicely in a 5 gallon bucket. You can use a smaller container for your everyday laundry.

The biggest thing I dislike most about making DIY laundry detergent is shredding the Fels Naptha. My husband does this while watching TV using a small grater with a lid, like this one. I’ve heard of people cutting it into pieces and putting it in their food processor but I haven’t tried this one yet. If my husband didn’t do this part, I probably would.

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You can also use Zote in place of the Fels Naptha. I have never tried this and I’ve heard it’s a little less gentle on your clothes than Fels Naptha. If you’re washing diapers, work clothes or kids clothes, this is something you might experiment with. The one advantage I can see with Zote is that it comes in flakes as well as bars. No shredding necessary.

I mix this up in my kitchen…and I’ll warn ya, it get’s dusty. I usually damp mop the floor afterwards and let the residue clean my floor. Double win.

The Oxy Clean is optional – I’ve made it without – but I have two little stain monsters living with me, so I always use it.

This DIY laundry detergent smells nice but it doesn’t leave much of a scent on your clothes. I’ve thought about adding essential oils to the mix, but I never have. I know laundry detergents that smell like lavender and lemon are really popular (and I love lavender oil and lemon oil) but I’ve never mixed them into an entire batch of detergent.

I use two tablespoons per load. This stuff is more concentrated that store-bought detergent. A double batch of this recipe lasts my family about eight months – and we dirty up a lot of clothes.

The supplies are easy to get on Amazon or at just about any grocery store.