A couple of us in the family have sensitive skin, so traditional laundry detergents are irritating to us.
The more natural detergents can be really expensive and many soaps without scent leave my clothes smelling…like vomit.
I’ve experimented with several brands that don’t make my clothes smell good.
I’ve tried several recipes from homemade detergent and this one has been working well for us.
It’s really easy and not very expensive to make. It smells great and no skin irritation. It lasts about 2 months!
I only use a tablespoon or so every laundry load and my clothes smell great!
So, let’s make some laundry detergent!
Gather the ingredients!
The recipe is super simple. My kids make it now for our family!
We grate two bars of Dr. Bonner’s castile unscented soap. You could use lavender or another castile soap.
The grated soap looks like little worms. Heehee
It already smells fresh and clean.
We add two cups each of borax
We add 20 or so drops of essential oil. We like lavender or melaleuca or eucalyptus (but not together!). Some people recommend lemon, and I’m sure that smells amazing, but I worry it might bleach the clothes if I hang them to dry in the sun.
Then we shake it all up in this handy pourable container.
We pour out a couple tablespoons for each laundry load. I don’t really measure it. I don’t fill the dispenser in our washer.
The clothes come out smelling much more fresh than they used to and no irritated skin!
We also use wool dryer balls
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 2 cups Borax
- 2 cups Washing Soda Or 1/2 washing soda and 1/2 baking soda.
- 2 bars Dr. Bonner’s castile unscented bar soap grated
- 2 cups or scoops Oxi-Clean optional
- 20 or so drops essential oil We like lavender or melaleuca!
Instructions
- Grate bar soap and mix all ingredients in a jar.
- Use 1-2 T each wash load.
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This looks simple enough. I haven’t done a dry laundry detergent, but I do make a liquid which is essentially the same as your dry. I’m so happy that we make our own detergent that can keep my mind a bit more at ease and also works well! :)
This sounds like it’s fairly easy to make. I may have to try out this recipe pretty soon! Thanks for sharing! As well, I recently heard about making the dryer balls from wool at a Mom’s group at my church. One of the women came to speak on frugal living and she shared that there are many benefits to making cleaning agents and other household items at home rather than buying them in the store!
God bless,
Patty
I need to try your recipe, I like the idea of using the Oxy for another boost. Homemade soaps are hard to get used to but one you you do its great.
Thank you for linking up at Oh My Heartsie Girl this week and the mention!
Hope you have a great week!
Karren
Homemade Laundry Detergent and wool drying balls have been on my radar a lot lately and I’m really thinking of switching. Thanks for the recipe. It doesn’t look hard to do and I already have the essential oils. Great post. Thanks for sharing on #overthemoon
Y0u make it look super easy! Maybe some day I’ll put down the Tide! LOL! Thanks for sharing your recipe! Blessings!
I love making our laundry detergent. I make the liquid/gel type and get a 5 gallon bucket full for one batch. A friend of mine buys a Gain scented oil for candle making and puts it in her detergent. Believe it or not, it smells just like Gain. I have used Fels Naptha in the past and started buying Zote because there is more soap in the bar. It smells so lemony, I love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe with Thankful Thursdays.
Great ideas! Thanks!
This recipe looks so simple. In mine we just use the borax, arm and hammer and fels naptha soap, but the oxy clean would help with stains and the essential oils would add a nice scent!