Cheap Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

I have 3 young kids and getting their clothes clean is a full time job. I have tried every type and price point of laundry detergent. Some work better than others. When I heard about homemade laundry detergent I thought why not give it a try? There is a total bonus to homemade laundry detergent it is cheaper and better than any of the brands out there. So I was intrigued and decided to make my first batch. The verdict is.....  I LOVE it!!! I made some changes and I thought I would share the recipe on my blog. So here it is, believe me your dirty clothes will never come so clean. 

The Cast of Characters:

1 bar of Fels-Naptha **
1 & 1/4 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda  (NOT baking soda)  **
1 & 1/4 cup Borax **
1 bottle of Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent (Optional)
5 gallon bucket with lid (A few dollars at Home Depot, Wal-Mart might also carry them)
3 Gallons of hot water
3 Cups of hot water

You will also need:

Saucepan (I got mine from the Goodwill and only use it to make laundry soap.)
Grater (I bought it at Dollar Tree and I only use it when I make laundry soap.) 
Long spoon (I only use this when making laundry soap. Do you see a pattern forming here?)

** All of these items can be found in the same spot as the laundry detergent at most stores. I buy mine at Wal-Mart. 

Grate the entire bar of Fels-Naptha.

Add 3 cups of hot water to the sauce pan on medium to low heat. Slowly add the grated Fels Naptha to the hot water. Stir, stir, stir, stir. Did I mention you need to stir it? I use the long wooden spoon to stir the mixture.

 Keep adding more and more of the Fels-Naptha until it is all melted in the liquid. You can't walk away from this mixture, you need to keep an eye on it. When it is all melted turn the heat off.

 Add 3 gallons of hot water to the 5 gallon bucket. 

Then add the melted Fels-Naptha mixture.

 Stir the hot water and melted Fels-Naptha. Add in 1 & 1/4 cup of washing soda. Stir the mixture. Add 1 & 1/4 cup of Borax to the mixture and stir for 2 minutes. Put the lid on and let it sit overnight. 

It will be thick like a jello in the morning. Mix the soap with the spoon and it will be lumpy like a soup. It won't be liquid like traditional liquid detergent. I use a cup/lid from a detergent bottle. 1 cup/lid full per load is what I use. 

Here is the optional part that I do with every batch I make.

Make the detergent as above. In the morning after the mixture has set overnight, when you are stirring with the spoon add a full bottle of Arm & Hammer liquid laundry detergent. I use the kind that has OxyClean in it and think it works the best. I think it gets the clothes cleaner than any other brand. It costs less and lasts longer. 

Here is how it looks with the Arm & Hammer liquid laundry detergent added. 

I hope you make a batch and like it as much as I do. 

Mrs. Fife