Switching from store-bought laundry detergent to homemade version is an easy choice. Do you know why? It’s because many DIY alternatives are equally effective without a high price tag. If we want to teach our kids to save money, we need to show them good example.
So don’t you think you should learn how to make homemade laundry detergent?
The only thing to keep in mind before I begin is that this homemade liquid laundry detergent recipe is suitable for just HE (high-efficiency) machines. Now let’s discuss some essentials involved with the process.
Laundry Soap vs. Laundry Detergent
Detergent and soap are two different products, aren’t they? Laundry soap consists of oils and fats that have a base or an alkali. Some soaps also contain a combination of coconut and olive oils blended with a water base and lye.
On the contrary, laundry detergent has a synthetic quality that serves a particular purpose. This includes dissolving in either cold or hard water. You will come across many articles titled “How to make homemade laundry detergent?” that list natural soap recipes. And that’s because natural laundry detergents are not as common.
A good smelling laundry detergent is available at any local store, right? It falls under the category of laundry detergents, which is why I would like to call my version DIY laundry detergent.
Why switch to natural laundry detergent?
Making the switch to a homemade version means avoiding harsh chemicals, additives, colors, and fragrances. On top of that, homemade detergents/soaps are not as expensive as the regular, store-bought options. And they’re easy to create as well!
It doesn’t matter if this is your first time or if you never thought that you would be doing something like this. Living life in a sustainable manner is not only a great idea but also a healthy one. It keeps both you and the environment in good condition.
And the best part is that switching to homemade laundry detergent requires little effort. Plus, you don’t even need to spend on expensive ingredients to complete the task.
How to make homemade laundry detergent?
Before I list down the ingredients, let me tell you something about borax. Many people prefer homemade laundry detergent without borax. It’s because borax doesn’t have a good reputation for being safe. And when you have a safer alternative such as washing soda, why add a harmful ingredient like borax to your homemade version!
What you will need:
5-ounce soap (3 bars, one should contain coconut oil), finely grated
6 cups of washing soda
Lemon essential oil (optional)
Additional ingredients:
OxiClean Free or peroxide
Food processor
Wool dryer balls
Downy ball (optional)
White vinegar (non-GMO)
The method: How to make
- The first step
Cut the soaps into tiny chunks and add them with washing soda to your food processor.
- The second step
Blend the mixture until it turns into fine powder. Don’t forget to place a towel on top of the processor. This prevents the powder mist from escaping into the air.
Let the powdery paste settle for a while before you open the container. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a lot of powder on the kitchen counter.
- The last step
Pour the prepared detergent into any clean container. And add at least five drops of the essential oil to each load along with the detergent while washing.
The method: How to use
The instructions listed below are suitable for the top loader and not front loaders.
- Use 3 tablespoons of the homemade laundry detergent for every load. When washing with cold water, it’s necessary for you to dissolve the detergent in a small bowl of hot water. So at such times, what you can do is begin the load with hot water so that the detergent dissolves before you bring in the laundry.
- Then add five lemon essential oil drops. The oil acts as degreaser.
- With whites, pour half a cup of peroxide or an Oxiclean scoop into the washer’s bleach compartment.
- The next step is to add half a cup of vinegar into the machine’s fabric softener slot or the Downy ball.
- To make the laundry extra soft and reduce drying time, bring in the wool dryer balls.
That’s All Folks!
So did you find the answer to “How to make homemade laundry detergent?”
The DIY recipe discussed above works for HE (high-efficiency) machines. And that’s because the detergent has a low-sudsing quality. Also, the bars of soaps are finely grated before you use them to prepare the homemade laundry detergent. So there’s no doubting the safety of the detergent for HE designed washers.
Before I wrap it up, I would like to add two more conclusive points. The first one is that you need to use half the amount when working with HE machines. And the second important thing to remember is to check your washer’s company manual. It’s because, sometimes, the use of certain ingredients nullifies your product’s warranty.
It’s better to be safe than sorry, right?
I hope the instructions discussed in the article were easy to understand and follow. And I hope the content helped in solving your problem.
Was there anything that you didn’t like or would like to add? Please drop in your thoughts and comments in the section right after the article.