Homemade Heavy Duty Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent
When it comes to things in my home, I try to avoid toxic things as much as possible. I switched to all natural detergent years ago and have recently started making my own homemade laundry detergent. Like with most things I make, I hardly use a real recipe and just wing it. However, I recently made a bulk batch so I could give you a better idea of how I make it. Just know, it doesn’t have to be perfect and you can adjust where needed to make it better fit your needs. Whenever you can get a whole years worth of laundry detergent in todays prices under $25, I’d say thats a steal.
My husband is always working outdoors and his clothes get filthy. He is very hard on his clothes and this homemade laundry detergent is super heavy duty and can handle all the dirt and grime that come with working outdoors. I have two versions that I make. One without Dawn and Fels-Naptha and one with it. The one without is a more natural version (safe for sensitve skin) but it doesn’t work on the grime quite as well. You can switch between the two like we do, depending on what strength you are needing!
Pro – Tip
This detergent is tough on the grease and grime but gentle on clothes! It seems to keep our clothes in good condition. For tough stains, make a paste out of it using a little water. Then, scrub it into whatever stain you have and let it sit for a little while before washing. Helpful tip, for any extra filthy clothes or whites add a squeeze of Dawn dish soap into the load (and yes it has to be Dawn – they have something in theirs that doesnt compare to the knock-off brands). This helps get the grease out, while it is not a “good for you” soap. It is one battle I haven’t found an alternative solution to yet.
To be completely honest, in the past when I would make my homemade laundry detergent I would just mix equal parts of Borax, baking soda, and washing soda together. I would add the Dr. Bronners liquid soap or the Fels-Naptha. Depending on how heavy duty I needed it to be (Fels-Naptha works great but isn’t the least toxic option, so I try to use the liquid Castile soap instead). With the liquid soap, I normally would add as much as I feel like until it’s the right consistency (you want it to be very powdery still but a little on the dense side). Then I add a heavy splash of essential oils. I do more because I like the more heavy scent, but you can skip it all together if you wish. You don’t have to follow the recipe perfectly, you can adjust it so it works best for you. I hope this is helpful and will make your laundry days that much more enjoyable!
Below is a list of the ingredients that I used. These are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small amount off of your purchase, but they are items with great prices that I would or have bought personally! It helps support the blog when you purchase from these links, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra.
Get it on Amazon
- Fels Naptha Laundry Bar and Stain Remover
- Dr. Bronner’s – Pure-Castile Liquid Soap
- Dr. Bronner’s – Pure-Castile Bar Soap
- All Natural Borax Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner
- Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda
- Arm & Hammer, Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster
- Dawn Platinum Dish Soap Liquid
Homemade Heavy Duty Laundry Soap
total cost $22.67 (using Dr. Bronners liquid soap method)
Ingredients
- 65oz box of Borax
- 64oz box of Baking Soda
- 55oz box of Super Washing Soda
- 16oz of Dr. Bronners Liquid or Bar Castile Soap OR three 5oz bars of Fels-Naptha Stain Remover
- Essential Oils (I prefer lemon and lemongrass for mine)
Instructions
- Add Borax, super washing soda, and baking soda to a large bowl or container. I use a little shoe box size plastic container.
- If using liquid soap- add 16 oz (2 cups) of Dr. Bronners Liquid Castile Soap (this is my preferred method because it is easier than dealing with grating/blending soap - use Fels-Naptha for more heavy duty washing)
- If using bar soap -Finely grate the bar soap or Fels-Naptha bar (you can also get a small inexpensive blender and use it specifically for this process as well, it takes a little bit to get it all the way ground)
- Mix together thoroughly
- Add essential oils of your preference. I use a decent splash (probably 2-3 tablespoons for this amount, but you can do as much or as little as you prefer, I prefer a stronger scent so I add a lot)
- To use - add 2 tablespoons per load (we have a top load washer so we just sprinkle it over our clothes, but if you have a front load I would think you can just add it to the powder section of the detergent spot but you might need to play around and see what works best)
Notes
For the toughest cleaning power use the Fels-Naptha bar method and about a half cup of Dawn dish soap. You can also just add Dawn directly to the washer on heavily soiled clothes.
Recommended Products
If you click on my links provided, I am going to receive a tiny commission, and… most of the time, you will receive a discount. It's a win/win for both of us! The products that I share are ones I believe in. You are supporting me when using the links provided and for that I am very grateful!
