Cheaper AND Better! DIY Laundry Detergent
February 9, 2012 by Bobbi
Today, our sweet friend Jen, from Blissful 55 is guest posting on Dirty Laundry. No, I am not talking about the problems and dirty little secrets of our lives….we are talking legit, dirty, smelly, laundry; or more importantly, how we get that dirty laundry clean.
It took me a while to come around to the idea of making my own laundry soap. I tend to be very particular about my laundry detergent. I need it to not fade my colors, smell good, and most importantly clean well. I do not have children at home who like to get their clothes extremely dirty but I do have a husband who insist on coming home from softball games each week looking like the Dirt Monster (he enjoys sliding…and is usually always safe). I have never opted for just the cheapest, non-smelling detergent. I love my clothes and was always worried that, by paying for the cheapest detergent possible, I would “get what I paid for”. My favorite detergent was Gain’s “Liquid Apple Mango Tango” with the coordinating fabric softener.
It met my every need, with the exception of the price tag. We always bought the size that says it contains 48 loads for $10.97 (Wal-Mart price) and that was just the detergent. The fabric softener was $4.47 for 52 loads. Both lasted us around 3 months based on our 4 loads of laundry a week. That brings the total to around $60-$65 a year. I don’t know about you but I would like to have all the extra money I can get. The husbands law school expenses tend to cut down on my craft budget and that is just unacceptable! I need my crafts to keep my sanity so I started looking for ways to save money. I was seriously a huge skeptic when it came to homemade laundry soap but when I realized the price difference, I just had to try it! I did a ton of research and looked up so many varying recipes and then determined what I thought would be best. I tried one smaller batch, thought it was okay but knew there was room for improvement so I went back and did more, yup you guessed it….research! I’m thrilled to say that it was all worth it and I love our homemade laundry detergent. So what do I have to do to entice you to run to the store and get these ingredients? How about I share how much it cost….are you ready? Try approximately $28…A YEAR! That’s based on 6 loads of laundry a week (It’s just me and Mr. Awesome at home so we normally only do around 4, which means this will last around 18 months!) Now let’s get started.
You will need…
1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it)
2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. You can also use Fels Naptha)
1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went)
1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- or use 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs. Scentsy washer whiffs are my top choice, (they smell out-of-this-world amazing – my favorite is Quiver), but when in a hurry, I opt for the Purex, (which can be found in the detergent aisle).
The hardest most time consuming part is grating the cheese soap. The hubs thinks it looks like pink cheese….has anyone ever seen pink cheese? Ya didn’t think so! I’m not fortunate enough to have a food processor so I was stuck doing this with a typical hand grater. I did try a blender just for kicks and giggles….total fail! Stick to either a hand grater or food processor if you are blessed enough to have one. I should make it known that the soap dissolves just fine, even in cold water. I know that tends to be a concern but you need not worry. Oh and I would recommend using a large mixing bowl to grate into and using the fine side of the grater.
Another option is to microwave the soap before hand. First, cut the bar into chunks, like this:
Pop it into the microwave for about a minute. It will expand… a lot…but then it is dry and just crumbles into tiny bits!
The hardest part is now over and all that’s left is to mix everything together. I used a very large bucket that I got from my Father-in-Law and took a layering approach to mix it easier. I took a small amount of each ingredient and layered it on top of each other, then I grabbed a large mixing spoon and mixed it together. I did this probably 5 times but it was so much easier than dumping all the ingredients in at once and then trying to mix it well.
Here it is in all it’s mixed up glory.
This batch makes A TON! Now for probably the best part…you only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load depending on the size…I’ll give you some time to re-read that since I’m sure your in total disbelief…recover yet? That’s right, you only need 1-2 Tablespoons per load! Now here comes the stroke of genius, if you opted to put the Purex Crystals in your batch, you can scoop the detergent right into your bottle and use the cap as your measuring spoon. There are 3 lines on the side and the middle one is approximately 2 Tablespoons…genius right?
Just to give you an idea of how long this bottle lasts, I’ve used about half this bottle and have done around 40 loads, not to mention the huge amount still left in my bucket.
I know that I’m not the only skeptic out their so to put your mind at ease, take a look at the comments!
I thought I would answer the question that has been sent in the most by our readers. The question is how well it worked in a High Efficiency Washer. It actually works really well! This is mostly because it doesn’t create any suds. It took me some time to get used to that but it is actually better for the washer.
Hope this motivates you all to run out and make our own batch. We would love to hear from you whether it be your questions, concerns, or reviews of the soap after you have made it. And don’t forget to stop by and check out Blissful 55′s other projects!
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If you love natural products like this, make sure to snag your FREE $10 in credit over at Vitacost while their offer lasts! {I LOVE their Blue Eucalyptus and Lavender Fabric Softener, and all of their Burts Bees products}.
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BLISSFUL 55‘s HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle. (This is optional but I highly recommend adding it)
2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (we chose to do pink for the scent but the white would be just fine. You can also use Fels Naptha)
1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the cooking aisle (You could also get two 2 lb box, we couldn’t find the larger 4lb box when we went)
1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener- Found in the detergent aisle OR 3-4 bottles of Scentsy Washer Whiffs found HERE. (my favorite scent is Quiver)
Directions
1. Grate zote soap with cheese grater or food processor.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.
3. Use 2 -4 Tablespoons per laundry load.
***This recipe was written by guest author Jen, from Blissful 55. Check out her fabulous blog for more inspiration and DIY tips.***
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If you’d like to share this fabulous recipe, you can here is an adorable idea on how to gift it. Perfect for birthdays, Christmas, of just because. This tutorial also includes a FREE Laundry Gift Giving printable.
CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW TO SEE HOW TO GIFT THE WORLD’S BEST LAUNDRY DETERGENT.
Other posts not to miss:
The Toilet BOmB and other all natural cleaning recipes!
DIY All Natural Lip Balm and Hard Lotion
10 Tips to Save $ Around the House
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question: is this safe in a HE (high efficiency) machine?
I have been making my own laundry soap for about 4 years and My husband and I bought a HE washer about a year ago, I never even wondered if I could or couldn’t use my laundry soap, I just did it. We have not had any problems. I do dump a half gallon of vinegar through it every few months just to help with any build up that may be there.
Hi Angela,
Yes it is safe in an HE machine. I personally don’t have an HE machine but I know that this specific recipe has been used in an HE machine without any problems what-so-ever (I’ve given so much out to friends and family to try). HE machines need a detergent that is low sudsing. This recipe does not make any suds so it works really well.
If you have an HE washer you are going to want to omit the fabric softener from the recipe. I was speaking with repair man about proper/improper use with the HE washers and he said the worst thing you can do is use fabric softener in an HE washer and strongly recommends to skip it all together so you don’t shorten the life of your washer.
I’ve been making my own detergent for awhile now & have always been frustrated with the scent. I WILL be trying this!
Do you add fabric softener to your loads as well? Do you use dryer sheets in the dryer?
A tip: I grate the ZOTE in my food processor. I put the shredding blade in, cut the soap in half lengthwise & send it through. Then I change to the chopping blade & pulse it a few times to get granules…very fast & easy. The headache with this method is the clean up. I run everything through my dishwasher then wash it again by hand. I don’t want soap residue on my FP when I use it for food.
Hi Jen,
Thanks for the tip! I am so going to invest in a food processor. I don’t use extra fabric softener since I added the Purex Crystals. The last 4 loads I have experimented with dryer sheets but that is only to help with static control. I think the Purex does a great job by itself.
I heard that if u put a ball of foil in your dryer with your clothes it will take the staic out!:)
you can make your own dryer sheets by taking a hand towel and soaking it in a bowl with liquid fabric softener wring it out real good and let it dry ( i pour the extra fabric softener back into the container so i can use it again) you can use it for like 40 loads. I always hang it up in my bathroom to dry and it makes my whole apartment smell AMAZING.
if u let the zote dry and get hard. then it will powder when u grate it. so buy several bars and let them dry when u r ready for them they will be ready.
I started making my own soap last fall. I began with Fels-naptha for the soap part, but it didn’t dissolve that well in my washer. Next, I tried Ivory soap after reading other people’s experience. It worked great until my washer CLOGGED! It’s an HE and the tube from the soap dispenser to the drum got clogged with undissolved clumps of ivory soap. Thankfully, it was under warranty and I wasn’t charged for the repairman to come out and fix it.
I mixed my detergent very well and used the recommended amount. Now I’m nervous to try another dry homemade laundry soap. I also have a ton of soap I had mixed up that will now go un-used. I was trying to avoid the liquid homemade stuff b/c it’s such a pain to make. Anyway, has anyone else had this problem?
I also have an HE – I wonder if we can just add it directly to the drum?
I have an HE and have been making my own soap for years. With the HE there is no problem at all since it’s not a sudsy soap. I have a top loading HE and I add it where the dispenser is for soap not directly in the drum.
I grate the soap and put it out on a big platter for a couple of days, stirring it once a day to dry it out. Once dry I put it in my blender and make it into a powder. Perfect. It takes a little more time but not active time just time to schedule the drying in.
I think I might just have to try drying it out and making into a powder form just for mixing purposes. The soap dissolves really well, especially if you use the fine side of the grater. Great idea Jas. Thanks for sharing!
I have an HE as well i am just looking into making my own detergent i do add my detergent straight to my drum cause i do not have a dispencer but in still afraid i might mess something up so nervous to try but want to so badly
That sounds like it might work! We have an HE washer, and while I really want to try home made laundry soap I’m really wary of ruining my washer..
I have a front load HE And I just add it to the drum and have no problems at all. It works great.
Does the mix work in HE washers!
Hi John,
Yes it does work well in HE washers.
I realize this is an old post, but wanted to reply anyway…I have been making this recipe of laundry soap for over a year now, and have an HE machine. I have always just dumped it straight into the drum, no problem.
Melanie I’m sorry to hear about all the problems you had! That would be so frustrating. I chose the Zote for 2 purposes. 1. I had read that it dissolved better and 2. it smells better and as you can tell, I’m a sucker for great smelling soap. hehe. I can understand your hesitation with trying another soap and I totally agree with you about the liquid stuff. I knew for sure that I didn’t want to try my hand at that. I’m not patient enough to make a soap that takes so long to make!
Just wanted to add that you can “cook” the bar of soap in the microwave for approximately 2-3 minutes (depends on microwave). This dries out the soap and makes it crumble as you grate it. It helps it mix with the powders better and dissolve in cold water better.
How much does the batch make – 1 gallon? 2 gallons? Wondering what size container you need to store this in?
Also for my 2 little ones I usually use free and clear detergent….. how smelly is this if I leave out the fabric sofetener?
Ditto – I have a daughter who has sensitive skin and I’ve used a free and clear type detergent since she was born. I do use fels naptha for stain treatment on her clothes so I wonder if that would be better? … Any thoughts on how well a detergent like this does with sensitive skin would be appreciated!!
Hi Kelly,
You could certainly try the Fels Naptha. I chose the Zote because in my research it seemed like it might be the better dissolving soap and I also chose it for the scent. I know this soap has been used on newborns and toddlers clothes without any reaction but I can’t say if they had sensitive skin.
Hi Jen was wondering if I left out the Zote soap and the A&E washing soda (because I have looked everywhere and can’t find them) would it work just as well? I did read someone’s post that says you can dry out regular baking soda in the oven and that would be the same as the super washing soda. Any suggestions? I live in Leamington,Ontario Canada. I can’t find the Naptha soap either.
Kelly,
I am a lung patient and have asthma and allergies both the fragrances and skin and started making my own bath and laundry soaps because of it. I don’t have any problems with the borax, washing soda, baking soda, or Oxyclean. The Pyrex Crystals have proven to be a bit too strong for me to breath around so next time I make this I will reduce the amount to around a fourth of what is called for in the recipe. As for as skin allergies go, if your daughter uses a bar soap without problems it’s okay to use that type of soap instead of the Zote. If not, look for a natural soap [not something labeled "bar" instead of "soap"], hopefully one that is hypoallergenic. Fels Naptha, by the way, which is awesome, I DO have problems with, as well as Zote.
Hi Gina,
I made my batch in a 50lb bucket and actually just weighed it. The batch makes about 20lbs. I can only give my best guess as far as how many gallons but I would guess at least 3 gallons. It make so much!
If you are worried about smell, I would recommend using the white zote soap. The pink has more of a perfumey smell. Really, it is smellier in the container than it is on the clothes. The smell, without the fabric softener, doesn’t transfer much to the clothes which is one reason I added the fabric softener crystals. Hope that makes sense!
Can this recipe work for HE washers? (front loading kind, that the laundry soap is dispensed from the tray at the top?)
Hi Christi,
Yes this recipe works for HE washers. Our readers have put the soap in the tray as well as directly in the drum and either seems to work just fine.
I don’t understand how this can work with oxi clean in it, it’s so hard to dissolve for just using in a bucket with stained clothes – how could it dissolve in a front-loading washer? Also, the oxi-clean website says to put it directly in the drum before adding clothes; probably more chance of dissolving that way. I was thinking of putting it in the Cuisinart to get a finer powder, maybe more chance of dissolving.
I have not seen Zote Soap. If I cannot locate some….do you have a substitute?
Hi Karen,
I have seen Zote at Walmart and some Dollar Stores as well as either Home Depot or Lowes (don’t remember which one) If you can’t find it, I would try Fels Naptha. I think that would be the next best option IMO
I was unable to find Zote at Walmart, but lucked out at an “international” grocery store in my community. Since Zote is from Mexico, check your smaller local grocery stores.
It’s kind of funny–we just bought the stuff to make our own laundry soap last weekend, and we haven’t done it yet. I’m glad to read such positive reviews, and I think we’ll add in the Oxy crystals, since our recipe we found online didn’t call for them.
Yay! I’m sure you are going to love it! Make sure to stop by our blog and let us know how it goes!
You may know this by now, but on the bar soap you can place it in the microwave for 5 minutes…it will puff up huge, but that also removes the moisture & breaks it down to where it crumbles a lot easier than grating all the soap. I do have a question, since you add the fabric softener, do you put dryer sheets in when you dry or how does it do in controlling static if no dryer sheets are used?
Hi Judy,
I didn’t know that about the soap so thank you!! Without dryer sheets, I have had some batches (specifically color clothes) that seem more staticy. I have used dryer sheets the last 4 loads and it seems to help some with the color clothes. I would give it a try without using dryer sheets and see what you think.
I just tried it for 5 minutes… at 3 minutes it started to burn… so Maybe just 2 minutes?
try microwaving in 30 second intervals. and then letting it set out a day or two to dry out more. it will then almost completley crumble in your hands and you won’t have to grate it. I find it dissolves better this way. (I have a HE washer as well, cold water usage only.)Thanks for the new recipe! I can’t wait to try it. http://bluejeansformomma.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-3-laundry-suds.html
Is this compatible with HE washers?
Hi Sarah,
It is compatible with HE washers. It doesn’t create any suds which is really good for HE machines.
Here’s a tip for using a blender to grate the bar soap. Cut the soap into 4ths then 4ths again and then 4ths again. Add about 1/2 cup of borax and/or washing powders to the blender and then add one or two pieces of cut up soap . First use the ice breaking pulse to break up the chunk and then blend away. The addition of the powder keeps the soap from sticking to the bottom of the blender and melting from the heat.
Clarification on cutting the soap….once you have the 4 pieces cut each of those in half and then those pieces in half.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the tip! I did cut my soap into small pieces before sticking it in the blender but didn’t use any of the powder ingredients. I bet that would help a ton!
hilarious. I saw the idea for the soap about two months ago and in the comments then I pinned these steps in the comments adding the crystals for the smell to keep my family happy. Works even better with the Gain scent crystals. Great minds?
LOL! I’ll agree to the great minds hehe! I haven’t seen the Gain scent crystals. I might have to check that out for my next time. Maybe compare the price and smell?
I have a question – do you add fabric softener in the rinse cycle as well or are the purex crystals in the detergent itself all you add?
Hi Beatirz,
I don’t add anything other than the Purex Crystals and really, I don’t think it needs anything more.
I wonder if that soap is available where I am (just outside of Toronto).
I made some liquid soap years ago and hated it. It did not clean well at ALL. I love saving money, but the money-saving alternative has to work!
I do have a question though. Has your homemade laundry powder gotten hard? I’m concerned that it will turn into a solid, rock hard lump before I can finish using it.
Hi Ange,
I wish I could say where you could find the soap in Toronto but my best guess would be Walmart. I think you can also find the Zote online for purchase. I would recommend stirring it every now and then. It can clump up if you just let it sit for months and months. Transferring it to a smaller bottle seems to help that some and I always give the bottle a shake before pouring it into the wash and then take a large mixing spoon to the huge bucket probably around once a month.
I found Zote at my local Mexican grocery store. None of the discount retailers had it in my town (in MI)
i use the liquid version of this. i do not add the oxyclean or the fabric softener. i have found my clothes are nice and soft with out it. no dryer sheets either. i try to keep cost as low as possible so thats why no oxyclean and am happy with the cleaning results. i have not tried the dry version as have read a lot of reviews that it doesnt dissolve as well but that was with the fels naptha. i really prefer the zote.does it really dissolve well in cold water? that would be so much easier.
Hi Kathy,
It really does dissolve well. I know that tends to be a big concern for people but yes it does dissolve well, even in cold water. If you are really worried about it, try getting it as fine as possible. The finer it is, the faster and easier it will dissolve.
ok for realz, now i want to just throw out the store bought stuff and make my own
will definitely be trying this when the time comes thanks!
Yay! Jamie, I am so excited for you to try it! Make sure to stop by our blog and let us know how you like it!
I have been using this recipe (without baking soda or fabric softener) for the past 10 years in my HE front loading machine with no issues. I do add it directly to the tube instead of putting in the dispenser unless I was feeling really motivated and make up the liquid version instead. I have to admit I like a citrus smell so we add a bit of grapefruit, lemon, and rose essential oils to the detergent as well as some tea tree oil for its anti-bacterial properties. With 4 males (3 teens and my hubby) who are in sports/work-out daily we need all the help we can get!!
Peggy do you have problems with your whites turning blah? I had used a similar recipe (no baking soda only washing soda and no fabric softener), and after a while my husband started complaining that his white T-shirts looked dull. I use vinegar in the fabric softener spot and still do even with store bought detergent. I do not like that fabric softener coats our clothes or my washer/dryer with chemicals.
Thanks so much for posting Peggy! It’s nice to hear reviews straight from people who use the recipe with their HE machines.
Hi! I just a quick question about the laundry detergent! I am really excited to make and use this but do you add additional fabric softener to the load or is this sufficient? I don’t want to overdo it! Thanks!
Hi Meghan,
I really don’t add anything other than the Purex Crystals and I think that is plenty sufficient. I am excited for you to try it! Stop by our blog and let us know how you like it!
Is there a liquid version of this? I love the ingredients, but I am a liquid detergent kind of gal.
Thanks
Hi June,
I know there are many liquid recipes out there but I’m not sure the exact ingredients and amounts are the same. I really couldn’t give an opinion on the liquid kind. I specifically chose the powder because I thought it would do a better job and it is significantly easier to make.
How much did all the ingredients cost you?
In the paragraph under the Gain bottles, she said it cost her around $28……
I wanna say it was specifically $27.66ish I just chose to round up to $28.
Question? Is this Laundry Detgerent good for High Efficency Washers?
Yup! It doesn’t create any suds which is best for HE machines.
I have been using my homemade laundry detergent for about a week and love it! To make the soap grating less time consuming, cut it in chunks and put it in the microwave until it “bubbles up”. Let it cool completely and then just crumble it with your hands.
Thanks Sarah!
I made the gel type version of this a couple of weeks ago and started adding the Purex crystals to get that lavender smell back – it is a hit! I may add oxiclean, but see a need for it, yet. I love saving the money but also love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with Doing It Yourself!
How do you make the Gel version?? I have never been a fan of powder soap but would love to try this!
Hi Andrea,
Is the gel type different than the liquid kind? I’m so glad you love it! I agree though, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it is pretty awesome!
We are on a well. Do you think this would react ok to the well water? I am just wondering if anyone tried this with hard water. I don’t want dingy whites
Borax is great for hard water and on the back of the box it says you can add 1/2 cup to each load with regular detergent if you have hard water.
I was wondering if you use a fabric softener in your dryer. My hubby’s uniforms are polyester and they tend to get static electricity if I don’t use a sheet in the dryer. Will this replace that?
Hi Jennifer!
If you have problems with static already, I would recommend using dryer sheets. I have added it a couple times to a few of my batches that tend to be staticy but don’t use them all the time.
Does this work for HE washers and if so, would you use the same amount of soap?
Hi Bre,
It does work for HE washers and as far as I know you use the same amount.
This looks great. 2 questions:
1. Is it safe for he washing machines?
2. Does the cheese soap melt in the washing machine or stick to ur clothes then melt onto ur clothes when you dry them?
Hi Carly,
It is safe for HE machines. The soap dissolves in the water. I have not had any stick to my clothes and then melt. It dissolves really well!
I’ve made my own soap in the past and in my experience- Fels Naptha (while its an INCREDIBLE stain remover) will make your whites yellow. So if making, don’t use that. I’ve never tried Zote but I’m curious to see if it’s better. I.m trusting Bobbi on that one.
(the oxyclean probably helps too)
I made a batch in October and I’m barely through 1/3 of it. I did use the Purex Crystals, but only used 1 bottle.
Also, if you’re adding the Oxyclean, here’s two tips: 1) The store brand (Dollar Store for me) works just as good, and 2) The scoop from the Oxyclean is about 2 Tablespoons.
Don’t be skeptical – just do it. You’ll be amazed at how long this stuff lasts!
Hi Leiah!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write a review! I’m so glad you like it. It does make a ton doesn’t it?!?
It’s good to know the store brand works just as good and that scoop is the right amount!
Thanks again!
I’ve been using homemade laundry soap for about 6 months now. I made the dry because of the headache of making the liquid. But found that the powder doesn’t dissolve well in my HE washer. So I dissolved it in boiling water, let it set overnight. and put it in coffee can for storage. when I need it I take the concentrated mixture out of the coffee can and mix it with vinegar in my blender then put it in my old Gain bottle.( let it breath for a few moments before turning on the blender or it will foam everywhere.) And I added tea tree oil. I use Vinegar mixed with hair conditioner for fabric softener. Works great and it smells great.Vinegar is great for odors and help whiten
Hi Roberta,
I have heard of using vinegar and hair conditioner as fabric softener. I might give that a try next time but I really like having the Crystals mixed in. I can’t believe the powder wasn’t dissolving. I haven’t had or heard of anyone else having that problem. That’s too bad.
Does anyone know which board this listed under on Pinterest? Or who put up this pin o Pinterest. They had some more cool stuff on their board tht I wanted to see but I closed the page by accident.
I saw this on Darliene Paricka’s board “I can do that”
Yvette, I pinned this from Natalie Holbrook and her “Homemade” board. Lots of other ideas on there.
Is this soap safe to use in HE machines?
Also, have any Canadians made it? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the pink soap or fabric softener crystals! I know we have Arm & Hammer, but haven’t seen the washing soda.
HI Kendra,
I’m not Canadian but yes it works in HE machines. If you can’t find Zote, you could use either Fels Naptha, Kirks Castile, or Ivory.
I just made this and I am in NE Ontario. I could not find the soap or washing soda in a store but we are small town and somewhat remote. I found unscented laundry soap bars and washing soda from well.ca and they ship to all Canada free. Before making this I googled where to find washing soda and some said Zehr’s (I think that is the name of it). I have never been in one though. And for the crystals? I think we might be out of luck. I found downy unstopables but that is scent only and we just prefer scent free anyways. Good luck.
I’m so excited to try this I just have one question, my girls have really sensitive skin, do you think anything in it would cause a reaction? (it seems right now that the only thing that doesn’t cause one is Draft and that’s expensive!). Thanks a bunch!
Hi Heather,
I don’t know of any ingredients in this recipe that would cause a reaction. It has been used on newborn and toddlers clothes without a reaction but I can’t say if they have extra sensitive skin.
I have an HE machine and I’m wondering how this would do – has anyone tried it. I’ve been told you are only suppose to use detergents that have the “HE” symbol. What ar the ingredients for the recipe for the liquid version? Thank
Hi Teralyn,
This recipe does well in HE machines because it doesn’t create any suds. As far as a liquid version, the ingredients are the same, it just involves boiling water and more work.
What do you mean boiling water – would you mind sharing how I would do liquid form. Thanks – for all of your help and answering everyones questions, even if they are the same
Have you tried this in COLD water and if so how does it work?
Thank you,
Hi Jeri,
I do most of my laundry in cold water and it works great! The soap dissolves just fine!
I am loving my homemade dry detergent but still had concerns about it hurting my HE Washer. I know that it is low suds, but I’ve heard buildup can be a problem. I am now doing a cycle with hot water and vinegar every few weeks to clean the pipes, etc. and that does a great job.
Although we all want to use cold water to save energy, when I called an appliance repair man to get his input, he was adamant that we need to use warm and hot water cycles (depending on what you are washing) to help keep the washer from getting that mildew-y smell. Even though we have soap in the washer, it is the heat that kills the bacteria, so espcially with bedding, use hot water to kill dust mites and bacteria build up in your machine.
That was a good tip.
He also said to test how soluable the detergent is by mixing a tblsp. or two with 3 gallons of water to see if the detergent dissolved or was grainy. I tried the soluable test with cold water and my dry homemade detergent still completely dissolved – no grainy feeling. I do put the bar soap in the food processor and that makes a big difference in it dissolving easily and quickly.
That might be a good test for many that have hard or soft water so they can see how easily the detergent dissolves.
Thanks for all of the tips -
I find the comments extremely helpful!
Thanks everyone for all your wonderful comments and questions!
I love this idea! only thing I came across researching these home made recipes was a comment some one made on another site saying after a long time of use the soap scum build up from the bar soap since it is animal fat based and doesnt break down it wrecked thier machine and that a vegetable based soap like castile would be a better alternative. When I make this recipe I am going to try the castile version. may be a suggestion you could make on here .it made sense to me as I am a bar soap user in the shower and always am dealing with soap scum
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for the idea. I’ll have to do some research on castile soap. If you makd it and use Castile instead, make sure to let us know how it goes!
I’ve made laundry detergent with castile soap before and it worked just fine in my HE washer. I just made some detergent with ZOTE and love it, too!
I tried this recipe a couple months ago (got it from Pinterest), all of the ingredients were the same except I used Fels Naptha instead of Zote and did not use the fabric softener.
I really wanted it to work, but honestly it just did not clean our clothes. I started out using 1-2 T., but it did absolutely nothing. I could still smell the deodorant in my husband’s shirts when they came out of the machine, and general grime that Tide would have gotten out was still there with this stuff. Another odd thing – anywhere there was a dribble of spilled milk (like on the baby’s sheets or clothes) that area ended up as a dark brown spot after it came out of the dryer. Maybe the soap & milk were reacting in the dryer heat?
I thought maybe needed to use more than 2T., but all that did was leave soap scum on our clothing. You could feel the residue on everything. I would think that would be really bad for sensitive skin.
Has anyone had a similar experience? It seems to work for so many people, with either Fels Naptha or Zote. I was truly so bummed when it didn’t work for me. Our water is on the hard side, maybe that’s the problem?
Hi Steph,
That would be so frustrating! I wish I could tell you why it wouldn’t work. I’m not sure how hard water would affect it. I know I don’t have the softest water but it still works great for me. Like I said in the post, my husband comes home after every softball game covered in dirt that has penetrated his 2 layers of clothes and after they are washed, they come out super clean. Sorry you had a frustrating experience with it!
I’ll try and do some research, maybe find out what the problem could have been. If I find something, I’ll let you know!
Thanks Jen, I appreciate it! I would love to figure out a way to make it work for me!
I also love making my own detergent. I’ve used a similar recipe on a smaller scale. I like yours…make it less often.
Anyway, I have discovered (via another blog) a neat trick for the bar of soap. Cut it into fourths (or even sixths) and microwave each piece for one minute. The soap magically becomes very dry and brittle…which lends it to crumbling in the food processor and giving you a much more powdery end result.
Hi Amy!
Thanks for the tip on the soap. I can’t wait to try it next time I have to make a batch. Anything to help save me from grating the soap!
I purchased the items to make the detergent today. I was able to find all six ingredients on the laundry aisle @ Walmart for a total of $22.96 + tax. Can’t wait to try it out!
YAY! I can’t wait for you to try it out. Make sure to let us know how you like it!
I bought all ingredients today at Wal-Mart and it cost me $40.62+tax.
hi, i am really wanting to try this out. but am alittle unsure about it. i dont really like powder detergents. is there any suggestions/ formulas for making a small batch to try before hand before having to invest time and money in such a large amount?
thanks in advance!
Hi Spillek,
You could try halving the recipe but unfortunately you would still have to buy the large boxes of washing soda and borax.
You don’t have to buy washing soda. Buy baking soda for a fraction of the price, and bake it at 350 for 30~40 minutes. It will make washing soda.
Hi! You mentioned about using for a HE washing machine, did you put it in the actual washing drum or in the soap dispenser? I was just wondering since its powder and not liquid, wasnt sure how that worked. (by HE you did mean a front loading washer??) thanks!
Hi Adela,
This recipe has been used in both top loaders and front loaders without any problems. In doing research for front loaders, I have found that it works either way. Some prefer to put it directly in the drum and others put it in the drawer dispenser and then put vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser. I would recommend trying both and see which one you think works best.
Ok so I see where a few people are concerned with the zote for several reasons. I also read on a few other sites that the zote can cause certain stains to set in. Could you just leave the zote out and just add two of the softeners for the scent? Then maybe you could just add a little more than two table spoons to your clothes. It seems to me that the oxiclean would help with stains. I LOVE THAT STUFF! I’ve never made my own laundry soap, so what do you think Jen?
Hi Shannon,
I haven’t had any problems with Zote whatsoever and from research, the only thing you could omit would be the Baking Soda but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you have hard water. If you don’t want to use Zote, you can try Fels Naptha or Kirks Castile. I have also read that people used Ivory soap and had good luck with that. I haven’t tried these so I can’t give my own opinion. I love the Zote and have no plans of changing to a different soap.
When you made this, did you use 2 -55 oz bottles if the Purex Crystals or a total of 55 oz? I have washed one load of towels but couldn’t smell anything but the Zote. i would prefer to smell the crystals. Thanks!
Hi Juli,
I used 2 of the 55oz bottles. I added the 2nd one mostly just for scent. It isn’t overpowering but I do smell the crystals instead of the zote on the clothes.
Thanks so much for responding! I bought 2-26 oz bottles. I may go buy at least one more of those and see what happens!
Any hints on making a great quality homemade soap without using scented products???
I have highly sensitive skin in my household.
Hi Natalie,
You could try Fels Naptha instead of Zote and leave out the Purex Crystals. I think Fels Naptha is a milder smelling soap. I’m not sure how Kirks Castile is as far as scent is concerned. Some have tried Ivory soap and liked that as well. Wish I could give a more helpful answer! Anyone else have a good alternative for sensitive skin?
I love this idea and I want to try it. I am getting a brand new high efficiency washing machine and just want to double check that it will work okay with it…I am always looking for new ways to make things instead of buying them and I just have to try this because laundry detergent is so expensive to buy fillers…this recipe looks great.
Hi Corrina,
This recipe does work for HE washing machines. It does not create suds which will clog the machine and that is what is needed for HE machines.
First off, I bet you have a headache from answering the SAME questions over and over! (Does this work with HE? Do you still use fabric softener? Does the soap really dissolve?) GEEZE!!! I’d be crazy by now and not able to keep my cool! Good for you!!
Secondly, DH and I just finished mixing up a batch of this and have our first load going. I can’t wait to see how it goes!
Hi Marissa!
How did your load turn out?!? I am surprised by all the responses but I’m glad I can answer questions and help any way I can. At least I hope I am helping hehe.
Can’t wait to hear how your load turned out!
I’ve made my own soap for years but use the liquid and add Febreeze. The best investment I made was a $3.00 hand-crank cheese grater. Makes shaving that soap soooo much easier.
Hi Kim,
I might have to invest in a hand-crank. I’m sure my sore arm would appreciate it!
I wouldlove to try this! I have a quick question though, can this be used in the front loader machines? I wasn’t sure if only liquid could be poured through the little trap door.
Thanks!
Hi Raven,
Yes, this can be used in a front loader machine. You can try putting it in the trap door or putting it directly in the drum. Others have had luck either way!
My front loader washer has a piece in the dispenser that comes out if I use powder detergent. I made this detergent and am just putting it in the drum. I have only done two loads so far, but it seems to dissolve okay in the drum.
For those worried about clogging machines (especially HE ones) here is something you can do to help with any built up residue. Actually we should all be cleaning our machines every now and then.
Pour two cups of vinegar or lemon juice into the tub, and run the washing machine through a complete cycle on the hottest setting. This helps to remove odors, stains and any build up.
I have used the basic homemade laundry soap(just zote, washing soda and borax.) But I am really excited about this! I wanted more of a scent, and who doesn’t love having everything static free? Since my kids do their own laundry, it is easier to have everything in one step (no more forgetting to put in a dryer sheet, or add color safe bleach!) I am adding Purex and oxyclean to my grocery list and will make this soon!
Hi Jan,
I’m excited for you to make it! Make sure to stop by and tell us how it goes.