DIY Laundry Detergent

By Jillian Owens

 

I love finding new ways to be self-reliant and resourceful.  I came to the decision to start making and remaking my own clothes when I walked by an expensive dress shop and thought, “Hey…I can do that!”  Since then, I’ve been looking at other things I think I pay too much for that I could probably make for myself.

One of these things is Laundry Detergent.  I pay just under $10 for a bottle of Tide about every few weeks or so.  This is silly!

 

It’s just not working out. 🙁

As a former avid couponer (the tedium of this time-consuming hobby was matched only by its monotony), I can tell you, there really aren’t that many great deals on laundry soap out there.  :/  Plus, I don’t really have that much space to stockpile the stuff.

What’s a gal to do?!

I started researching different ways to make my own.  I opted out of making a liquid detergent.  All that soap boiling and slime making didn’t sound that fun.  Plus, I’d have to find a place to put FIVE GALLONS of the stuff!  I decided to go with the easier powder detergent recipe that could make a smaller batch.

Here’s what you need.

 

All you need!

 

You’re looking at:

1 box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

1 box of Biz Stain Fighting Enzyme Cleaner

1 bar of Dial Soap

If you’re doing this at home, make sure you get washing soda, not baking soda.   Washing soda has a higher alkaline content.  Make sure you don’t get the Biz detergent, but the stain fighter.  Here’s where I deviated from most recipes: I used Biz instead of Borax, because I thought it would be less harsh on my clothes, but still fight any stains.  I used a bar of Dial soap instead of Fels Naptha laundry soap because I liked the smell better (Mmmmm!  Springtime Fresh!).  The only thing you’ll want to remember is if you’re substituting soaps, don’t use the kind with moisturizers in it, as you don’t want to lotion your clothes!

So now what?

The first step in this process is to grate the bar of soap.  I used my awesome food processor, so this took about 5 seconds.  Here’s what it will look like when you’re done.

 

Mmmmm! Looks like shredded Mozzarella!

 

Next, add 1 cup of Washing Soda and 1 cup of Biz to the shredded soap in your food processor (or blender, if you don’t have a processor) until all the bits of soap have been ground into powder.

It will look like this:

 

Powder!

 

That’s it!  You now have your own laundry detergent!

You’ll want to use less of this soap than what you’re used to.

Small Loads:  1 Tablespoon

Medium Loads:  2 Tablespoons

Large Loads:  3 Tablespoons

If you’re like me, you’ll want to peer in your machine to see how your new detergent is working.  Don’t worry when you don’t see any suds.  This detergent is sulfate-free (it’s the sulfate that makes the suds in the store-bought stuff), so you won’t see any.  Don’t fret!  Your duds don’t need suds to get clean!  🙂

So…How does it work, you ask?  Great!  I did a big load of darks to test my new soap, and they came out super-clean and smelling great!  I wash everything with cold water, and there was absolutely no residue on anything.  I would definitely say it works just as well as the expensive stuff.

 

Fancy Packaging, Eh?

 

I’m really excited about how well this worked and how easy it was.  For $6 in supplies, I have enough detergent to last for months and months!  AND it doesn’t have as many additives as store-bought detergent.  🙂

What fun things have you learned to do for yourself lately?

 

 

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Jillian Owens is a writer, designer, and eco-fashion revolutionary. A Columbia SC transplant, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BFA in Theatre and English. When she’s not gallivanting about, she’s busy refashioning ugly thrift store duds into fashionable frocks at ReFashionista.net or helping the underserved through her work in Community Impact at United Way of the Midlands. She also reviews local theater productions for Jasper Magazine and Onstage Columbia, and is an occasional contributor for The Free Times. Any comments, questions, or crude remarks can be directed to [email protected].

 

 

 

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