As someone who loves to save money and enjoys DIY projects, stumbling upon Why Not Sew’s blog was a real treat. I was amazed to find a recipe for creating your own liquid laundry detergent that’s not only cost-effective but also super easy to make. What’s more, this recipe uses only three basic ingredients: soap, borax, and washing soda. No more worrying about the harsh chemicals and fragrances that come with store-bought detergents, especially if you have sensitive skin like me.
But the best part is the amount of money you’ll save. As a self-proclaimed thrift queen, I couldn’t believe the estimated cost of $6.00 for 576 loads. Yes, you read that right. This DIY laundry detergent lasts a long time and costs only pennies per load. I compared this to the cost of my average washing powder and was shocked to find out that it costs $392 for 576 loads in Australian dollars.
With this DIY laundry detergent recipe, you won’t have to worry about running out of laundry detergent, especially during those unexpected times when you need it the most. And you won’t have to break the bank to keep your clothes clean and fresh. All you need is a little bit of time and effort, and you’ll have a laundry detergent that’s effective, affordable, and safe for you and your family.
The best part about this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy to make. Even if you’re not a seasoned DIY-er, you can create this laundry detergent in no time. You’ll need just a few basic supplies, including a large pot, a long spoon, a funnel, and a container to store your detergent. Once you have your supplies ready, you’re good to go.
Here is the recipe for making your very own homemade liquid laundry detergent
Inexpensive, fun and easy to make, it lasts a long time and costs only pennies per load.
An added bonus is you know what is in it.
Soap Borax, Washing Soda. That is it.
Hang on a minute I am still getting my head around the savings you will make ( I am the thrift queen just ask my hubby about the “Great Wall Of Toilet Paper” ) an estimated cost is $6.00 for 576 loads.
Now compare that too an average washing powder ( I did the calculations on my washing powder ) $392 for 576 loads and that is in Aussie dollars
With the money you save on washing powder you can buy more important things like CHOCOLATE or someone to actually DO the washing for you, now that’s an idea. Who is with me on this one. I would love to hear some feedback from people who try this recipe, I know I will be making some once I get through the stockpile of washing powder I bought on sale thinking I was making a saving.
You may have been told you need to use “special soap” for your HE front-load washing machine. Let me enlighten you as to why. HE front-load washers require “special soap” for one reason and one reason alone…low suds; because they use less water, they require soap that is less sudsy. The good news is, the homemade detergent in this recipe is VERY low suds. Just make sure you use the recommended amount of detergent.
The HE designation is just another advertising mechanism the industry is using to try & swindle consumers into buying “special soap” that they charge unnecessarily exorbitant prices for.
Check out some of our other articles on DIY Laundry Powder Recipes-
10 DIY Frugal Laundry Powder Recipes
I have been making a similar recipe . I Love it, figure it costs me about $5 for 10 gallons, and that last me about 3-4 months.
Does anyone have a recipe for the HE top loader
This recipe is fine to use for HE top loader 🙂
Sounds really good but I’m a powder washer (liquid detergents seem to cause excema in this house) so if anyone has a good homemade powder recipe, would love to see it. Thanks so much.
for powder mix the grated bar soap, borax and washing soap and use dry. about 2 tbsp i think (can always be adjusted to your liking…) boiling it and making liquid soap just ensures everything dissolves for cold water washing!
you can sent powder soap as well just add a couple drops of oil and mix and keep adding until you get what smells good to you. just don’t add all the oil at once!
1 C. Fels Naptha(grated)(or another bar soap of choice)
1 C. Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1C. Borax
1 QT water
4 1/2 Gal. water
5 Gal bucket w/lid
Bring to a boil the 1 QT of water in a sauce pan.
Add Fels Naptha, stir until completely dissolved.
In the bucket: add 3 Gal of VERY hot water, washing soda and Borax, stir until dissolved.
Add melted soap and 1 1/2 Gal of water.
Stir until all is blended and dissolved.
The soap will turn to a gel once it has cooled. Simply break it up and stir.
Fill up your soap containers and give it a gentle shake before each use.
I use the same amount of soap that I had before.
I have enjoyed making my own soap. I also feel that my clothes are much cleaner, especially my whites. I feel they are a bit brighter!
Thank you for posting the laundry detergent and fabric softener recipes!. I am going to make them this weekend for the first time. This is me kicking myself for wasting so much money for all these years! Just told my husband we could have probably paid for 10 nice vacations with all that money! 🙂
Lynda
What is Soap Borax and Washing Soda? I’m very interested in this and how much of each to use. I’m also going to try your softener! So excited!