The Best Homemade Laundry Detergent – HE Washer Safe

The last time I went to the grocery store and needed to buy laundry detergent, the cost blew me away. There are five people in our family, and adorable dog, and a bird. Laundry is a beast that I must tackle daily, or it just gets out of hand. The amount of money I was spending on a quality laundry detergent that would clean our clothes was astronomical. Not to mention the fact that we had to find one that was gentle enough on my children’s skin because they would get a rash from the chemicals. That is when I discovered how to make the best homemade laundry detergent, and I never turned back.

Some people wonder why on Earth I would make my homemade laundry detergent. Well, my answer is simple.

• It is very affordable.
• It works better than any store bought detergent.
• Homemade Laundry Detergent is so easy to make.
• I know what is in it!

The other question I get is can you use it in a High-Efficiency Washing Machine? YES, you can!

The Best Homemade Laundry Detergent

You can choose to make small batches or one big batch. The big batch is the best in my opinion because once you have made it chances are you won’t need to make detergent again for MONTHS!!

4.5 from 2 votes

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The Best Homemade Laundry Detergent

Author Amanda Carlisle | AFewShortcuts.com

Ingredients

• 1 box Super Washing Soda - 3.7 lb
• 1 box Borax - 4 lb 12 oz. size
• 1 box Pure Baking Soda - 4 lbs
• 3 - 5.5 oz bars of Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap
• 1 container Oxy-Clean - 1.3 lb
• 15 - 20 drops your favorite essential oil I used lavender

Instructions

1. Finely grate the Fels-Naptha using a box grater or a food processor. 
2. Mix the grated soap with all of the ingredients in a large plastic tub. 
3. When doing laundry use 2 tablespoons for a normal size load. You may increase by 1 - 2 tablespoons for an extra large load. 

Recipe Notes

You can use any bar soap. If your family has sensitive skin try using Ivory for a gentler detergent.

Homemade Laundry Detergent Cost

This is the best part. I get giddy when I get to share this. Here is the cost rundown if you were to purchase all of these items from Walmart.

*Now I know prices can vary by location so this is the current price in my area.

• 1 Box of Super Washing Soda 3 lb. 7 oz. ($3.97)
• 1 Box of Borax 4 lbs 12 oz. size ($3.97)
• 1 Box of Pure Baking Soda 4 lb. ($1.98)
• 3 bars of Fels-Naptha or Zote 5.5 oz.  ($0.97 each)
• 1 container of Oxy-Clean 3 lb ($7.56) You will only use half of this.
• 1 bottle of lavender essential oil Or  your choice (optional)

TOTAL $16.61 for a full Large Batch totaling 18 lbs (or 288 oz.)

18 lbs will wash between 300 – 500 loads depending on the amount of detergent you use per load and the load size.  Final price is just $0.04 per load!

That makes the average price per load between $0.03 – $0.06 per load again dependant on the amount of detergent you use.

NOW let’s compare that to Tide. For the Tide Detergent, it averages $0.18 – $0.19 per load.

Now if you want to test this before you commit to making a big batch or The Best Homemade Laundry Detergent you can make a smaller batch.

• 1 bar of Fels Naptha, Grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 1/2 cups Super Washing Soda
• 2 1/2 cups Baking Soda
• 1 cup Borax
• 2 cups Oxyclean
• 4-5 drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)

Just mix and use the same way as listed above.

Homemade Laundry Detergent Tips

• You are not stuck using Fels Naptha or Zote. You can use any bar soap. If your family has sensitive skin try using Ivory Soap instead.
• If you love the smell of store bought detergent, you can purchase a scent booster and mix it into your detergent instead of essential oils. You will get the benefits of homemade with the scent you love!
• Give it as a gift. YES, this makes an excellent gift for a new college student or a house warming gift. Give a huge container of this Homemade Laundry Detergent with the recipe in a fun jar or container with a scoop. They will love it!

Have you tried the best Homemade Laundry Detergent yet? How did it work for you? Come back and leave a comment letting us know how you liked it!

Check out this Homemade Carpet Deodorizer too!