Homemade Laundry Detergent "Recipe"

So it has been quite a while since I wrote an article for this blog. I must admit that I fell away from the Organic/Eco-friendly movement. I became lazy again and stopped searching for ways to better myself and the planet. I have made the decision to alter my lifestyle again and hopefully I will be able to inspire others to do the same.

As an average consumer, I have been growing weary of the rising prices of certain every day items. One of these such items is laundry detergent. It seems like the bottles of liquid laundry soap keeping getting smaller and the prices keep getting higher. One bottle of Tide can set you back 10-15 dollars! It also frightens me that there are so many chemicals in these products!

I knew there had to be a better way to clean my clothes without spending an arm and a leg as well as being better for the planet. Using simple, more natural products like Borax and washing soda, doing your laundry can be less harmful on the planet and more eco-friendly! And for less than 10 dollars, I have made enough detergent to last 6 months or more. I know exactly what is in my detergent and I feel so happy about making it myself and saving some serious cash in the process!

Here is the Recipe I used:

4 Cups Boiling Water
2 Cups shaved soap (1 entire bar of soap, unscented. I used Ivory)
2 Cups Borax
2 Cups Washing Soda
5 Gallon Painters bucket with Lid


With a cheese grater, grate the bar of soap into shavings. Boil 4 Cups of water and melt the soap shavings until liquid (no visible chunks)

Add Borax and Washing Soda to bucket and add in melted soap. Stir until dissolved.

Add 2 gallons hot water and mix thoroughly.

Cover with lid and leave for 24 hours.

(Use 1/4 Cup per load of laundry).


*The final product will have a solid, gel, soap curd on top. Don't freak out! I got a pair of rubber gloves and broke up the curd and mixed it again with a whisk.

I liked that my clothes just smelled clean and did not have an overpowering scent.