I stopped buying laundry products over 4 years ago and have never looked back. The cost savings to make my own is amazing outstanding, especially for our awkwardly large family of 8. My Homemade Laundry Detergent, Homemade Shout stain remover and Homemade Fabric Softener are some of my most popular recipes because we are all tired of paying huge prices to keep our clothes clean…and because they work beautifully!
About three months ago, I was caught off guard with a laundry room overflowing with dirty clothes and absolutely none of my original Homemade Laundry Detergent. I was in trouble. My original recipe works wonders, but it does take a bit of time to make since you have to grate the Fels Naptha, melt it over stove and then let the whole mixture sit overnight before you can use it. I didn’t have that kind of time! My family needed clean undies by morning 🙂
In laundry desperation, I turned to my favorite source for these types of tips and recipes, One Good Thing by Jillee. Of course, she didn’t fail me and had a fabulously quick solution to my conundrum. I ended up adjusting her recipe a bit by making a more concentrated version and using a smaller amount in each load. I love that it just takes a couple minutes to whip up enough laundry soap to wash 65 loads. I’ve been using it for over three months and I don’t think I will go back to my old recipe. I still really love my old recipe, but the time savings for this recipe is huge for me. Plus, the result is still wonderfully clean clothes!
**YES, this soap is perfectly safe for your HE machines. I also have an HE machine and it works wonderfully! The use of both the Borax and the washing soda keeps it a low-sudsing detergent and safe for HE machines**
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Easy Homemade Laundry Detergent
- Yield: 65 loads 1x
Ingredients
- 3/4 C Borax
- 3/4 C Washing soda
- 1/2 C Dawn dishwashing liquid
- 16 C Hot water
Instructions
- In a one gallon bottle, add half of the hot water then the Borax, washing soda and Dawn. Gently agitate the mixture to combine and then add the remaining hot water. To use the laundry soap, shake the bottle well before pouring out 1/4 C of the soap for each large load of laundry. The end result will be very thin so don’t worry if you think it turned out wrong 🙂
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 C
does it matter what kind of dawn liquid you use? does one work better than others? if it is scented do your clothes smell of that scent after wash?
Great questions! I have only ever used the blue Dawn because it is what I buy from Sams Club. I have never noticed a scent left on my clothes besides just a clean smell. I used to add essential oils to my detergent to try to get a scent left behind but was never successful. – Carole
I’ve been using the original formula from Jillee’s blog for a year now. I’ve only ever used the fragrance-free, hypoallergenic dawn. Any kind will work though!
Thanks Amanda! -Carole
Used the same laundry soap as you and funny thing when we run out and need a quick load we use dawn dish soap. So going have to give this a shot. One question though 1/4 c. is that for a medium size load of for a super size load.
Jen – I use a 1/4 C of soap on my extra large HE washer.
That sounds great but I have an HE washer and that sounds like it would suds quite abit. I also have slog of friends who have a front loader like mind and the talk about the smell. I gave had mind for 2 years and have always used the homemade with the fels napa and it has never had a bad smell. And I don’t cook mind I leave it in powder form.
Yes, this is completely safe with an HE washer. I also have an HE washer and not had any trouble. The combination with the borax and washing soda makes it a low sudsing detergent – Carole
What is washing soda and where can I find it?
Tamra – Washing soda can be found in most grocery stores by the other laundry products. It is made by the Arm and Hammer company. – Carole
I have a front loader HE machine, should I add the detergent to the dispenser or the drum?
Jolenne- Use your dispenser as you would with any liquid detergent -Carole
In case you care, borax can cause infertility in men. Anyways, I wanted to make this recipe but then I researched borax and just too many red flags so hopefully I can find a natural homemade laundry detergent.
Hi Chanel! Thanks for sharing your comment with my readers.
I have been using this “New” recipe from Carole for a few months now and love it. I am very sensitive to perfumes and scents and both of her recipes have a wonderful fresh clean smell that makes me think of sunshiney days with blue skies. I love holding my clothes up to my nose and breathing in. It’s like 50 years ago when I would take clothes off the clothesline.
So glad Sue! Thanks for coming back and sharing your experience with the recipe!