How to Make the Best Homemade Laundry Detergent—Liquid and Powdered
I’m not proud to admit it, but there was a time that I would’ve rather shoved toothpicks under my fingernails than be bothered with making my own homemade laundry detergent. Are you kidding me? Why on earth would I do that? I’m happy to live in modern times, not the stone age for goodness’ sake!
Oh my, how arrogant and ignorant I was. And deeply, horribly in debt to prove it.
Long story short, I learned how to cut expenses—to scrimp where it doesn’t matter in order have what matters most. And yes, I most willingly learned to make my own homemade laundry detergent for cheap—less than a nickel a load, giving up spending $ .35 or even $.50 a load for the ready-made options. And I got out of debt—paid off a massive amount of credit card debt, now happily debt-free with more joy than I can possibly express.
Look, I’m not saying that making laundry detergent is going to get you out of debt. That one move on its own will, at best, make a small dent in your weekly grocery tab. But add that to hundreds of other changes (hang around me with and I’ll teach you), and your life will change in dramatic ways. Just think about it.
In the meantime let me show you how quick and easy it is to do this:
Liquid Laundry Detergent
To make one-gallon liquid laundry detergent, you need these items:
- 1-gallon container with a lid
- 3/4 cup borax
- 3/4 cup washing soda
- water
- 3/4 cup blue Dawn
Borax
You can find Twenty-Mule Team Borax, or any brands of borax, in the laundry aisle of your supermarket or a department store like Walmart or Target. Also online.
Washing soda
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) is the brand of washing soda available in many supermarkets and stores like Walmart and Target and online.
An alternative to branded washing soda is soda ash (also sodium carbonate). Soda ash is the generic form and exactly the same thing as washing soda (not to be confused with baking soda) and is used in swimming pools to fix the ph. It’s readily available in pool supply stores or even larger department stores that carry pool chlorine and so forth, or online.
Blue Dawn
Readily available just about in any store, there are numerous versions of Blue Dawn. You’ll see it sold as “Original,” “Ultra Concentrated” and most recently, “Ultra Advanced Power.” While any version of Blue Dawn will work in this recipe, you need to know that Ultra Advanced Power Blue Dawn contains enzymes that will make your own laundry detergent even more awesomely powerful.
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Step 1:
Pour 3/4 cup borax and 3/4 cup washing soda (or soda ash as I am using in this tutorial) into the empty one-gallon container.
Step 2:
Add about 3 cups water. You’ll see a few bubbles form, but nothing to be concerned about.
Step 3:
Apply the lid and shake the container vigorously until the powdered ingredients appear to be dissolving. Give yourself a little workout here and shake it well so it looks incorporated and milky like this.
Step 4:
Fill the container with tap water to within about an inch of the top, more or less depending on the shape of your container. You want to leave enough room for the Dawn which is coming up.
Step 5:
Pour in 3/4 cup Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid.
Slowly …. you don’t want to create a lot of suds or bubbles.
Step 6:
Once you’ve poured in all of the Dawn, fill that measuring cup with more water so you can top off the container and rinse out the last of the Dawn.
Now, if you still have room, add more water until you are about 1/2-inch from the top.
Step 7:
Apply the lid. This should be quite easy because you will not be contending with suds or bubbles. Notice how the dawn is not fully mixed up. That’s fine. Just get that lid on tightly.
Step 8:
Instead of shaking it now just put the container on its side and roll it around a bit to get everything mixed.
Notice that without any kind of cleaning up at all, the counter is dry with no mess, no suds—quite clean and tidy, don’t you think? Yay! We’ve overcome the suds-to-infinity problem so many of my readers encountered with earlier instructions.
Take a moment to admire your beautiful homemade product and then let’s get to the laundry room where you will need your gallon of laundry detergent and a 1/4-cup measure.
Measure out 1/4 cup detergent, more or less depending on the size and type of washer you have, and the hardness level of the water where you live. I know that sounds nebulous. Understand that you will need to experiment to find exactly the right amount for your individual conditions.
The photos in this tutorial go back to when I had an LG Wave Force top-loading HE machine. I routinely used 1/4 cup of this detergent in that washer where I lived in Orange County Calif., where the water is very hard—17 grains!
Now, I live in Colorado, where the water is not as hard and I have a front loading GE washer—which uses very little water. I can’t believe how little! One-quarter cup is way too much for this machine. I know that because when I use that much, the result is stiff, dingy results! In my HE machine, with medium-hard water, I use about 1 tablespoon of this liquid laundry detergent per load.
Pour it in the way you have always added detergent to your washer. If you have a little detergent dispenser, that’s where this tidy 1/4 cup of beautiful liquid goes.
HE Compatible
This liquid laundry detergent is absolutely suited for HE (high efficiency) machines because when diluted even further in the wash load, it produces no suds, which is the difference between traditional and HE detergents.
Pro-tip. Between uses, the container of liquid laundry detergent will appear to be separating. No worries. Just make sure you shake the container well before each use. In time, “crystals” will develop in the bottom of the container. No worries, just shake before use and as you get to teh end, use the “crystals.” It’s all the same
Liquid Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup super washing soda, like Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup borax, like Twenty-Mule Team Borax (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup Original Blue Dawn (Note 3)
Instructions
- Measure and pour washing soda and borax into the one-gallon container.
- Add 2 to 3 cups cool tap water
- Apply the lid and shake the container vigorously until the powdered ingredients appear to be dissolving. Give yourself a little workout here and shake it well so it looks incorporated and milky like this.
- Fill the container with tap water to within about an inch of the top, more or less depending on the shape of your container. You want to leave enough room for the Dawn which is coming up.
- Measure out and pour in blue Dawn dishwashing liquid. Slowly .... you don't want to create a lot of suds or bubbles.
- Once you've poured in all of the Dawn, fill that measuring cup with more water so you can top off the container and rinse out the last of the Dawn. If you still have room, add more water until you are about 1/2-inch from the top.
- Apply the lid. This should be quite easy because you will not be contending with suds or bubbles. Notice how the dawn is not fully mixed up. That's fine. Just get that lid on tightly.
- Instead of shaking it now just put the container on its side and roll it around a bit to get everything mixed. Notice that without any kind of cleaning up at all, the counter is dry with no mess, no suds—quite clean and tidy, don't you think? Yay! We've overcome the suds-to-infinity problem so many of my readers encountered with earlier instructions.
- To Use: Measure out 1 tablespoon (front loader) to 1/4 cup detergent (older top loading), more or less depending on the size and type of washer you have, and the hardness level of the water where you live. I know that sounds nebulous. Understand that you will need to experiment to find exactly the right amount for your individual conditions. If you have front-loading HE washer, start with just 1 tablespoon! That type washer uses very little water, so you want to make sure the detergent will be well rinsed out on the last rinse cycle.
Notes
Powdered Laundry Detergent
Ingredients
- 1 bar (5 oz.) Fels-Naptha laundry bar (Note 1)
- 2 cups (14 oz.) borax (Note 2)
- 1 3/4 cups (14 oz.) washing soda (Note 3)
Instructions
- Grate the entire bar Fels Naptha (or other laundry bar soap (Note 1) using the fine side of a cheese grater.
- Pour grated soap, borax, and washing soda into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir to mix well then transfer mixture to quart-size or larger container (Note 4). Apply the lid and label clearly.
- To Use: Add 1 tablespoon powdered laundry detergent to the wash load. You may need to adjust depending on your conditions and washer size. You will not need much to produce excellent results.
Notes
First published: 5-13-13; Most Recent Update: 1-10-21
Terrific to obtain the most out of your cash. Phenomenal!
Hi, Mary & Crew,
I tweaked the formula a bit because I wanted some Oxy in each of the loads, so I always had a strong enzyme cleaner in the mix. But does this throw things off way too much? Here’s my current recipe (I have soft water, so use a scant tablespoon):
2 bar 4-oz Castille soap (decided I didn’t like the smell of Fels Naptha; may try Dr. Bronners–would
like a little more fragrance, I think)
2 C Borax
2 C Laundry Soda
2 C Oxyclean
Whaddayathink, Mary?
Thanks,
Julie
Enjoy your recipe. If that works for you, great!
My washer has an automatic laundry detergent dispenser for liquid detergent. Is it safe to pour this into the dispenser?
Yes, use as you would any commercial detergent.
I like this detergent but the dawn always goes back to the top in the jug no matter how much I mix it. I have another question…. previously you suggested using Borax in every wash….do you still do that even when using the detergent made with the Borax?
Shake or mix gently before use. Yes, I use additional borax in every load.
I’ve been making this detergent for years. If your family is picky about laundry detergent, get a jug of Tide, use it up, then use the jug to make liquid laundry detergent. I heat the powders with some water on the stove until dissolved and then whisk in 1 tsp xanthan gum. After it cools, proceed with the recipe. You can add a few drops of essential oil. They will not notice the difference. It’s laughable, I do that sneaky stuff with lots of foods too, such as barbeque sauce and ketchup.
Hi Mary
Quick question: I’ve been using your homemade laundry detergent recipe for quite some time and I misplaced it. When I went to look it up on your blog I found the 3/4 cup measurements to make 1 gallon of detergent. Is this an updated recipe? I’m fairly certain the last one I had was 3/4 cup measurements for 3 gallons of detergent or 3 TBSP of ingredients for 1 gallon. I’d just like to know if I’ve been using the wrong one all along or if this is something updated or maybe I’m just crazy. 😉
Thanks for clarifying.
Love this recipe. Do you have one for a liquid laundry detergent that is scent-free & good for sensitive skin? Thank you!
This recipe you’re looking at is fragrance free and very kind to sensitive skin.
Can you just make a liquid version of the powdered version by mixing the ingredients with say 64-120 oz of water?
I have not tried that. But if you do, let us know how it works. Or consider this: How to Make the Best Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent instead.
I made my 1st gallon of this on Monday and then did my laundry (which I like in an apt with laundry room with 3 washers and dryers)
I love this recipe for the liquid soap mix. And vinegar in the rinse cycle. (which I have timed it. lol)
My clothes came out so clean! I will always make mine for now on. Thank you Mary!
Does it have to be “Ultra Advanced Power Blue Dawn”?
All I find on Amazon it Platinum blue dawn, is that the same?
You can use any Blue Dawn … however Platinum, Ultra signal that it is concentrated and has enzymes, as opposed to original Blue Dawn, which is now pretty hard to find. Just make sure it’s blue and it is DAWN!
Have been using my gallon of the liquid detergent for over a year. The clothes come out clean. Have a front loader HE machine. It doesn’t make suds. Usually use too much but I put white vinegar in the bleach dispenser and that seems to help the clothes dry soft. Also have wool dryer balls in the dryer.
Have also made and used the dry version. It works just as well and lasts a long time.