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The first thing that might put you off making your own homemade laundry detergent is the thought that it might be too expensive or difficult a task. This is actually far from the truth. It’s very easy to make your own laundry detergent. There are only three main ingredients involved. They are:
- Washing soda
- Borax
- Bars of soap (any inexpensive variety which you like the smell of).
You also only need three tools to get this done:
- A mixing bowl
- A scoop
- A shaver
Just be the rundown of how to make a homemade detergent, you should already have an idea that it’s fast, easy, and inexpensive. You will soon be wondering why you never thought of making your own laundry detergent before.
Basic recipe
Later on, you will develop your own recipe for making a laundry detergent. While you’re still trying to work out your consistency and smell preference, though, you might want to follow this basic recipe.
It is suggested that you shop for these items first. Prepare a cool, dark and dry place for which to store them because you won’t be using them all at once.
- One 55 oz box of washing soda, preferably Arm and Hammer ®
- Оne 76 ounce of Borax, preferably Mule Team ®
- Ten 4.5 oz bars of cheap bathing soap. It is suggested that you use Ivory ®, Pure and Natural ® or any soap which you would like your clothes to smell of after washing.
All of these items can be found on your local grocery’s laundry aisle. Below is a rough estimate of your costing:
- A 55 oz box of washing soda would cost roughly $4.00 or less.
- A 75 oz box of Borax would cost a little less than $5.00
- The soap bar prices are variable. This will depend on your preference.
Generally, though, with a little muscle exertion involved, you will be able to save anywhere around $0.10 to $0.16 per load if you make your own homemade laundry detergent. Most commercialized laundry detergents carry enough soap for about 60 loads. This volume of ingredients should yield about the same results. That’s a $6 to $9.60 savings per box. If you have bills to pay, this is a significant amount.
It’s safer to make your detergent per batches, though, so they would keep easier. This is the basic or generic recipe for most homemade laundry soaps:
- 1 bar of bathing soap, shaved
- A cup of Borax
- A cup of washing soda.
Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl for about five minutes or more. Once you’re certain that they have been distributed very well, keep them in small well-covered canisters and label the canister properly so your homemade detergent won’t be mistaken for food.
HE Washing Machine Compatibility
Most homemakers prefer homemade laundry detergent over commercialized mixes not only because they are trying to save money, but because they use HE washing machines, and these machines are not that tolerable when it comes to soap suds. This basic recipe for DIY laundry detergent has very little amount of suds. They’re safe to use with your HE washing machines, you can be sure that you won’t suffer any itchiness when you wear your clothes, and you get to enjoy the savings from making your own detergent. Because you get to choose which bathing soap to use for this washing machine detergent, you won’t have to settle for the commercial scents available anymore. You can customize the way your clothes smell.
How much do I use per load?
A load consists of about 30 pieces of clothing at the most. Depending on the intensity of the soil on your clothes, you can use one to two spoons per load. Machine detergents like this can also be used for hand washing. Simply dissolve a spoon or two of the detergent on a basin of water, leave your clothes submerged on the solution for about thirty minutes, and scrub the clothes manually, as you see fit. The recipe above is mild enough for delicate clothes. Make sure that you still separate the white colored clothes, the dark colored ones, and the sensitive pieces which might stain your other clothes. This detergent, because it contains no harmful ingredients, is also mild enough on your hands. You won’t have to wear rubber gloves if you’re hand washing, unless you have extra sensitive skin.
Ways to save more water and soap
As inexpensive as your homemade laundry detergent might be, as a homemaker, it’s understandable for you to want to save more money on water and soap. As much as possible, don’t wash your clothes until you’ve reached at least 20 pieces. This way, your clothes won’t be so soapy and hard to rinse. You won’t have to reload your clothes into the machine for a second rinsing because it’s still sudsy. Fabric conditioners also minimize the need for you to rinse and iron your clothes. They might seem like pricy grocery list additions at first, but these last for up to 30 loads per container. You may also want to try homemade fabric conditioners if you’re trying to save money, and if you want to customize the smell of your fabric conditioner.
Effectiveness of homemade laundry detergents
Some people are sceptical about homemade laundry detergents at first because they’re not sure how effective the mixes are. Surprisingly, they’re not only less sudsy but are comparable in removing stains as commercially marketed laundry detergents like Tide® and Arm & Hammer ®. While homemade detergents can’t promise to be better than these popular commercial brands, they are at least equal in efficiency. Several tests were made by DIY aficionados when it comes to common household stains like mustard and ketchup spots. The results were surprisingly the same. In both commercial and homemade laundry detergent, the stains were still subtly visible, but could be removed if washed with bleach.