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I’m so excited to share this Make your Own Laundry Soap recipe with everyone! This is one major way that I save my family money and it doesn’t require any coupons! I make our own laundry detergent! It’s easy to do and it’s so cheap….we are talking pennies a load! And yes, it can be used in HE front loading washers because it doesn’t make suds. (That’s the type of washing machine I personally have)
This recipe makes 5 gallons of laundry soap. Before you make it save containers and have them ready to be filled. Empty detergent bottles and milk jugs work great!
First thing you need to do is gather the ingredients. I was able to find everything I need at Walmart in the laundry isle. The picture above shows what the shelf looked like and the prices when I bought them.
You need these 3 ingredients (plus water):
Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (Note: This is NOT baking soda!!)
Borax, I recommend the 20 Mule Team
Fels-Naptha Heavy Duty Laundry Bar Soap (it doesn’t suds up)
Materials you will need:
Measuring cup
A cheese grater
Large pot
5 gallon bucket with lid
Long stick for stirring, like a broom handle
Empty containers to store the finished soap
To make each batch of laundry soap you will only need 1 cup of Washing Soda, 1 Cup Borax and 1 Bar of Fels-Naptha. As you can tell by the size of the boxes you will be able to make a lot of batches. So that means you will only need to buy a new Fels-Naptha bar each time.
Grate the bar of Fels-Naptha soap. It’s very soft so it shouldn’t take very long. It’s important to have the whole bar grated. One time I got lazy and just chopped up a portion and it never dissolved properly.
Put everything into a big pot and fill it 3/4 of the way full with water. Heat on medium high until everything is dissolved and blended together. Be sure not to let it boil over, it makes a mess…again I know from experience!
When the soap mixture is all blended together put it in the 5 gallon bucket. Fill the bucket with the hottest tap water you have. Fill it almost all the way full. Just leave enough room to be able to stir it around.
That’s it for now. Put the lid on it and let it sit over night.
This is what it looks like after it sets over night. It all gels together. Take a long stick, like a broom handle, and stir it together. Break it up as much as possible.
I put my youngest to work stirring, she is the reason I do so much laundry!
When the mixture is as smooth as you can get transfer it to your clean containers. I leave a little room in mine and add some extra hot water and shake it up to help mix it one last time.
Label the containers and you’re done! You can use any where from 1/4-1/2 cup. experiment and see what works for you. Make sure you shake the container before each use.
I made a batch in February, I didn’t have to make more until October…and we have a family of 5! And since I already had the boxes of Borax and Washing Soda all I needed to buy was the Fels-Naptha bar, which is less than $1!
If you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to ask!
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Camille says
November 2, 2012 at 11:40 AMWhat about the smell. Do the ingredients give it a fragrance. Do the clothes have a great scent when done?
ConsumerQueen.com via Facebook says
November 2, 2012 at 12:08 PMDon’t forget to Pin it and share with your friends!
Princess Lacey says
November 2, 2012 at 12:11 PMIt smells fresh and clean. Honestly I don’t notice a smell on my clothes, but my fabric softener adds a scent! If you want to add essential oil to it you can.
Jinni Lorette via Facebook says
November 2, 2012 at 12:18 PMHmmm…this would make a great Christmas Gift for friends…distant relative
Candice says
November 2, 2012 at 1:28 PMI have been using a variation of this recipe for over two years now and love it! Since it’s only me and my husband, I make a 2 gallon version using 1/3 bar fels naptha, 1/2 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax. The process is exactly the same though. I use 1/3 cup per load in our HE front-loader and add one tablespoon of Oxiclean or Sun Oxygen Cleaner. The cost of this homemade detergent is less than one penny per load and it is just as effective as the brand name detergents that cost $0.15 to $0.20 per load!
Princess Lacey says
November 14, 2012 at 7:29 AMThanks for the tip! I know there are a lot of people that don’t want 5 gallons at a time!
kay wrinkle says
June 3, 2013 at 8:54 PMGreat tip. However, we have no city sewer. Being on a septic and 120 feet from a year round creek, I am concerned about the possible effects of the Borax on the eco system. Can you enlighten me as to if and why this mix would be okay to use in a septic system?
Kaitlyn Lloyd via Facebook says
November 3, 2012 at 11:59 AMI make my own as well and have been for about a year it’s approx $2.00 a batch and yeilds 10 gallons
becky says
November 13, 2012 at 10:05 PMAnyone know if this works (below)
No-Grate Laundry Soap
Supply List
■5 tbsp Borax
■5 tbsp Washing Soda
■3 tbsp Liquid Dish Soap (I prefer Dawn)
■Empty 1 Gallon Container with Lid
■Funnel (if needed)
■Tap Water
Instructions
■Pour Borax, washing soda and dish soap into your one gallon container, using a funnel if necessary.
■Add a few inches of hot tap water to the container. Put on the lid and swirl vigorously for 1 tor 2 minutes until powders are dissolved.
■Fill with tap water, letting bubbles run out.
■Use 1/2 cup per load (a little more for large sized or heavily soiled loads).
Princess Lacey says
November 14, 2012 at 7:27 AMI haven’t tried that recipe. My own concerns would be that is calls for Dish Soap. I would be careful putting something that wasn’t meant for the washing machine in the washing machine. And if you are using a front loader, I wouldn’t use this recipe because dish soap causes lots of suds. Front Loaders need non-sudsing detergent.
These are just my opinions and concerns. If you make it let me know how it works!
And grating a bar of soap isn’t that much work, took me about 5 minutes by hand! (Great job to pass on to the kiddos!)
~Princess Lacey
Kayla says
May 30, 2013 at 11:17 AMDont mix dish soap with the borax and washing soda. I did this one day using ajax and it creates a chemical reaction like when mixing bleach and ammonia. It created fumes that smell something like hair die. This could be harmful.
Cici says
May 30, 2013 at 1:34 PMi have used the above for doing clothes in a top loader using dawn dishwashing soap not the ultra dawn and it worked better than the name brand i have used for years and years. whites came out brighter even some of my husbands postal shirts lightened up the bluish green stain they get on them. the only problem was some of my daughter in laws clothing faded so i only use this for whites. i am going to try your recipe for all my laundry now
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 3:14 PMWhatever works, right?! Just don’t do this in a front loader!!
Edith says
May 30, 2013 at 7:03 PMYes this recipe works great and is so much easier and quicker to make than using the fels soap no cooking Ive made this used it and liked it I have an He front loading washer and it works great
Susan says
November 26, 2012 at 10:42 PMI have been doing this for a year, I started with this recipe and it worked great. BUT I ran across something online, saying Borax can contribute to infertility. Of course some argue that laundry soap has nothing to do with that. I stopped using it, (I use washing soda, baking soda, and fels naptha now) and my due date is a week after the new year. This probably wouldn’t affect most people, but it is something to consider if you’re trying for a little one.
Kitty says
May 30, 2013 at 11:12 AMI make this, only the dry version, a whole lot less work! Also, if you leave the soap out to dry for a few days it is much easier to grate.
1 box borax
1 box washing soda
3 bars fels naptha soap (grated) (you could use more, but this works fine)
I use approximately 3 tablespoons per load.
Consumer Queen says
May 30, 2013 at 11:17 AMKitty, feel free to email me your dry recipe and I will share it! [email protected]
jolene trick says
June 8, 2016 at 9:30 AMI’m curious but I’m sure there’s a good reason… Why does it have to sit overnight instead of putting it in containers after you add it to the 5 gallon bucket with the water?
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 12:55 PMThanks! My mom has made something similar! I just prefer liquid.
Amber says
November 14, 2013 at 9:32 PMI use this version too, except I put in a container of OxiClean and Purex Crystals too. My son has pretty bad eczema and it doesn’t bother him!
Nellie Rodriguez says
May 30, 2013 at 11:35 AMThis is just fabulous…thank you!!
Mousie says
May 30, 2013 at 11:41 AMI have considered this concept, but I guess the only question or concern…what about fading of the colors. I wear scrubs (colors chosen by the doctor) grey and brown all week. Manufacturer tells you they don’t fade but one of the girls at work uses a powder detergent and her scrubs don’t match her scrub jacket. Don’t want to look like a rainbow at work or worry about dark clothes I might wear on the weekends. How is this on colors?
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 12:53 PMI haven’t noticed any problems!
Jennifer says
May 30, 2013 at 11:52 AMDo these recipes work for he washers?
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 12:52 PMYes it does. I use an HE washer. It doesn’t made suds so it’s fine to use!
Deanna Paine says
May 30, 2013 at 12:23 PMI am so happy to see a recipe making liquid laundry soap! We have such hard water in the desert! I use my own handmade bar of soap which I call, “Pure and Natural”. I make and sell my own artisan soaps because I want to be sure that the products we put on our skin are made from quality butters and oil, not toxic chemicals.
Lisa Torrisi-Ruiz says
May 30, 2013 at 12:35 PMYou said put it into a “large” pot. Large is a relative term. How many gallons of water are we talking about, I could use a soup pot, a bigger macaroni pot or a larger yet lobster pot! Please be specific, I really want to try this. thanks.
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 12:51 PMI used a soup pot!
1crazydame says
May 30, 2013 at 1:31 PMThis is such a great idea!! I do have a concern though. Like most, I separate whites, colors, darks and towels/blankets. I’m particularly anal about my whites. How is it on them? I use bleach (of course) to get my whites bright white. Does this do the same or would I have to add an extra ingredient specific for whites?
Also, does the soap bar matter? I have a youngster with eczema and it would be so fantastic if I could use his medicated soapbar (instead of fels naptha which I’ve never heard of) just for his clothes.
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 3:17 PMI use it on my whites. Try it and if it doesn’t work then only use it on your colors. This was you are still saving a ton a money on detergent!
The bar that I use it specifically for laundry. My concern with using another kind is that it is not made for your washer or clothes. It could leave some sort of film and it may cause sudsing which would not work in a front loader.
Tanya says
May 30, 2013 at 1:40 PMBut how clean does it wash your clothes? Is there any residue left behind?
carol groves says
May 30, 2013 at 2:53 PMi live in canada can you tell me if these items are available in canada
amber says
May 30, 2013 at 4:18 PMWhen did this originally post? All those ingredients are 3x’s as expensive as stated here. Also would zote soap work the same as fels naptha?
Princess Lacey says
May 30, 2013 at 4:40 PMThis was written only a few months ago. These are still the same prices at my local Walmart. I guess they might be higher other places but you might want to check other stores if the one you are looking at it that much more.
I’m not sure about zote soap. I’m not familiar enough with it to recommend it either way.
Maria D says
May 30, 2013 at 5:57 PMWould Castile soap (bar or liquid) work instead of fels-naptha? I can’t stand the smell of Fels!
Mom2gals says
May 30, 2013 at 7:11 PMI have been making the same exact recipe for about a year. I will never go back to the store bought detergent. I have a HE washer and haven’t had a problem. It smells fresh and clean. If you want,though, you can use a few drops of your favorite essential oils, too.
Consumer Queen says
June 1, 2013 at 9:12 AMThanks!
Rene Cooper says
May 30, 2013 at 8:15 PMWhat about the Sunlight bar soap? Is it the same thing?
Lisa says
May 31, 2013 at 7:44 AMHello thanks for sharing this I defiantly plan on trying this. I mean any penny saved these days is definitely worth the effort. However I do have one question. Is it safe for sensitive skin. My husband breaks out in full blown blisters if I use fragrances. Not everything with fragrance, but it has happened from time to time. Has anyone made this and found it to be a problem?
Thanks!
Heather says
June 3, 2013 at 7:54 PMIs it a bad idea to just leave it in the 5 gallon bucket?
JENNETTE says
June 4, 2013 at 11:54 AMI was also wondering the same thing as Heather. Can you leave it in the 5 gallon bucket or will it “dry out”??? Amazing Idea…..Now to find something for the dishwasher…..Do you have something for that? lol
Rita McHann says
June 22, 2013 at 8:22 PMMy daughter-in-law gave me this recipe, which she uses for my 7-month old grandson’s clothes:
1c washing soda (Arm&Hammer)
1c Borax
1 Fels Naptha Bar
1/2 c Oxy Clean
2 caps of Purex Crystals
It makes about a gallon of dry detergent, smells great, leaves the clothes clean and soft, and has lasted me for over 9 months. I’m just about ready to make a new batch!
Rita McHann says
June 23, 2013 at 11:43 AMMy daughter-in-law gave me this recipe and uses it to wash my grandson’s baby clothes:
1c washing soda (Arm&Hammer)
1c Borax
1 Fels Naptha Bar
1/2c Oxy Clean
2 caps of Purex Crystals
This makes about a half gallon of dry detergent, smells great, and leaves the clothes smelling great and clean! So far, it has lasted over 8 months and I’m just about ready for a new batch.
D Sills says
November 14, 2013 at 8:55 PMSo how much do you use, when you wash?
natalie says
June 29, 2013 at 10:47 AMOh yes one more thing don’t no if you have this but home made fabric softener makes 3 liters.. 2 cups of your favorite scented cheap hair conditioner, 3 cups of vinegar and 6 cups of your hottest tap water… mix water and conditioner first stir not shake until all is well diluted then add vinegar mix and put in empty pot….
natalie says
July 1, 2013 at 2:33 PMhello i live in Canada and looking for these products and cant seem to find them at our walmart.. anyone here know where i can find them please. thank you… love your site great and saving ideals keep up the good work…
Princess Karen says
July 1, 2013 at 3:45 PMI would suggest checking online retailers like Amazon.
Ann Johnson says
July 6, 2013 at 8:27 AMWould this also work for front load machines? Would you simply use less soap? Thanks!
Sharon Rumsey says
August 8, 2013 at 5:06 AMI have made the powder & the Liquid. The problem is my husband does most of the laundry & wants suds, since I do not have an HE washer that isn’t an issue. I’ve added dawn to it, but he still uses too much, any suggestions?
For sensitive skin you can use Ivory soap (nuke it instead of grating, it puffs up). I also put the crystals in the liquid, great smell.
For those who can not find washing soda use baking soda. Put it on a cookie sheet and bake at 200 for 1 hour. This changes it into washing soda.