DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent (Only 2 Ingredients!)
We got tired of spending money on expensive laundry detergents filled with chemicals we couldn’t even name.
So we did a bunch of research paired with some good ol’ trial and error, and came up with the best non toxic homemade laundry detergent.
This DIY laundry powder is not only SUPER simple to make, but it’s also budget-friendly and works great for everyday washing.
This detergent and all of our other eco friendly laundry tricks we have learned has helped us save a ton on cleaning our clothes while eliminating unnecessary chemicals.
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What You’ll Need
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s super simple.
You only need two ingredients:
- 1 bar of Castile soap (any brand will work- we always prefer fragrance free)
- 2 cups of Washing Soda (not baking soda!)
- 1 Glass Jar (if you need it)
That’s it! No complicated ingredient lists, no hunting down specialty items at multiple stores.
If you don’t have washing soda but have baking soda, you can easily make your own washing soda.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Your Laundry Powder
Step 1: Grate the entire bar of Castile soap into a bowl.
If you have a food processor, use it to make this step much easier and faster. The soap should be finely grated for best results.
Step 2: Add the washing soda to your grated soap.
Step 3: Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
Step 4: Store your homemade detergent in an airtight container and that’s it! It’s really that easy,
How Much to Use
Use 1-2 tablespoons of your homemade detergent per load, depending on the size of your load:
- Small to medium loads: 1 tablespoon
- Large or heavily soiled loads: 2 tablespoons
A little goes a long way with this, so start with less and increase if needed.
Important Tips
- Storage Matters: Keep your detergent completely dry! Washing soda will clump if it absorbs moisture from the air. Just be sure to store in an airtight container.
- Hard Water: This recipe hasn’t left any residue on our clothes but since it is a soap-based detergent, using too much of this powder or having very hard water could leave buildup on fabrics or inside your washing machine. But there’s an easy fix if this does happen! Just add some white vinegar to your rinse cycle, or simply reduce the amount of detergent you’re using.
- HE Machine Compatible: YES, this detergent is completely safe to use in HE machines.
FAQ
No problem! You can make washing soda from regular baking soda. Just spread baking soda on a baking sheet and bake it in your oven at 400°F for one hour. The heat will transform the baking soda into washing soda.
We don’t recommend adding essential oils to this recipe. If you use too much, it can actually become a fire hazard in the dryer. Plus, we’ve found that dryers essentially evaporate all the oil anyway, so your clothes won’t end up smelling like the oils you added.
Nope! Since this is a dry powder rather than a liquid detergent, no preservatives are needed.
