Most laundry detergents are full of harmful chemicals. For example, it’s not uncommon for them to include sodium lauryl sulfate, methanol, formaldehyde, phosphates, and ammonium sulfate.
That’s not all, many detergents also contain fragrances, which are a mixture of thousands of chemicals. What’s worse, is that most are petroleum-based and can trigger asthma, allergies, and other symptoms.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to prevent all those issues—by making your own laundry detergent.
Interested? Looking for a guide on how to make your own laundry detergent? Because that’s what we’ll be going over below. Keep reading to learn more!
Making Laundry Detergent Powder At Home
For this DIY laundry detergent recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate)
- 1 bar soap
- 1 container with a secure lid
Start by chopping the soap bar into small pieces; you can either use a cheese grater or a food processor. If you’re using the latter, make sure to cut the soap into smaller pieces before putting it in.
In your container, mix 2 parts washing soda, 2 parts borax, and 1 part soap flakes—that’ll be your detergent. You can make as much as you’d like as long as you use the right proportions.
Just remember to keep the powder in an air-tight container; you don’t want any moisture to get in.
Tip: Washing soda can irritate the skin. For this reason, it’s highly recommended that you wear rubber gloves when mixing the ingredients.
Making Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
You can make liquid laundry detergent with the same ingredients. If anything, the process is just a little different!
As with powdered detergent, you want to start by grating the soap bar. Place the flakes into a pot and add 4 cups of hot water. Put the heat on medium-high and stir continuously until the soap is completely melted (about 10 minutes).
Fill a 5-gallon bucket with 4.5 gallons of hot tap water. Add 2 cups of washing soda and 2 cups of borax and mix until they’re completely dissolved. If you want, you can also add essential oils for scent (approximately 1/2 to 1oz).
Pour the soap mixture from the pot into the bucket and stir well. Cover and let it sit for 24 hours. The liquid detergent will resemble a gloppy gel—that’s completely normal.
Shake the detergent until smooth (you can also use a whisk to break up the lumps)—that’ll help make your clothes cleaner when you’re using it.
Knowing How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
And there you have it—a guide on how to make your own laundry detergent. As you can see, it’s quite straightforward. Not only will it be better for your skin, but it’ll save you money as well.
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