Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here are some recipes for homemade laundry detergent:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

(thanks to modcottage.com)

1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

1/4 Cup Oxyclean (Optional)

*Mix all together and store in a sealed container.

For light load, use 1 tablespoon.
For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

3 Pints Water
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
2 Gallon Bucket
1 Quart Hot Water
Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

*If you are having trouble finding Washing Soda, you can substitute Oxyclean. Here is an alternate recipe for liquid detergent that my friend Abbigail shared with me a while back. It’s also on the Duggar Family website:

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda/OxyClean
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads  http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/02/homemade-laundry-detergent/