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DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe – NO Borax

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DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent - NO Borax

Our DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent recipe without Borax has been insanely popular! We started using it several years ago in our continual effort to save money and reduce chemicals in our household. It’s SO easy to do, is sensitive on my daughter’s skin, and I only have to make it about once a year! You can see our recipe for DIY Dish Detergent (no Borax!) too which works great!

DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent

I usually make a double batch but you can cut it in half if you want – here is the recipe that I have used for years through several very messy kids:

Homemade Laundry Detergent Ingredients:

2 bars of Zote OR 3 bars of Fels-Naptha
2 boxes Baking Soda (4 lbs each)
2 boxes Washing Soda (4 lbs each)
2 Oxi-Clean tubs (3.5 lbs each) (optional)
Fabric Softener Crystals (optional – I didn’t use)

To start with I also purchased this Anchor Hocking Glass Gallon Jar to hold my detergent which I love but you can see a variety of 1 gallon jars here to use!  You can also use an old popcorn tin, paint bucket, etc. as long as it’s clean of course – I just like ones where I can easily just lift the lid without any extra time! I also like using penny jars for detergent too.

make your own laundry detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent Directions:

  1. I start by shredding my soap bars. You can find both the Zote and Fels-Naptha bars in the laundry detergent aisle and they typically run under $1 a bar. If you can’t find it check Home Depot as I’ve heard they carry Zote. (You can also purchase them on Amazon but they are considerably more expensive.) You can either use a cheese grater or food processor to grate your soap. Personally now I use this KitchenAid attachment which saves my a TON of time and is multi-purpose for use throughout the year but I started by hand grating it! Both are easy to clean since after all, it’s just soap!
  2. Dump your shredded soap into your storage container, and add all of the baking soda and  washing soda. If you are using Oxi-clean & fabric softener crystals stir this in now and mix well. The Oxi-Clean and fabric softener crystals are optional as you are just adding in some extra chemicals (and stronger cleaners).

homemade laundry soap

Above you can see just 1 batch in my storage jar which holds almost 4 gallons (my jar is too big!) so a double batch would almost fill it up! You only need 1 Tbsp. per wash so it will last a better part of the year! (I use the small scoop that comes in the OxiClean tub) Not bad for under $20 for a double batch!

This recipe works great for HE washers too – just add it directly into the wash with the load (not into the fill tray). If you’re wanting to go chemical free you can use a Wash Ball which is pricey to buy up front but lasts for 1000 loads so it’s more cost effective in the long run. I loved the one I tried but you’re supposed to let it dry out in between loads and since I do a lot of loads back to back I couldn’t get it dry enough.

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Shared by Crystal @ Surviving a Teacher's Salary

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    Thanks for the recipe! I bought the stuff yesterday for a single batch – but it was still just barely under $20! How did you find stuff so cheap?? I was at Walmart and Oxiclean was $8! It’s still worth it though. You look really familiar – you don’t live in Utah, do you?

    • Crystal @ Surviving a Teacher's Salary says

      Hi Michelle! At my Walmart the HUGE bonus sized Oxiclean is $8! My little containers were only a few dollars each. I would recommend seeing if you can purchase the biggest Oxiclean size you can get (or even look at Sam’s/Costco if you can) to lessen the price further. You may be storing it a while since you won’t need it all but the price per ounce will end up being quite a bit cheaper! Also, many times you can find the baking soda in a bag in the pool supply aisle for a much cheaper price than in the baking aisle – don’t worry, it’s the same stuff! My husband loves this recipe so much he actually asked me to stop using the store bought stuff so it’s definitely worth it and goes a long way! And you don’t need much in each wash either since there are no “fillers”. (No, I’m not from Utah – but everyone tells me I look familiar! I must have a very active twin out there!)

    • Glenda says

      I buy LA’s Totally Awesome Pure Oxygen Base Cleaner at Dollar Tree to replace the Oxy Clean. The Oxy Clean has a F rating on the EWG site. The LA’s is $1 for a 16 oz container. It is also available on Dollar Tree’s website.

  2. Jennifer says

    Hi !
    I am so excited to use this recipe. I love saving money and it looks super easy. My only question is….do you really only have to use 1 tablespoon per load? It seems so little for a large load of laundry. Is so, that is awesome!
    Thanks so much!

      • Jennifer says

        Thanks so much!! I really appreciate you sharing your ideas to help other save money too!!

  3. Lindsey says

    I will be buying the items to make this today. I cloth diaper and use cloth wipes so I’ve been looking for a laundry soap hat doesn’t contain Borax and I have finally found one. I am so excited to make this and stay using it! Thank you!!!

  6. Trish says

    Is it SAFE for all washers? I couldnt possibly afford to replace a washer because a DIY product messed it up. But what a great money saver. I spend 20.00 on detergent at least every 2 months.

  8. Dolores says

    I have made this recipe before and I save tons of money, plus i can keep whites white. Love this recipe! I will NEVER buy store bought detergent.

  13. Megann says

    Thank you for sharing!! I am definitely going to make this before the hectic school year starts! I have two questions, that may sound ridiculous. However, first, how do you add it to your washer? I have a top loader and I have only ever used liquid dye free environmentally friendly detergents, therefore, I’m not sure if I would sprinkle it on top of the load, or add it another way. Secondly, if I add the fabric softener crystals, would that eliminate me having to use liquid Downey? Thanks for your help!!

    • Molly Ellis says

      This works just fine! I have a front-load HE washer, and I just slide the little dispenser thingy over to powder. No mess, no clogs.

  18. Karen Hemmersbach says

    I stopped having to shred my fels naphtha after reading that you can break it apart and put it in the microwave! I’ve been doing this now for a few months! I break it into 4ths or 8ths and put it on a plate. I nuke it for around 2 minutes until it has all expanded. I take it out and wait about 40 minutes and it just crumbles into little pieces in your hands! Make sure you wait until it’s cooled though because it gets hot!

    • Deborah says

      haha I saw this several months ago (like last year) an thought great. I hate shredding. Got impatient to make cause I ran out and just threw both bars in the microwave. Yeah my bad next time I wll look up my info first….Micro smells good tho 😀 Just had to share…..

  20. Jessica says

    My front loader washer has the detergent and fabric softener dispenser in the top of the washer, so it’s not actually added to the laundry until the cycle begins. Can I just dump the homemade stuff in the dispenser like I do liquid detergent? Or would it have to be added to the actual load of clothing?

  21. Elizabeth says

    Hi
    I am really looking forward to trying this. It looks very simple and safe to use. I have a smoker in my house and I do not like my clothes smelling like smoke. I was wondering will this help take the smell out of my clothes and leave them smelling fresh or will I need to buy something to help the smell?
    Thanks for sharing

    • Rita says

      It tends to smell clean. Not much fragrance. i use vinegar with an essential oil that I like for a rinse.

  23. Molly Ellis says

    I make this, too, except I do add Borax. What is the reason for leaving it out of your recipe? Is there something I don’t know about Borax? Lol…

  24. Amy Willis says

    I luv this idea. Mom of 3 boys involved in too many sports. Can’t wait to try this on their uniforms. Thanks for sharing!

  26. Andrea Dixon says

    For those of you with a HE front load washer, do you add the soap to the dispenser or directly on the load of clothes?

  27. Stefanie Wilkinson says

    I made my first batch last night and wow does it make a lot for a little bit of money! I still can’t believe that you only need 1tbsp in the wash! I have 3 children so I am really excited to save money on laundry detergent. I did notice that the Oxyclean I bought at Walmart was concentrated so I bought half of what the recipe called for. Has anyone else noticed or done that? Thank you so much for posting this!

  28. gladys says

    Fyi, the Zote bar now comes in flakes. It smells awesome. Wal-Mart is the only place I find that carry it.

  29. Jan C Kidd-Dahn says

    Hello Crystal from Yooper Land USA (Upper Michigan)!
    Love your site! Thank you for having it available to everyone!
    question:
    –What type of container is best to store this mix in, is plastic ok?
    I like your clear glass container. Looks pretty!
    Thank you!
    -Jan 🙂

  30. KATHY says

    I JUST READ ON PINTEREST YOU CAN CUT UP THE ZOTE OR FELS BAR AND PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVE. JUST DO 30 SECONDS AT A TIME TILL IT BUBBLES UP. DO NOT TOUCH, EXTREMELY HOT!!!! LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THEN GRIND IT BETWEEN YOUR HANDS TILL ITS A FINE POWDER. . ALOT EASIER THAN GRATING.

  31. KATHY says

    I ALSO BUY THE PUREX SCENT BOOSTER BEADS TO ADD TO THIS RECIPE. IT IS CHEAPER THAN THE DOWNY OR GAIN AND IT WORK JUST AS WELL AND CLOTHES SMELL GREAT!!!!!!

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