Despite all the enthusiasm over making homemade laundry detergent recently…I continue to hear murmurings from those who just can’t bring themselves to grate soap and cook it on the stove. It apparently just isn’t going to happen. :-)
I’m not naming any names…but my older sister would probably freely admit she didn’t decide to even attempt making her own laundry detergent UNTIL I told her about this “new” recipe I was testing out.
(I know it seems like I’m always “picking on” her…but she called me a “brat” on her blog recently…so she pretty much deserves it. lol).
Once again I have to credit the incredible readers of this blog for my inspiration.
Tiffanie posted this on February 4th….
A close friend of mine has been making laundry soap like this one for years, until just recently she found an easier one to make and passed it on to us.
3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap
Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Let liquid cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.
I love this because you can pick an awesome scent with the Dawn dish soap. This dish soap works the best because it gets grease out. :o)
As FOND as I am of the soap I’ve been using for over 8 months now…I felt I needed to at least give this version a fair shake. Sooo…I made up a gallon of it and have been using it for almost a week. I’ve used almost the entire gallon and despite my initial skepticism…I have not noticed any difference in it’s ability to get my clothes clean from my current recipe. I use approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup per load. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s pretty thin and since it’s SO easy and inexpensive to make, it doesn’t bother me.
Of course there are still those items of clothing that will need an extra boost with some “Homemade Shout” or “Homemade Oxi-Clean”….but overall I honestly haven’t noticed any difference in it’s cleaning ability.
For those of you concerned with HE washers…I haven’t noticed any more soap suds with this “recipe” either. On a small load I will notice some sudsing…but on a large load…it appears to me to be as low-suds as my previous version.
So….today I offer up this “new” version of homemade laundry detergent to those who have to this point been reluctant or unwilling to try making their own. A couple of things that might convince you to try…no grating of soap…no cooking…and you can make one gallon at a time in just a few minutes.
If you DO decide to try it…I would love to know what you think. :-)
Another homemade laundry detergent for those “allergic” to grating soap… :-)
…is today’s…
{ 183 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds great! First attempt to buy Borax and washing soda in Iceland failed (the American Store didn't carry it) – but I haven't given up yet!
You can make your own washing soda.. here is the link: Hope it works for you! http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2011/01/homemade-washing-soda.html
OMG that works?? Have you done that?
I have made my own washing soda by baking baking soda in the oven. Works Fantastic!
Only the original "blue" Dawn has the best grease dissolving formula. I've tried the other colors but discovered they didn't work as well as the original blue. Upon reading the labels I discovered that only the blue says "dish soap" while all of the other colors say "hand soap". I'm sure it won't make much difference in this recipe (which I will be trying this week).
Just thought I would share a bit of knowledge that I have recently discovered. Needless to say I only buy blue now.
I assume it is a high sudsing formula so won't work in an HE washing machine. :-(
I believe she mentions that it is as low suds as the other recipe, and should not hurt HE washer. =)
Ive been using this in my HE machine for months and it cleans the clothes well and does not create any residue in your machine like commercial detergents. Very low suds
Great idea!!! What amount is used in each load?
Jillian wrote in her post above: “I use approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup per load. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s pretty thin and since it’s SO easy and inexpensive to make, it doesn’t bother me.”
need to know-how much per large load-will definetly try this, joanie
How much?
I recently discovered your blog through pinterest and am just amazed at the wealth of information shared here! I HATE grating the soap so I will definitely be giving this a try:D thanks for all the wonderful tips & recipes here!!!
Made some this morning. How much should I use per load?
I'll bet you are getting a slew of followers through Pinterest….that's how I found you! Love your blog, btw. Your "voice" is very friendly and you seem to really want to connect with your followers. That is rare these days. It seems that once somebody becomes "big", they seem to have a disconnect. Anyway, thanks for the awesome entries… I think I have pinned almost every one myself! Jamie in AZ
I started my homemade laundry soap quest when I started researching cloth diapers for our future family. Though we don't have and reason to wash diapers now I'm curious if this is "cloth diaper safe" anybody know?
It depends on what diapers you use. Borax is too abrasive for PLU diaper covers ad will wear them out and cause them to leak. It’s perfectly safe for inserts, liners or prefolds. I cloth diaper and have used RockinGreen detergent. It’s the only thing that got my diapers smelling good. I tried several homemade detergent recipes without borax but they just didn’t work for me. I LOVE homemade detergent for our family’s clothes, though :)
I also found you on Pinterest! Great blog!!!!
Thanks for the great "recipe" I did not see what portions are used for small, medium and large loads……. TBS…. 1/4 cup what?
Hi! New follower thru Pintrest! :) Going to try this recipe after I use up the last batch of homemade grated soap I have! :)
I am excited about this recipe and I am thinking it might be easier on the septic systems? I think we all want to try it today. How much do we had to a load? Thanks so much!
~Angela
I am going to try this! I make the grated laundry soap already but don't like the grating. How much do you use for a HE washer?
I woke up this am after ordering bunches of the ingredientsfor original recipe from amazon only to find at Walmarts after calling & they said they did not have(another story). My first thought was oh no! I have a bunch of this bar soap coming in the mail. But after grating (so easy) and heating on stove (so easy) I love the smell of the Fels-Naptha soap! It is heavenly I am so happy. I might add the dawn & the bar soap! Thanks
My mom and I both made your detergent recently and I love it! She followed your recipe to a "T" but I only had Ivory soap on hand. We found out the difference pretty quick. Ivory soap is the only one the floats. They have a patent for the process to make it extremely airy. This makes it very easy to grate and it doesn't clump together after sitting a day or two. Although I think hers works a little better with the 'cooking' recipe. Mine didn't gel or disperse as easily throughout the 3 containers, but I love it for cutting the recipe in half for a single jug. And it's awesome for an HE washer. We also tried the lemonade flavored kool-ade to clean once a week instead of buying the pricey Tide packs and a big difference in the infamous mildew smell. Thanks so much for all the info and recipes…I constantly brag about your blog and send links to everyone I know :)
Ditto on the "how much do you use" question. Also, can you use any dish soap or just dawn? I'm a huge Method lover.
A commenter on Pinterest said 1 Tbl per load… Jillee??
Oh dear…So many questions about how much to use! lol! I apologize for not adding that little "tidbit" of information that might be helpful. ;-)
While Tiffanie didn't specify how much to use I have been using roughly the same amount I used with the original recipe. Roughly 1/2 cup for LARGE load. Hopefully this helps!
Since we are all kind of trying this out together….make sure and let us know how much works for YOU!
Thanks everyone for all your input. I knew I could count on you! ;-)
I make a separate laundry detergent for cloth diapers. Using soap-based products will coat your diapers and cause leaking problems. Hope this helps!
What do you make for cloth diapers? I have soft water, and am looking for a good recipe. Thanks!
did you find one?? please email chanel-xo@live.ca if so!
Can we add the purex or downy scent crystals directly to the homemade detergents and just let them dissolve – giving the detergent a great scent and skipping the step of adding it to the drum? Or is there a specific reason we are asked to add it seperately? Thanks
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I finally had my food processor set up last night (for something else), and before I put it all away, I decided to grate some Fels Naptha and make your laundry soap recipe. I spent a bunch of time finding that old post and reading the comments and figuring out what I was going to do.
I made 1/3 of a recipe in a recycled ice-cream bucket and added hot water from my teapot until I had, basically, a full gallon (didn't see why I would wait until morning to add liquid if it was all warm and dissolved then).
This morning I put it into a recycled gallon-sized laundry detergent bottle and set it on the shelf in my laundry room. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks pretty good and smells nice.
Incidentally, I thought everything from the process of making the laundry soap cleaned up really well… it was just a matter of washing SOAP off things in the end. How hard can that be? :)
I don't think you can use bleach with this detergent because Dawn has ammonia in it, and you can't mix ammonia and bleach. Can you use another dishwashing liquid? Viv
Wow, I will have to try this when I run out of the other version I learned here!! :) I'm loving the "cooked" version very much, but can understand the desire to just mix and go!!
I love your blog….you are so amazing!!!!!
I would recommend Quick n Brite if you've never tried it. Just google it…pink and AMAZING! There are no words to describe this cleaner. Made with seaweed? Or something natural like that…lol…
Yay! I can't wait to try this one! :)
Fels Naptha soap is easier to grate if you leave it out to "dry" for a while after purchasing it.
I have also just used a sharp knife and shaved the bars with it. Make sense? I basically used the knife like I was cutting up lettuce keeping the handle in my right hand and rocking the blade with my left hand. It does help to let the Fels Naptha “Dry Out” like mentioned above. I like cooked versions better, but will try this one.
You can slice it on a mandolin too –very easy and fast without all the dust.
I would think that you could use liquid castile soap in place of the Dawn soap. It may be a bit more expensive, but it is natural, so no chemicals! Also, it's non sudsing, great for those concerned about HE machines!
@Lisa who asked about cloth diaper safeness. I found that the employees at Babyworks (www.babyworks.com), and especially the owner who has 20 years of experience with all types of cloth diapering systems, are great at answering questions! It probably depends on what type of diapers and wraps you are planning on using as to whether or not this recipe would be "safe" but the key is to make sure the wash rinses out completely when it comes to sensitive baby skin! I always washed mine with a scent-free, dye-free detergent and often baking soda! I have not tried this recipe on diapers or wraps however, as we're past that stage. If you don't have a cloth diapering resource try giving Babyworks a call!
I use the grate method but leave it dry. (and I add Downy Unstopables) It only takes a spoonful per load and takes up less space.
It doesn't disolve well in cold water so I add it to a a cup full of hot water first, then put it in the washer.
Perfect timing! I was just getting ready to go to the store to try the grating recipe. I think that I will attempt this one first.
Does Dawn come in a fragrance free version?
I made this and it was very watery. Does anyone know what I could have done wrong?
I made mine today and it was watery too! i’m so glad i’m not the only one :) maybe its supposed to be that way!
cut the fels naptha soap in 3 or 4 chunks, put in freezer a couple of hours and put in blender or food processor…no grating! soak blender or food processor in hot water to remove remaining soap pieces.
@ Lisa- This should be cloth diaper friendly. When people "strip" their diapers they use Dawn Dish soap, and it works wonderfully, which is why this should be fine to wash diapers in.
This is from Dawn's own website so it must be true….
Can I add bleach to Dawn dish liquid?
No. Our dishwashing liquids are formulated to work best without any added ingredients and should not be altered in any way. Never add other chemicals such as bleach. You may like to try Dawn PLUS Bleach Alternative. Its formula features a powerful enzyme that delivers the tough cleaning power of bleach without the odors, skin irritation or the chance of discoloring your clothes and dishtowels.
Guess I won't be using this particular recipe since I wash whites with added bleach. :( Sorry!
I found your blog through pinterest as well, and every time i pin something from your website the repins and likes are an insane amount! and i just spent the last 2 days reading every single one of your blog posts. I have to admit i was sad when i got to the end :/ lol. Keep doing what you're doing! your blog is amazing!
I am new to this idea . I have very sensitive skin & I can't use dawn period. Where do you buy Borax? I am curious as to why anyone would want to make this? Is this more for "green" idea?
I do not have the time to experiment or do I want to take a chance of allergic reaction. Its the first of March and my allergies were horrible yesterday from walking my dog. I took 2 showers, 2 benadyl, used an inhaler 3 times and changed my bed linen.
My dermatologist and my respiratory dr say ALL FREE and its not expensive and it works
and. My respiratory equipment is cleaned with vinegar and water. I am using vinegar with ALL for under clothes and socks for a disinfecting additive. No Bleach Here! I would definately use with diapers. By the way, I am a mom who used clothe diapers and breast fed my sons who are healthy adults and I am a nurse!
Its slightly about going green, but more about saving money. I spent $16 buying the Borax, washing soda, dawn and a nice container with a spout to put it in. For that price I wont have to buy laundry soap for at least 6 months! I always used ALL free and clear for my allergy prone children, but this works well for them as long as I use the blue dawn. Why pay nearly $16 every 3 weeks for a jug of ALL when I can spend $16 for a years worth?!
For me, it's not so much about "going green" (although that's an added bonus) as it is SAVING the green!!! ;o)
@ Lisa with the cloth diapering question…the answer depends on the fabric of the diaper. I can NOT use this recipe for my child's cloth diapers. A great mix is just borax, washing soda, and baking soda. I use a lot of bamboo and any other soap would leave a slight residue on the bamboo and cause a chemical burn on our DD's poor bum.
I made this yesterday and have done couple loads of laundry. I have an HE and just filled the liquid dispenser to the fill line. It is watery, but I figured it was supposed to be that way. The jury is still out on if I love it, but I DO love the Fels Naptha laundry mixture and make it a bit differently because I don't make it into a liquid. I use the 1Cup borax, 1Cup washing soda and grate one bar of the Fels Naptha. I mix them all together ( I actually put everything mixed together back in the food processor, using the blade until it's super fine) and use 1-2 tablespoons per load. LOVE IT!!! I also fill the fabric softener dispenser with white vinegar. Works Great!!
I’m going to try this dry version. This will be my first time to ever make laundry soap….I’m excited and have high hopes for this!!!
Heather, I am glad you posted your results for putting the detergent in the food processor dry. I am so busy that I really don’t have time for the cooking method, so I was researching making it dry. I saw where some said it didn’t dissolve well unless mixed with hot water first. Do you find that it dissolves well in warm or cold water when it has been processed to a super fine texture?
I use the dry bar soap version as well. I wash everything in cold but whites and towels and have never had a problem with it dissolving. However, I use handmade soap instead of Fels naptha so I don’t know if it makes a difference.
You could substitute liquid unscented Dr. Bronner's for the Dawn for the sensitive folks and baby clothes and diapers. :-)
I live in California and can't seem to find the A&H Washing soda anywhere. i've tried all the usual places Target, Walmart, Grocery stores. Any ideas?
I just moved to CA from OK and couldn’t find it at first. They are selling it now at our Walmart here. I know you can get it at WinCo though, do you have one of those near you?
I found it only at my local Walmart next to the laundry soap.
I found it at my local ACE hardware after looking at all the “regular” places.
If you can find a pool chemical or janitorial supply you may be able to buy it there. It is also called “soda ash” I buy mine by the 50 lb bag for about $30
I found the Borax and the Arm & Hammer washing soda at a Ace hardware ( so maybe a smaller hardware store would carry this?) but have been having trouble finding the Fels Naptha. My brother told me to look at Army surplus stores in the survival section.
I found all three (washing soda, borax and Fels Naptha) in the laundry products section (on the same shelf) at our Walmart Supercenter. Def going to try the no grate method. That was a pain in the butt.
Usually it is in the detergent aisle on the bottom shelf. You can use Castille or Ivory soap as well. I actually started using Oil of Olay bar soap because I LOVE the smell and can’t stand the smell of the Fels Naptha. I think it cleans just as well and smells fantastic!
I have found the Fels Naptha soap at Lowes Home Improvement store, it was on a main aisle between grills and plumbing.
I've used Borax for Yearsss it is great at whitening, we use it instead of bleach. For the grand baby who has sensitive skin we put 1/4 cup in with his baby detergent, and if he has food stains we wet the area rub borax powder on the area and wash as usual, works great.
Hope this helps, have also added 1/2 cup white vinegar in top of washer for smelly clothes, like when hubby is working on tractor etc.
I really look forward to reading your blog :) Sometimes you remind me of things I've forgotten over the years.
I found Fels Naptha at Albertsons and Target. :)
Oh THANK YOU!! I have been hoping to find a non-grating recipe for laundry soap, my poor arthritis hands just can't take it–even with the mixer grating attachment, it's a lot more effort than I am interested in expending most days. I imagine a castile soap would work great as well, and will try this with something other than Dawn (it triggers my asthma). Thanks for the proportions!
I have made a dry formula of just borax, washing soda and soap. I grated Ivory soap, let it dry for a day of so then processed it in the food processor. But… I've seen where you can microwave Ivory soap and it will foam up. The next day you can put it in a plastic zip top bag and mash it into a fine powder. Has anyone tried that for the soap? I still have some of my original recipe so I haven't yet tried it.
I only used a few Tablespoons of the dry mix for a medium-large size load (we don't have kids so the clothes aren't badly stained) and have been pleased with the quality of cleanliness.
I love my Fels Naptha soap too…I don't know if I can give it up. But I wanted to offer this as an alternative to those who I just know won't grate or cook soap. :-)
I have been using the Fels Naptha version for about a year and a half. My first batch was liquid, then when I saw all of the dry recipes on pinterest, I realized that, to me, making it liquid was just another step I could avoid! Today, I made my second batch of the dry.
I think the idea of using the blue Dawn is excellent! I use blue Dawn on a regular basis for spot treating and it works wonders. I MUST say that it is only the blue Dawn that works so well… so if someone tries the other “colors” of Dawn and is disappointed, that is a recipe specific that needs to be seriously considered!
Loving saving $$$ by making my own laundry soap – like my great grandmothers did years and years ago – before someone got the brilliant idea to market it for profit!
Just be warned that this recipe is not green-friendly! Dawn contains chemicals that I would never want touching my clothes! It is totally worth a little bit of grating (you only need 1/3 a bar of soap!)to know my laundry is chemical free. Really consider saving the earth or saving a few minutes:)
I tried this today. Unfortunately, I melted my favorite plastic bottle. (Duh. Boiling water & plastic bottles don't mix.) I didn't have the blue Dawn, so I used the pink Olay version. So far, so good. It didn't thicken up like the grated version (I hate when it's all goopy anyway.) So far, I like this version much better.
me too! i love it, but i didn’t like the olay kind so i am using the dawn blue liquid and i cut the water in half:
3 tbsp borax
3 tbsp w soda
2 tbsp dawn dish liquid
boil 2 cups water, add ingredients, mix well, let cool in a glass mesuring cup
pour into jug and add another 2 cups of tap water, stir all together and let sit over nite
use 1/8th of a cup in washer, also a scoop of oxy clean!!!! love it!!
hey do you how much i will need to make a whole gallon (i don’t want it watery)
I had been CONSIDERING making my own soap – even bought most of the ingredients but was just a little too lazy to grate anything other than carrots. Anyway, I was excited about this recipe and finally got around to making the less water version. Super easy, so I made a batch for my Mom as well. However, I didn’t write down that I should use 1/8 cup and used 1/2. My husband and I experimented on our dog’s chair blanket. I figured if it worked on that, we were set. I was very disappointed when it came out still stinky. :( Then, I went to put in another load and lo and behold “somebody” (read: husband, who tries, but you know…..) had washed that big blanket as a small load. I rewashed it as a large load and it came out beautifully fresh!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try the homemade Oxiclean – already the the ingredients for that too. :)
Okay, I tried it a second time today. I wondered what would happen if I didn't add all that water. So, I boiled 2 c water and dissolved the dry ingredients with the Dawn (in a large glass measuring cup – apparently I learned from earlier experience today). When cooled slightly, I poured it into my plastic bottle and added 2 c tap water and shook it. If you used 1/2 c for the original recipe, this would only require 1/8 c and would take up 75% less space on my shelf. I think I like this version better. :-)
I tried the originally listed recipe and don't like it. It is too watery and it literally goes right through the dispenser drain when I put it in. Also, my clothes don't really smell like they've been washed. I will try another version before going back to store-bought, though.
If you use ivory soap and place it in microwave for a minute then let it cool, the ivory bar will turn into a fluffy mixture that you can crumble using large spoon. Ivory floats so don't be alarmed when you see it on top of the water. It will completely dissolve. The recipe I use doesn't require cooking. I have used Fels Naptha and ground it using my food processor, it was very easy.
I just ran out of my laundry soap so gonna give your recipes a try. My daughter makes her own except she uses powder I use liquid. I am so excited been waiting to give it a try. Thank you keep blogging!
just made my first batch tonight. haven't washed anything but can't wait to try it. all the ingredients were at walmart. borax and washing soda on bottom shelf in that isle. :)
I want to try it but can it be used with HE washers?
Im seeing comments on people not finding the borax or the fels naptha, at regular stores like walmart. The borax, fels naptha and washing soda are all sold in the laundry aisle of your grocery store. I get it at walmart.
Becky yes you have to buy three things to make it, but It's cheaper to buy all three and have laundry soap for months and months on end for about 10 dollars. When usually you spend that on only 96 loads.
Made this today….it is very watery…I made two batches just to make sure…I did wash my first load and am anxious to see what happens..I am ok with grating if i have to. I just thought I would try this first. I have four kids and a mechanic husband so we use alot of laundry detergent, we need to save money every way we can so if this works I will be so excited!!
I have a 2 year old microfiber couch and its developing a musty odor. What can I do to get rid of this odor?
Try sprinkling baking soda [not washing soda] and leave for 15 minutes and vacuum also works on rugs and carpet. If that doesn’t work you may have to steam clean with upholstery tool attachment — if couch care says you can.
If you eliminate the extra water, only using 4 cups total – 2 c boiling & 2 c cool, it's not watery & only requires 1/8 cup per load. It works great.
does this make a whole gallon?
FYI for cloth diaper washers, this did not work for my dipes. They came out smelling like ammonia. I will be trying the grating method homemade detergent next.
Thanks! Any luck??
I use the “cooked” fels naptha soap. I have been using is since Jan 2012 on all of my clothes (adding a borax soak to whites) I love the way it cleans my diapers. I have heard others saying it coats them but mine are organic cotton and any other soap was causing them to smell the moment they were peed on even when they came out smelling fine. With this soap I don’t have that issue but I am looking into other soaps just to be safe :). I also like to add 8-10 drops of Tea Tree oil or Lavender Essential oil since they are both antibacterial and really help with getting smells out
I didn’t say that I haven’t had to strip my diapers at all since changing to the cooked soap. But I haven’t its been really nice to have super clean white diapers that have no smell or coating issues. I know this isn’t for everyone but with my diapers it works very well.
I'm so glad to find this. I tried the grate & boil kind, but found that over time, it coagulated like crazy…so much so, that it was hard to even pour out of the gallon jug & had to mix some store-bought liquid in with it, then they separated…ugh…what a mess.
This I will be trying! ~
I'm so excited to try this! I used to make my own by grating and cooking but have decided it's just too labor intensive for me right now. This seems like a quick & easy solution!
i tried it with olay dawn dish soap i find its wayyyy watery, is it not supposed to thicken? anyway i don't know if i like this but will give the blue dawn soap a try
I tried this with 2 cups boiling water and 2 cups cold and it was a good consistency.
I tried it today in my HE washer and it worked as good as what I buy at the store. It did not leave a scent but it got the clothes clean. I did not notice any problems with suds in the HE washer.
HE Question…can you use this in the High Efficiency Washers?
DUH, I guess I should read everything before I posted. Sorry! Would love to hear others input about HE washers and this method though.
If you cant find washing soad..Use baking soda & Bake it at 400 in wide full size baking dish till it comes out shiny and grain. Found this on pinterest!
@Mary-you shouldn’t use castile soap on diapers, it won’t rinse out! Also be careful with grating Fels Naptha for diaper laundry, same thing. I made this specifically for diapers since I use the same ingredients when stripping-just never tried them together! this should rinse clean but if there are stink issues you may have used too much, too little or needed another rinse or 2. I’ve been trying to find the perfect homemade recipe for 6 years of CDing and I’m hoping this is it, the wash is going as we speak and I’m hoping to get rid of some residue from Charlies :(
How did it work??
How are you stripping? I used to pre-soak diapers in borax in a diaper pail until wash time, then spin them out and wash them. This was 40 years ago when cloth diapers where all we had.
I have to laugh because some people didn’t rinse- flush soil on diapers and where sending them to a service that provided and washed diapers than redelivered them. This place said it was alright not to pre- rinse pooey diapers [maybe for newborns but not older babies Uck! ] It didn’t last as they seemed to short people on the amount of diapers redelivered and this was a prepaid service for so many diapers.
I made this today with Dr Bronner’s castille liquid soap instead of Dawn (which is not ecofriendly) and it’s as runny as water….I used Peppermint scented soap as a test run, but will go buy Rose for next time, if I’m happy with the result. It was soooo easy! I am curious about Heather Fay’s method she posted above where she keeps everything solid. I think that method might actually end up being my favorite! Why do people add water???
if you use cold water for washing the powdered kind does not dissolve well :), you have to either do a hot cold wash or dissolve in a cup of hot water, I wash everything but sheets and towels in cold water so liquid just works better.
My ex worked in the sun all day and always had these dirty greasy looking collars that would not come out with regular washing. I was brushing them but that would leave the collar looking worn out very fast. So I read somewhere (probably the wonderful internet) that shampoo helps, so I always slathered some (cheap) shampoo on the collar a few minutes before washing and then just did a regular spin with regular soap and they always came out squeaky clean.
I was wondering if it would work the same if I changed the dawn for the shampoo?
You can find borax and washing soda and more at walmart ! They are placed all beside each other by the baking soda in the cleaning/detergent aisle!
I have been using this for two months and I love love love it. Gets kids stains out and works wonders
I made up a batch of this tonight but instead of using Dawn, I’m using 7th Generation Free and Clear (that was all I had) and added 10 drops of lavender essential oil to the mix. I’ll use this recipe over the next week and see how well it does. Crossing my fingers that it works because I am one of the many that hates grating and cooking the bar soaps :)
So first of all I love your blog, and I have made your other “cooked” laundry detergent, and it’s ok. But I hate that it clumps up and I have to shake it before every use… and then it it still not smooth. lol. I know it cleans the same but it’s mentally irritating. So I’ll definitely have to try this recipe.
So many recipes and so many ideas! I just started making homemade cleaners a couple of days ago and i want to make them all to test them all out! I was going to mix up a huge batch of the grated and cooked liquid laundry soap today, but I’m dreading grating the fels Naptha even though I froze it to make it easier. I did half a bar the other night for dry laundry detergent, and man did that take forever! I think I will try this instead, using the homemade dish soap I made yesterday instead of Dawn. It’s cutting grease well and leaves our plastic, what little we use, more squeeeky clean than store bought dish soap did.
I did not see a mention of this in the other comments… What about Dawn’s ultra concentrated version? Any idea how much of that you would use? Maybe half? I already have the blue Dawn Ultra :)
Sandy…..I have used both the Dawn regular and ultra concentrated and haven’t really varied the amounts and it has turned out just the same….so I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I have now made probably 30 gallons of the stuff. :-)
I’m making my second batch of this today. I love not having to grate soap. I was a little leery at first because I have to use ‘free and clear’ laundry soap and I have not had an rashes from this. I bought Dawn specifically for this since I use Mrs. Meyers or 7th Gen. I’m wondering how either of those would be compared to the Dawn (which is not eco-friendly).
The way I usually make my laundry soap I have to shake it every time before I use it. Do you have to shake this stuff?
http://www.ehow.com/about_5412656_borax-dangers.html
Please educate yourselves about these chemicals! Click the link above or simply google “borax dangers” and see what you get. Several bloggers have made these recipes and omitted the borax. They say the results are just as good. Borax is especially dangerous for pregnant women.
Finally someone is talking some sense. I was excited to find a DIY detergent and was SHOCKED to see that it included Borax. Borax is considered a toxic substance and was added to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list on 16 December 2010 (wikipedia).
Then instructions above have you adding boiling water to an already dangerous chemical + soap, of which I’m sure the writer of this blog does not fully understand the consequences of the resulting mixture, and by swirling it around you breathe in the result of the chemical reaction! Please take 5 minutes and educate yourself about mixing your own solutions at home.
Borax was suggested somewhere to sprinkle on a mattress and leave 15 minutes, then vacuumed to kill bedbugs. Perhaps that is what is making my husband itch even with a second rinse but the commercial products have danger as well.
I meant the borax in the laundry soap,since it is alkaline and the soap might make him itch but I think he got into something outside and changing and rewashing with tide that I had been using did not change a thing!
As you can imagine, I get a lot of “interesting” comments on this blog….most of which I will let slide because frankly it’s just not worth my time. But if there is one thing that “gets me going”, it’s when people make inflammatory statements and post misleading information about something I have included in a post. You can question my intelligence all you want….but suggesting that I don’t fully understand the consequences of something I am writing about or am doing in my own home is something I won’t ignore.
Kellie and JJ: Please take 5 minutes (or as long as you need!) and educate yourselves. I would not be posting articles, recipes, ideas and methods that include Borax if I thought for one minute that it was harmful to me, my family or any of the readers of this blog. As for it being “especially dangerous for pregnant women”…pregnant women need to be careful of countless things (natural and synthetic) before, during and after creating a new life.
I was just getting ready to write an article about this very subject when I came across this article on the Crunchy Betty website: Getting to the Bottom of Borax: Is it Safe or Not?
http://www.crunchybetty.com/getting-to-the-bottom-of-borax-is-it-safe-or-not
After I read this I decided researching and writing my own article on the subject would be a waste of my time because SHE NAILS IT. Please….if you have any concerns about the safety of using Borax in any of the ideas I post on this website….take 5 minutes and read this.
Here is just a very short excerpt from it:
Borax is wholly natural. It doesn’t cause cancer, accumulate in the body, or absorb through the skin. It is not harmful to the environment. In fact, the largest borax (borate) mine in the world – found in Boron, California – is considered by many to be the most ecologically sound and environmentally sustainable mine in the United States. This is also the mine where 20 Mule Team comes from.
Thank you Crunchy Betty for shedding an INFORMED light on this subject.
In response to the often quoted “Wikipedia” article about the EUROPEAN Chemicals Agency putting Borax on their “list of substances of very high concern” a few years ago, if you “educated yourself” you would find that had to do with EXCESS boron in the soil harming crops. And I’m pretty sure I have never suggested putting Borax in your FOOD.
The writer of this blog DOES fully understand the consequences of making her own laundry soap, or the writer of this blog would not have posted about it on this blog.
Sincerely,
Jillee
You go girl! I’m trying out this liquid recipe. It does appear watery, but as others on this blog have cut the recipe down then I may do the same. I do like my grated and boiled, however, putting the stuff in the washing machine it has the consistency of egg drop soup… Yummy but not appealing in my laundry. I am working through all found recipes until I find that perfect liquid that I would not have any qualms about giving to a friend or bottling for resale. Can’t sell soup you can’t eat :-). Have a blessed day!
Thanks Angela. :-) When you find that “holy grail” of homemade laundry soap…you better share it with the rest of us! :-)
I have used this for years and it is far cheaper and does a great job THANKS JILLEE . Deb
:)
I noticed that the original Dawn says nothing about not adding bleach while the concentrated version does so I’ve just doubled up the amount of regular Dawn used in this recipe.
Good idea Krista!
I ran out of regular laundry detergent yesterday, so I quickly whipped up a batch of this. Faster and easier than the other recipes I’ve used. It’s very watery though, and I’ll try a more concentrated version next time. It seemed to work OK, although there were NO suds whatsoever. Maybe the original blue dawn is the secret.
So, I’m still confused. How much of the original recipe are you supposed to use? I may have missed it … thanks!
Mine separated. Is it supposed to do that? Should I reheat it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Jenny, mine will separate a tiny bit with some of the white powdery stuff settling on the bottom of the container. I turn it upside down a couple of times and it mixes right up. That’s one of the benefits of it being a thin consistency.
Just add the soap after the rest of ingredients, including the water, are in the bottle. Just leave a little head room. works great and no overfolw!!!!
I tried it and I love it. I have been grating soap for years (or rather bribing sons to do it). Now I don’t have to bother with that. Love your site!!
I was reading your other laundry detergent post this afternoon, then came across this post. Which laundry detergent have you found cleans better? (I would prefer to make one of the liquid varieties) or have you noticed a difference?
FYI, Zote makes laundry flakes. One box equals 2 bars of Zote soap. So you don’t have to grate the bars. You’ll still have to cook it for the liquid version though. Or you could make the powder version and just mix! :)
I did not know that Zote sells laundry flakes. If I see the box of laundry flakes and it is reasonably priced I will probably pick it up-, thank you for telling us!
I’m just thinking as I read most of the comments- Is it really too much to grate a bar of soap? (I normally only make 2.5 gallons at a time which is 1/2 bar of soap but I normally grate the other half and put it in a ziplock for the next batch.)
This is great and I will be making this as well as the homemade oxiclean, shout, and body wash! I will let you know how it all works out!
What is the final scent like? I am big on having really good smelling laundry and will admit that I go a little overboard with ensuring that things smell good by using softener AND dryer sheets. I don’t use a ton of laundry detergent with just two of us in the house but hey, I am good with saving money.
If the scent isn’t great, is there anything that can be added to ensure that it smells better?
I have tried both the “grated/cooked” and “non-cooked” versions and if you want the scents in your laundry you can still use the liquid softener and dryer sheets to give your clothing that good smell you want. Most people that make this do it for saving money or because of skin sensitivities. I hope you like it if you decide to try it for yourself!
I use my kitchen aid mixers grinding attachment to grate my bars of soap (have used both Fels Naptha and Irish Spring), I usually grind up 4-6 bars at a time and put them in separate zip top bags. When it is time to make laundry soap I just grab a bag and am ready to go.
Also, since the laundry soap lasts for awhile and I don’t remember the recipe by heart…I took a Sharpie marker and wrote on the outside of the Borax & A&H boxes how much of each, I seem to forget which one is 1/2 cup and which one is 1 cup – no need to hunt for a recipe!!
I have two old ‘purchased’ detergent bottles that I fill from the bucket and usually use 1 to 2 capfuls depending on what I am washing.
I immediately made a batch to test it and see if I liked it better than the grated version that I have been using for a couple of years. My significant other is a runner with very smelly running shorts, socks, singlets etc and when he throws them in the front loader HE washer, that stinks on it’s own, you can only imagine the overwhelming “STANK” that hits you in the face when you open the door. OM Lord.. I have started cleaning the washer monthly which is helping tremendously, but the workout clothes still can stand and run on their own because of the odor.
I did a load yesterday with the new detergent and 1/2 C vinegar and everything came out smelling fresh, clean and not overwhelming either direction. No body odor smell but also no “fragrance” smell many of the commercial detergents have that are just as bad in a different way. They smell clean. I was thrilled.
I even got some tomato sauce out of a favorite “Thunder’s” tshirt by soaking it in my “Oxyclean” then a little brushing with a toothbrush of detergent and then laundering it in the same load. It came out as if nothing had ever been there. I’m thrilled with my new finds and especially love that I can do a load of clothes for about $0.02.
I have couponed like crazy for the last year and have a stockpile of the blue Dawn that I got 14oz for $0.25 a piece which helps with my cost since Borax and Washing soda are both fairly inexpensive and go a long way.
My husband sells HE-type front load washers and I’ve owned them for years. Always leave the washer door open or you will get a musty smell on the rubber gasket that lines the door. I use vinegar as my fabric softener, in the dispenser, and it kills the smell the occurs when my teenagers shut the door between loads, but I also always leave the door open afterwards when I am the one using it. I use a bleach cycle with my white towels every few months also.
I love your website and I’m so excited to try some of you DIY recipes. The first one I’ll be trying is the Laundry detergent. My husband saw me buying the ingredients and just about had a heart-attack, “Oh, what are you gonna do with that?” he says. I’m making my own laundry soap, I told him. Needless to say, he was not thrilled. I guess you could call him a laundry soap “SNOB”! He likes his laundry just so, and he’s very particular on what he uses. Notice I said what “he” uses? Yes, he insists on doing his own laundry!!! SNOB-ola! So, I’m gonna have to sneak a load of his laundry in with my homemade soap and see if he notices the difference. CAN’T WAIT!!! Thanks for all your hard work!
So I’ve been making my own laundry detergent for a few months now with the recipe using the fels naphtha (not sure of the spelling!). I found it to not smell very fresh and not really clean all that well unless I used a lot of it. I saw your ‘Dawn’ recipe on Pinterest and thought I’d give it a shot since I already had the necessary ingredients. To my surprise, it has turned out to be great! It cleans very well and leaves the laundry smelling fresh, which is a huge bonus! I was using those costly fragrance crystals with my old recipe and now I don’t have to! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! :)
I love the recipes, however – since I believe in using totally natural products while I am saving money – I absolutely would not use Dawn Dish Detergent – it is yet another chemical laden product – and frankly – I would not think of washing my clothes in it. Instead – I substitute this with pure, peppermint scented Castile Soap – which I also make myself.
Having said that – for spot cleaning – Dawn Detergent, peanut butter and Hydrogen Peroxide removed squid ink stains from a pair of beige shorts I wore while deep sea fishing in Thailand – go figure. It was an old fishermans cleaning recipe. I would keep it for the occasional heavy duty spot cleaning only, and not general laundry – some people will be sensitive to it.
You can melt fels naptha soap in the microwave so you don’t have to grate it. Just thought I would mention that:)
this worked really well and i’ve used cooked version as well and actually prefer this recipe! i did double the measurements on everything as i was using it for husbands dirty/oily work clothes mainly. We also have HE washer and it worked just fine – very low sudsing but cleans really well. I did add two scoops of oxy. i didnt pre-wash or pre-spray his clothes like we usually do to give it a good test and very pleased. worked very well on his clothes both cleaning and removing oil smell. imagine it will be easier on my washer and very cost effective. used it on several loads afterwards that ranged from clothes to quilts – this will be a keeper for me – thanks so much!!
oh – i read your blog often and pin a lot of your ideas too – thank you so much for all your great posts – keep it up!!
I double the ingredients and fill 100oz bottles when I make it. My husband gets oily as well, I’ll have to try adding the oxyclean as well. This is really saving us a ton of money.
Hi Jillee,
Will this homemade laundry detergent work in a High Efficiency Washing Machine? Currently, I can only use detergents that have “HE” approval.
Thanks,
Tracey
I found that Jillee had already answered my question (above).
Per Jillee: “It has little to no suds (just like the grated soap kind) and it is fine to use in HE washers for that reason. VERY low to no suds.”
Thanks Jillee!
I love this stuff and have found it works just as well as any other laundry soap I have purchased or made!!! Thank you so much for posting this and making it sooo easy to make.
I do have a question though. Dawn has come out with a dish soap with olay in it. There was one with shea butter that smelled really good but I didn’t know if anyone had tried using this and if it worked just as well??
Thanks again.
I am quite a fan, and I have attempted the no-grate recipe just a few minutes ago. I must say, either I was so impatient to have homemade laundry soap, or there’s a glitch in the measurements. My concoction was very thin. I guess I expected it conjeal/coagulate a little, but it didn’t. Is the cooling step crucial to the thickening/soap-making process? Another thing I noticed was that your original recipe calls for 1 cup each of washing soda and Borax, while the other only requires 3 tablespoons.
I’m currently washing a load of my Toddlers clothes with the soap. I hope that it works in spite of my apprehension. And I’d love a response to the measurements question.
Thanks for all of the amazing information.
I dont think you did anything wrong Tosha, just finished making 10 gallons myself last night and finished them up today. Very watery. I am attempting my 1st load of clothing as we speak. SO far so good :)
Hi Carey,
As Jillee says she is, I was, relentless. I have since made quite a few batches. The change I made was to use the portion measurements from her grated-soap recipe, and then I added about 1-1 1/3 c of a mixture of Dawn original, Dawn scented, and my typical, cheap, store-bought brand of laundry detergent (because my husband had just bought a bottle). The results, after a little of on-stove heating, looked just like her photos. It was much thicker, than the first batch.
I put only a cup in the laundry, and the results were great! I’ve since made some for my parents to have on hand.
I too ended up playing with this recipe a bit because it did not work for my husbands PT gear. His clothes did NOT come out smelling clean at all. What I did was double the ingredients and added (to the 3rd line of the cap) some commercial detergent I had on hand, now everything is smelling clean. It’s still not stellar on stains but then again, our water here is extremely hard and back when I was using Tide, it still was not getting the stains out completely.
I forgot to let it cool before adding the cold water… Will this effect anything or should I start over?
Very easy to do…made 10 gallons for myself and friends. Very watery though. I am attempting my 1st load as we speak and so far so good. I added 1/2 cup to the large load. Washing on warm temp. Smells really nice (although I didn’t use the reg blue dawn) I used a spring scented one of some sort. Little to no sudsing in my HE washer so no worries there. Looking forward to the cycle ending so I can see how they smell fresh out of the washer. I use non scented dryer sheets so the detergent smelling good is essential :)
I’m going to try this! I have been making the powdered kind for a while and love it. For those that prefer the powder but not grating soap…get an old blender from a thrift store. I cut up my bar into chunks and add it a little at a time into the blender and hit the chop button.
Does anyone know how this compares cost wise to using a detergant such as Tide? Maybe someone can figure an estimate of cost per load using 1/2-1 cup of this mixture?
Since total cost of materials is under 10 dollars and you only use a fraction of each. I think it would be fair to say that it’s pennies to the dollar on cost. A gallon would only cost about $.50 to make and you get 16 cups in a gallon. I played with a few numbers and came up with around $.o2 per gallon…and that depends on how many gallons you get out of a box of the borax, super wash and dawn. I guessed between 20 and 30.
I tried this recipe, and found that it was not getting our clothes clean (they were grungy and smelled). I was really bummed that it did not work. Went back to using Tide and now our clothes are much better. Don’t know why it didn’t work, followed the instructions exact too.
I stumbled across your blog on Pinterest, and I LOVE homemade things! I would like to try this recipe, however I do have one concern: My 10-month-old son and his father have a bad case of eczema.. I have been using pricey store bought detergent with no fragrances, dyes, ect.. Would this recipe be ok to use on them? I am the frugal one of the family, so I love a money saving trick! Thanks, and I love your blog! :)
Just out of curiosity, do you happen to know if this detergent is safe for children with sensitive skin? We use only free and clear detergents, but am interested in trying this. Thanks!
My daughter has very sensitive skin. Her skin is even allergic to water, it called aquagenic urticaria. We have to be very careful what we use on her clothes. There are only 2 laundry deterants she is not allergic too. So I was very hesitant of trying this one. But I did and Love IT! It works and so much cheaper than the others I used to buy. I’ve been Using this for 5 weeks now and Will forever use it, Thanks So Much for sharing this and my daughter thanks you too!
Well that is completely wonderful to hear! So happy it worked for your daughter! You are most welcome….thanks for sharing your story!
I am making this as I’m typing. I am using GAIN dishsoap and it smells just like GAIN washing powders
I made this for the first time today and it was waay to thin. It rain right out of my detergent area in my washing machine. So i did as suggested and reduced the water to 2 cups boiling and 2 cups cold. STILL the same thing. :(
Any suggestions? Please Help!
(I did the 3 tbsp of each and the 2 tbsp of dish soap. )
I think the only way it can be thicker is if you cdo the liquid recipe that requirrs a bar of soap.
I have a 5-week old baby with very sensitive skin. Is this detergent gentle enough for him?
I have an 11 month old and I have been using this for 2$150 days. I haven’t noticed any issues. Every child is different though so if it were me, i would wash 1
1 garment and just test it out. That’s totally at your discretion though
Ive been using this formula for a few weeks and i havent noticed a difference between it and cleaners i was buying from the store!! Its much and cheaper and so easy to make :) thank you for posting the recipe!
I made my first batch last night. Couldn’t have been easier and it works great! I have been making the powder detergent for about 6 months now (fels, borax, and washing soda). This was easy as pie. Loved it!
I just made my first batch of no grate laundry soap, and I’m a lil worried about how watery it is I’m going to give it a try. But instead of dawn dish soap I used dr bronners liquid Castile soap (lavander scented) and my whole house smells amazing! I also really like that it’s a clear liquid. Has anyone else tried the liquid Castile? I love the grated version recipe I got from here, and had “0″ trouble grating the soap but wanted to try this way also. I did use the bar Castile soap in the other recipe, I have a baby and was told that it would be better for his skin then the other. So if your having trouble with the felths nap I would try the Castile version:)
Hi!! I just made my first batch of the powdered version of the detergent yesterday. I didnt even know people did this until a friend at work told me shes been doing it a while. I was so excited as I do a load of clothes per day for just my husband, my self and my 1 year old. Laundry detergent is so expensive!! I must admit that I was greatly thrown off by the scent of the Fels Naptha. Ive only washed one load in the mixture so still not really sure about it. When I saw this liquid version using Dawn I tried making it immediately as I still had so much left over of Borax and Washing Soda from my powdered recipe. I havent tested it out yet, but definitely will be soon. Im concerned whether or not anyone has experienced fading of your clothes using these recipes though? I wear alot of black, trousers and such. Thanks for the help!! Very informative information from everyone!
Hi, I just tried this today and I have a couple questions. Is the consistency supposed to be so thin that it’s like water? I went over the instructions again and realized I didn’t let the mixture cool before I added the cool water. Is this ok?
Also I tried the blue Dawn first but next time I’d like to try the more natural approach of Castille soap instead, has anyone tried this and does it make a difference?
I’ll let you know how my clothes turn out.
Btw I used 2 cups for a full load of laundry. I figured it would need alot since the mixture is so thin, so far so good.
Sarah….yes it is a pretty thin consistency and I also end up using quite a bit for large loads….but I don’t worry about it too much since it’s sooooo easy and inexpensive to make!
I would love to hear how you like it! Let us know. :-)
Not sure about the Castille soap….hopefully someone will chime in about this!
I made a batch using liquid castille soap instead of Dawn. Not sure if it’s the castille soap or I did something wrong, but it got all clumpy and congealed. I’m going to try it with Dawn next and see if it does the same thing. Other than that, I thought it got my clothes clean just fine.
I have been using this for the past month and it has been working great for me. I have a 20 month old son who is pretty hard on his clothes and I have found this gets out all the stains (I also tried out the homemade OxyClean that you have on your site and that helps with his stuff too). This will save me a lot of money and it is super easy to make. Thanks for posting it. Oh, for those who want to know, I use 1/2 cup for small loads and 1 cup for larger loads. I made it about 4 weeks ago and still have half a gallon left and I do a lot of laundry!
i’ve been making my own laundry soap for awhile now but am seeing thing about borax (and fels naptha) being quite toxic…do you have any suggestions on substitutions for borax?
Ok, I made this. Washed several loads of laundry with it, and HATE it. My laundry is NOT clean. It makes me sad because I really, really wanted this to work. I have made the other laundry detergent that you grate the soap, and don’t like it either. Laundry not clean. I also have made the fabric softener, it’s ok. I’m sorry to leave a negative comment, because I LOVE a lot of your other stuff. This just did not work for me. Sigh…
I think I have a solution to the people worried about using the bleach with the Dawn, simply buy a regular bottle of laundry detergent on sale w/ coupon ( so you still save) and use that only when your using the bleach in your laundry. Still saves money! Plus many times with sale and coupon combos you can get two bottles ( 32 ld) Arm and Hammer, Era or Wisk for $4/$5.00 and using it only with bleach loads it will last and you will still save. ; )
I have a funny story, my significant other (husband) was home alone over the past weekend. He got industrious and cleaned out the refrigerator. He used my homemade no-grate laundry soap because he thought it was the vinegar. It was slightly blue from the Dawn but evidently he can’t see.. lol. He used it to clean the fridge and then rinsed it out with Vinegar on top of that. He was so proud of how clean it looked and how “sparkly” everything was.. After that I added a bit of left over ALL that I had to make it a bit more blue so he will be able to tell better what it is. However, now that he knows how well it cleans I may not be able to keep him out of it. And NO I am not going to say anything. Let’s face it, how many men clean out the fridge on their own. I’m not going to stop progress.
{ 1 trackback }