Why I Started Making My Own Laundry Detergent
For years, laundry detergent was one of those small, ongoing problems I kept working around. Most grocery store detergents made me break out in hives, so I avoided them altogether and ordered bulk boxes of unscented detergent instead. That worked well enough for a while, until the boxes started arriving broken during delivery—spilled detergent, wasted money, and one more unnecessary frustration to deal with. That frustration was what finally pushed me to try making my own.
What surprised me most wasn’t just how easy it was—it was how well it worked. This homemade laundry detergent has become a regular part of our routine because it’s simple, affordable, and gets our clothes clean without any extra fuss. No long ingredient list, no overpowering scents, and no complicated process.
If you’ve been curious about making your own laundry detergent but don’t want another project that adds more work to your plate, this is a good place to start. I’ll walk you through the ingredients I use, how I mix it up, and what to expect once you start using it in your own home.
Why Make Your Own Laundry Detergent?
So I know what you are thinking, I don’t need one more thing to do, so why should I make my own laundry detergent? With only 4 ingredients that you can easily purchase at your local store or on Amazon, this laundry detergent couldn’t be easier to whip up. I would actually say it is so easy that your kids could make it for you. If they can use measuring cups, they can mix up this laundry detergent.
I don’t know about you, but I personally like to know what my household cleaners are made of. Have you ever read the back of a bottle of laundry soap? Some of the ingredients sound like you need to learn a whole new language to figure out what they are. In an effort to keep things simple, I prefer to make my own. If you are interested in learning to make some basic household cleaners, here is a link to my blog post on just that.
Don’t for a minute think that just because this laundry detergent is homemade, that we are settling for less than clean laundry. This homemade laundry detergent can hang with the big names. It can tackle everything from our linen sheets to our farm chore clothes. Everything comes out smelling…well, like nothing because the clothes are clean and there are NO artificial fragrances covering up our less-than-clean clothes.
What You’ll Need
This DIY laundry detergent uses four simple, everyday ingredients that can be picked up virtually everywhere. I tend to purchase the ingredients where each one is the least expensive. That usually means my local big box grocery store and Amazon.
So here is what you will need to make your own natural laundry detergent:
- Epsom salts – helps soften water and boost cleaning power
- Washing soda – the main cleaner
- Baking soda – deodorizes and supports cleaning
- Sea salt – helps bind and balance the mixture
Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
Along with the list of ingredients that you will need for this homemade laundry detergent recipe, you are going to need a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to store your laundry detergent in.
For a single batch of the laundry detergent, you will need:
- ½ cup of Epsom Salt
- 1 ½ cups of Baking Soda
- 1 ½ cups of Washing Soda
- ¼ cup of Sea Salt
Add all the ingredients to your jar of choice. Then you can mix with a spoon or seal the lid and shake the jar to combine all the ingredients.
If you are like me and you tend to do at least one load of laundry per day, a single batch of this homemade laundry detergent probably isn’t going to cut it.
Here is what you will need for a triple batch of this homemade laundry detergent recipe:
- 1 ½ cups of Epsom Salt
- 4 ½ cups of Baking Soda
- 4 ½ cups of Washing Soda
- ¾ cup of Sea Salt
I like to mix this triple batch in a gallon-sized glass jar. I just leave an extra measuring spoon in the jar. This batch will last our family of five 6-8 weeks.
How to Use This Laundry Detergent
When it comes time to do your laundry, you are going to use 1-3 tablespoons of detergent per load.
I know what you are thinking: how do I know how much homemade laundry detergent to use? Well, folks, we are going to use our best judgment and a little bit of common sense.
Is this a large load of laundry? Or is it on the smaller side? A bigger load of laundry is going to need more detergent.
How dirty is the laundry? If you are washing your not-so-dirty everyday clothes, you won’t need as much. But if you are doing your towels or outdoor gear, you are probably going to want to use more.
This homemade laundry detergent works well in both HE and standard machines. We have both. No matter which machine I am using, I always add the detergent directly to the drum. I do not add it to the dispenser.
So, how is this laundry detergent different from commercial detergents? Most notable is the scent. There isn’t any. You will be able to tell if your clothes are clean by the way they smell. And there shouldn’t be any smell. Your clothes shouldn’t smell like flowers or fresh rain, but they also shouldn’t smell old either. If your clothes are coming out anything less than scentless, you might need to clean your washing machine.
Does It Actually Get Clothes Clean?
This laundry detergent works. Period. This is the only detergent we use in our house. It washes everything. I use it for our everyday clothes. Our towels and sheets. It tackles the dirtiest of farm clothes, as well as my husband’s work coveralls.
You will have to pretreat clothes that have stains or heavy grease on them. The detergent isn’t magic (though I wish it was), and unfortunately, it can’t get rid of stains on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use this in an HE washer?
Yes, you certainly can! I use it in my HE washer. I just add the homemade laundry detergent directly to the drum
- Is this safe for septic systems?
We choose to use this laundry detergent in our septic system.
- Can I add essential oils?
Absolutely. I can’t say if your laundry will smell like the oils once the wash is done. But if adding oils to your laundry detergent brings you joy while you are doing the laundry, then I say go for it.
- Will this work for cloth diapers?
It should. Cloth diapers are a bit of their own beast. Based on my cloth diaper experience, I would definitely try the detergent and see how it works. By the time we committed to making our own laundry detergent, we no longer had anyone in diapers.
Making my own laundry detergent wasn’t about overhauling our life or adding another project to the list. It started as a practical solution to a real problem, and it’s stuck around because it works. Our clothes get clean, my skin stays happy, and I’m not dealing with broken boxes or strong scents I don’t need.
If you’re considering making your own laundry detergent, I hope this gives you a place to start. You don’t have to do everything at once or get it perfect the first time. Sometimes the best changes are the ones that quietly make everyday work a little easier.
If you try this recipe, or if you already make your own laundry detergent, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. These simple, shared solutions are often the ones that end up becoming part of our long-term routines.
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