This all-natural homemade laundry detergent is simple to make and very effective. It uses only five very affordable ingredients making it a budget-friendly option.
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Homemade Natural Laundry Detergent That Works!
I have been hunting for a natural laundry detergent that worked and didn’t break the bank for years. I would come by some that worked but were too expensive for a large family or more affordable ones that left my clothes not feeling quite clean. This does not include the fact that not all of the detergents were completely natural.
After a few years of searching, I finally discovered Sal’s Suds. This all-natural biodegradable cleaner is super concentrated and has replaced most cleaners in our house.
Can Sal Suds be Used As a Natural Laundry Detergent?
While you can use Sal Suds as a natural laundry detergent I had a hard time getting the results I was hoping for. According to the label you can use 2 – 3 tbsps per load and half that for HE washing machines. The problem I ran into using only Sal Suds is that I have extremely hard water making the natural detergent insufficient.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water is water that has a high concentration of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. This is not harmful to your health but it can make your soaps and detergents not as effective. After some research, I came up with a recipe for a natural laundry detergent that would work in hard water. After all, did you know that the main ingredients of all the name-brand laundry detergents are water softeners? Here is an article about how laundry detergents work.
Natural Water Softeners
Water softeners are ingredients that you can add to your water to counteract the minerals that make the water hard. Think of it as magnets canceling each other out.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate is a common ingredient used to soften water. I was a bit confused by this since magnesium is one of the minerals that can be found in hard water but after some, you guessed it research I decided to give it a try. Salt also acts as a thickener in this recipe.
Washing Soda and Borax
Both Washing Soda and Borax are excellent laundry aids. They not only help by making the water softer to allow the soap to work but they also help with stain removal.
How to Make Natural Laundry Detergent
Making homemade detergent is easy once you understand the ingredients and how they work together. I adjusted this recipe to work best with my water and washing machine so take it as a guide and tweak it to your needs. This recipe makes a gallon of liquid laundry detergent.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Sal Suds
- 1 cup of Washing Soda
- 1 cup of Borax
- 1 cup of Epsom Salt
- 3 liters of water
Process
Start by heating 3 liters of water in a large pot over medium heat. You want it to simmer and not boil.
Once water starts to simmer turn the heat to low and add the Epsom Salt. Stir until it dissolves. Next, add the Washing Soda and the Borax.
The water will turn milky white as the powders dissolve.
When all the ingredients are dissolved move the pot off the heat. Next, add two cups of Sal Suds and slowly mix in.
Do not whisk this will make too many suds and cause a mess. Just slowly stir until all the ingredients are combined. Allow detergent to cool before pouring it into a one-gallon container. The detergent will thicken as it cools.
I use a recycled Sal Suds gallon jug but feel free to use whatever container you like to store your detergent. Here are some cute ones I got my eye on.
How to Use Homemade Laundry Detergent
I have an LG HE washing machine and I use about 1/4 cup per medium-sized load and 1/3 cup for heavily soiled or full loads. I usually use the Max line on the washing machine liquid soap dispenser as a guide. You will have to adjust the amount for a regular washing machine. If I had to guess I would start with 1/2 a cup for a medium load and 3/4 cup for a full load on a regular washing machine.
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Natural Laundry Detergent
This affordable all-natural laundry detergent is super easy to make. You need only 5 ingredients and one of them is water! The best part is that it works, even in hard water.
Materials
- 2 cups Sal Suds
- 1 cup Borax
- 1 cup Washing Soda
- 1 cup Epsom Salt
- 3 liters of water
Tools
- 1 gallon jug for storing
- 1 large pot
- A funnel
Instructions
- Start by heating the water in a large pot over medium heat.
- Once the water starts to simmer (not boil) lower the heat to low and add Epsom Salt.
- Stir salt until it is completely dissolved,
- When salt is dissolved, add the washing soda and the borax.
- Once again slowly stir until all the powder is dissolved. The water will turn a milky white and start to thicken.
- When all the powder ingredients are dissolved remove the pot from the heat into a cooling rack.
- Allow to cool a bit before adding the Sal Suds. Slowly, stir the Soap in, do not whisk. You do not want to agitate the detergent because it will suds up making a mess.
- Allow the detergent to cool for 5 to 10 minutes or until you can work with it. The detergent will become thicker as it cools, this is normal.
- Using a funnel pour the liquid detergent into a one-gallon jug or your container of choice.
- To use add 1/3 cup per medium-sized HE load or 1/2 cup for a medium-sized regular load.
Notes
- I have only used this detergent in my HE machine, so far I have had no problems with build-up.
- All ingredients in this natural laundry detergent recipe are labeled as HE-safe.
- You will have to adjust the water softener ratios in this recipe depending on your water quality.
- I would suggest adding more Borax and less Epsom Salt for very hard water.
- I have a family of 7 and a gallon of this detergent lasts us about 2 weeks. We do about 1 to 2 loads per day on average.
- I have 5 boys ages 9 and under and this has taken out, blood, grass, blueberry, and dirt stains out of their clothes without pretreating.
- I still have to use Oxyclean on pasta sauce, coffee, and baby stains, especially on white clothing items.
- I have used this natural detergent in both hot and cold washes without a problem.
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