Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Homesteading

Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Easy DIY Laundry Soap. Have you ever made your own laundry soap? It is much easier than you think! With the Coronavirus going around, all of us are stuck at home. Because of this, I’ve been revisiting DIY ideas like this. The shortage of toilet paper and many pantry staples has really made me start thinking about things I can make myself and paying more attention to stocking up on the supplies to do so. 

Let me tell you about my easy DIY laundry soap!

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Being able to make something at home saves both time and money. This also cuts down a ton on worrying if an item will be available in the stores. Empty store shelves don’t matter if you know how to make it yourself. If you are looking for ways to transition to more natural products, this is also a perfect way to go. 

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

How to make easy DIY laundry soap

Grate one bar of Fels Naptha with either a cheese grater or using a food processor

I grate the soap directly into a pan to heat up on the stove in 2 quarts of water, continuously stirring until it is dissolved. 

Put 4-5 gallons of really hot tap water into a 5 gallon bucket. I use Firehouse Subs Pickle Buckets for this, among many other uses in my house. Stir in 2 cups of Borax and 2 cups of washing soda until it is completely dissolved. 

Next pour the soap mixture into the bucket and stir to mix well. 

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Once the easy DIY laundry soap is made

Cover and leave overnight to cool. 

Once it is cooled, stir again because it may solidify a little bit. When I used a smaller container, it had a pudding-like texture and required me to mix it again. 

Use ½-1 cup per load. 

You can transfer the mixture into smaller and more manageable containers if you wish. I just leave it in the bucket, but it is a matter of preference. 

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Make your own washing soda!

You can easily make your own washing soda if it is not available in the store. Being a prepper, you should always have a good quality stock of baking soda on hand. Keep it in the same Firehouse Subs pickle buckets I talked about earlier.

Take the baking soda and spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake at 475 degrees for an hour. You will notice that the baking soda changes to a slightly grey color, and has a grainy texture to it now. This is because the PH level in the baking soda has changed and increased, turning it into washing soda. It is easier to make than most people realize!

Use an old cookie sheet that is no longer used for cooking or baking with. That way you are not in danger of consuming the washing soda. Washing soda will irritate both skin and lungs. Therefore use gloves when making the easy DIY laundry soap and do it in a well-ventilated area. I usually go outside for this portion of the process, and dump the necessary amount into my bucket, then return to the house to continue.

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Easy DIY Laundry Soap Notes

As I talked about earlier, this is such an easy thing to make yourself, and it is inexpensive. I always have the ingredients to make my own laundry soap on hand, under the kitchen sink. 

The Fels Naptha also doubles as a stain treater. Simply wet a corner of the bar and use it to scrub any stains on clothing before laundering. 

Borax also has multiple uses. I am a huge fan of everything in my home having multiple uses, and this is certainly no exception! It is an amazing ant killer. Mix equal parts Borax and sugar and dissolve in hot water. Place the mixture in a shallow container or lid. My preference is an old pickle jar lid, and leave on the counter where the ants are. What happens is the ants can’t tell the difference between the Borax and the sugar, so they take it back to their nest to eat, and it kills them. 

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Other Uses

Some people have said to simply use it dry, like along baseboards or in corners where ants enter a home and it will stick to their feet. This creates a barrier that the ants won’t cross. I don’t do this because I have a nosy cat who gets into everything left at his level. I find mixing it with sugar and leaving on the counter to be much safer with pets. 

This easy DIY laundry soap recipe has no scent. If you are set on having a scent, you can add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil to it. I don’t find it necessary, but that is simply my preference. Yours may differ, and that is great. Essential oils will help you with that.

This recipe is amazing, but may clog newer washing machines that are high efficiency. Because of this, I do recommend a washer cleaner to prevent that from happening. High efficiency washers need to be cleaned monthly. This DIY laundry soap may increase the frequency of necessary cleaning. Not a big deal, in my opinion. 

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Why I Love this Easy DIY Laundry Soap

Being both a prepper and a homemaker, I am always looking for simple do it yourself methods to both help me be better prepared, and also to save me money. I like projects and recipes that don’t break the bank. It is important, especially as time goes on and inflation keeps going up.

Easy DIY Laundry Soap Discussion

I am always amazed at how easy things like this are to make myself instead of having to buy it at the store and rely on them having what I want in stock. Knowing how to make it myself is so much easier and saves me money!

Have you ever made this easy DIY laundry soap? Tell me about it in the comments! Read about other prepping ideas and tips here.

Easy DIY Laundry Soap
Easy DIY Laundry Soap

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15 Comments

  • Alice

    I have heard of this method and wondered how effective it was for cleaning clothes. If you swear by it, I’m happy to try a natural alternative! Great post

  • Scott DeNicola

    As I was reading this my first thought was will it work in HE machines. :). You may also know that Borax can also be used in swimming pools to stabilize alkalinity and acts as a pH buffer and is a heck of a lot cheaper than the store-bought chemicals. It is amazing how life has all of a sudden became an episode of the Walking Dead. Luckily I have blogs like yours to keep me on top of ways to get by in this emergency. As someone who does personal shopping, I have noticed that laundry detergent is starting to appear less and less on store shelves.

  • Despite Pain

    This is another fantastic idea. It’s amazing the things which we could make at home if we put thought into it. The last time I was at the shops, I couldn’t get normal soap! I did already have some in the cupboard thankfully.

  • Stephanie S

    I’ve never made my own laundry soap. This actually sounds pretty easy to make, and thank you for providing that side note about how it may clog newer washer machines. I currently use a washer cleaner on mine just to make sure it gets any leftover soap residue off, and that it runs better. I’ll have to try out this laundry soap recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.

  • Britt K

    I’ve been reading into different methods of making laundry soap recently as a way of cutting costs. After all, the cost of commerical options seems to keep rising and we’re so limited on what we can use due to my dog’s sensitive skin (even cuddling me in clothing with a harsh chemical used to clean them can lead to a reaction). I like the idea of controlling everything that goes into it – no surprises.

  • Lyosha

    I want to try it now! sounds like a great idea to me. I do want to try some diy, useful too. not to worry if the item is available at least for long

  • Lene

    I love these DIY posts! And this is such a good idea — not just to avoid chemicals, but also probably save a whole lot of money. I do use the liquid Dr. Bronner ‘s soap and it’s actually good for everything, not just your body. Technically, you can use it for your floors, dishes, hair, and much more. I find it does leave a little bit of a residue, but that it goes away if properly rinsed.

  • Kelly Martin

    I didn’t know it was so easy to make your own laundry soap at home. I’ll have to try this. I also love that borax can be used in so many different ways. Really helpful post Erica, thanks.

  • Carol

    I made my own soap earlier this year and have been considering making laundry detergent. With this simple recipe, I think I’ll give it a try!

  • Gerald Godinho

    I have never heard of this before and to be honest with you just use Tide. But I want to save this and show it to my daughter who is into eco friendly stuff. Thanks for writing this detailed post and for all the pictures

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