Why You Can Trust CNET How to make your own laundry detergent at home for cheap
You only need three ingredients.
Quarantining for nearly five months due to the coronavirus pandemic has brought out a homesteader streak I barely knew I had. My husband and I started a backyard garden, then I tried churning butter. Now I'm testing out various DIY cleaners and detergents I can make at home for cheap with few ingredients. I'm already using a make-at-home oven cleaner dreamed up by my friend Ashlee Clark and a vinegar-centric all purpose cleaner shared by Nancy Birtwhistle on Instagram (the 2014 winner of The Great British Bake Off).
It was time to venture over to laundry -- specifically laundry detergent.
My colleague Julie Snyder, who's in the above YouTube video, extensively researched this topic to arrive at this DIY laundry detergent recipe, sourced from Bren Fey of the Bren Did blog. As always, take care when you're trying out any DIY solutions for the first time. Test them with a small load of laundry to begin and stop if you experience any irritation.
Step 1: Buy the ingredients
You'll need:
- Half a cup of Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner (a 16-ounce container costs $16 on Amazon)
- Two-thirds of a cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (a 55-ounce box costs $4.12 at Walmart)
- A glass or stainless steel jar with a lid that's over 36 ounces (a 64-ounce Mason Jar costs $4.19 at Target)
- Four cups of water
These ingredients can make up to 72 loads of laundry detergent.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients
- Put the water on to boil
- While the water is heating up, pour two-thirds of a cup of Super Washing Soda into your glass or stainless steel container (don't use an aluminum container; the sodium carbonate in the washing soda can damage it)
- Add half of the boiling water to the jar (let the water cool slightly before adding it to a glass container) and slowly mix until the Washing Soda is fully dissolved
- Mix in the half cup of Sal Suds and then stir in the remaining water
- Let it cool to room temperature
Step 3: Laundry time
After the laundry detergent is cool, you can either start doing laundry right away (use a quarter of a cup for each load of laundry) or put on the lid and store it until you need it.
The measurements I provided in the recipe are enough for 18 loads of laundry. If you bought the 16-ounce Sal Suds and 55-ounce Super Washing Soda, you can make up to 72 loads of laundry detergent with the ingredients at less than $0.30 a wash.
Read more: How to clean your oven with stuff you already have at a home