DIY LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE: ALL NATURAL AND CHEAP

The vast majority of conventional laundry detergents we find in stores are full of chemicals and unsafe for human health. Knowing a good recipe for a DIY laundry detergent that is all-natural and cheap is a healthier option you should try!

We shouldn’t put chemicals onto our clothes because they are in constant contact with our skin, our largest organ. That’s why conventional laundry products are a big no-no!

Using conventional laundry detergents is also a threat to the environment. It adds unnecessary chemicals in water streams and oceans, which puts at risk marine life.

So, knowing how to make a DIY laundry detergent, which is natural and zero waste, is a great way to have a more sustainable wardrobe.

We need to swap those chemical detergents so that we take better care of our health as well as the environment!

You can find more natural alternatives made by sustainable brands. Even better, you can make your own DIY laundry detergent.

In this blog post, I am sharing with you my zero waste DIY laundry detergent recipe that is all-natural and cheap to make. 

This blog post contains affiliate links which means that if you buy something through such links, I will get a small commission without any extra cost for you. Please read my Disclosure for more details. 

DIY laundry detergent recipe: all natural and cheap

The ingredients

Making your own natural laundry detergent is easy, and only requires a few ingredients. It doesn’t take a long time to make and you’ll save a lot of money in the process.

Conventional laundry detergent can get expensive whereas, here, you’ll only need to purchase cheap basic ingredients.

In total, you’ll end up spending a fraction of the price of a conventional detergent.   

To make your natural laundry detergent, you will need : 

• Authentic Marseille soap (or authentic Castile soap or Aleppo soap)
• Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda)
• Water
• Washing soda (optional)
• Essential oils (optional)

As you can see, you only need 3 compulsory ingredients. The two optional ingredients have a purpose I’m explaining below, but you can skip them if you want to keep things simpler.

Now, here is the recipe to make your natural laundry detergent! 

Step-by-step DIY laundry detergent recipe

1. To make a natural and sustainable laundry detergent, you need a bar of soap. In my recipe, I use Marseille soap, but you can also purchase Aleppo or Castile soap. For environmental reasons, make sure that the soap is authentic and doesn’t contain any palm oil. To start the recipe, make soap shavings with a cheese grater. Aim to have around 50 grams (1,76 oz). 

2. In a large pot, pour 2,5 liters (0,66 gallons) of water and bring it to a boil. Then, remove from the heat and add the soap shavings to the water. Mix the solution until the soap shavings are dissolved. 

3. Let the soapy water cool down for several minutes and add one tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda. 

4. Optional: Add one tablespoon of washing soda to the solution. You can skip this step if you want but I highly recommend using this ingredient when your laundry is dirty. Washing soda is a natural compound that helps remove stubborn stains from your laundry.

5. Optional: If you want to give your clothes a nice and fresh smell, add a few drops of essential oils to the mix. You can use a variety of essential oils here: citrus, tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, jasmine… I personally add 5 drops of organic lavender essential oil to my detergent. 

6. Pour the solution into a big bottle. I reused an old detergent bottle to save it from going to waste, and its size was ideal. But you can use what you already have, be it glass jars or other containers. 

That’s it, there you have your homemade detergent!

I hope you find this recipe useful and that you could learn how to make your own natural laundry detergent. The total process shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes. 

Making your own DIY laundry detergent is a great way to be more environmentally friendly and stay away from chemicals and toxic compounds in your home.

Your health is important and you should take care of it by switching to more natural products.

By making your products, you are in full control of what ingredients go into the products you use.

Also, you take action towards zero waste and have a lower impact on the Earth every day.

And last but not least, you save money in the process, because the ingredients you need are super cheap! So it is a win-win situation!

If you liked this article, you might want to read the following ones too:

• 10 natural & sustainable alternatives to dryer sheets
• 7 best reusable lint roller alternatives for removing lint & pet hair sustainably
• 10 brands selling natural, eco-friendly cleaning products
• The only 9 minimalist cleaning supplies you need

I’d love to know if you tried this DIY laundry detergent recipe and if you liked it, please let me know!