DIY Laundry Detergent Liquid: 2 Non-Toxic Borax Free Recipes

These two easy recipes for laundry detergent liquid makes 14 loads of non-toxic laundry detergent for about $3.oo and rates an A on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Cleaning scale. Learn the simple way to make liquid detergent in small batches.

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Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been making my own natural homemade laundry detergent for close to three years. It's an easy powdered detergent recipe that has no dangerous chemicals or additives, works great, and is cost-effective.

I love the powdered detergent but it does require grated Castile soap. Since I have not found pre-grated Castile soap this means a bit of extra effort to make the detergent.

Liquid Detergent Requests

Multiple readers have asked me to make a liquid detergent recipe, either because they don't want to grate soap (who can blame them) or they prefer liquid detergent. I get it… I was a liquid laundry detergent user when I purchased detergent.

So, what's taken me so long? Honestly, I could never find a liquid detergent recipe that was easy to make, worked well and didn't produce gallons and gallons of detergent. Who has the storage space for a 5-gallon bucket of detergent anyway? And, since homemade detergent does not usually contain preservatives, I worried that these huge batches could develop mildew or mold before they were used up.

Liquid Laundry Detergent Trials

A few months ago I began making and testing my own liquid laundry detergent. My goals were simple, I wanted an effective liquid laundry detergent that:

• Does not contain Borax.
  • Borax use is somewhat controversial in green circles;  it is a naturally occurring mineral, but it is also toxic. Read more at MNN.
• Does not require melting or grating soap.
• Is easy to make (and store) in small batches.
• Scores well on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Cleaning scale

It took me several months, 15 different batches of laundry detergent,  and a few soapy kitchen messes… but I have succeeded!

These 2 non-toxic recipes make small batches of laundry detergent liquid using either Castile soap or Sal's Suds. The Castile version is a bit trickier to make, but both work great and are more affordable than store-bought versions.

Version 1 – Laundry Detergent Liquid with Castile Soap

Ingredients

• Super Washing Soda – 7 oz (2/3 cup)
• Baking Soda- 1.5 oz (3 Tbsp)
• Liquid Castile soap – 1/2 cup, any scent –
• Water– 5 cups, divided

Directions

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil.
2. Pour washing soda into a large glass bowl then slowly stir in 2 cups of boiling water until washing soda is completely dissolved.

3. Add one tablespoon of baking soda at a time and stir well to combine. The mixture will thicken as baking soda is added until it is a pudding-like texture.

4. Stir in ½ cup Castile soap until well combined.  Slowly stir in remaining 3 cups of boiling water.
5. Cool to room temperature, the mixture will separate while cooling. (I let my detergent rest overnight. See separation in the picture below.)

6. Combine separated mixture by blending or whisking until smooth. (Tip: Pour the mixture into 2 quart-size Mason jars before cooling, rest overnight, then screw on a blender bottom to easily blend until smooth.)

7. Store liquid detergent in a glass bottle. Use 1/3 cup per load of laundry

Healthy Cleaner Rating and Cost

This DIY laundry detergent scores an A on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Cleaning scale.

• Each of the ingredients (baking soda, washing soda, and Castile soap) have earned the highest safety rating.
• The EWG scale was designed to protect humans and the environment from dangerous chemicals.

The detergent is cost-effective at $0.24 a load, my favorite commercial laundry detergent costs about $0.30 a load.

Laundry Detergent Liquid with Castile	Cost per Batch	EWG Rating
Super Washing Soda (I use this kind.)	$0.50	A
Baking Soda (I use this kind.)	$.007	A
Liquid Castile Soap (I use this kind.)	$2.56	A (or 0)
Total Cost	$3.13
Cost Per Load (1/3 cup or 13 loads)	$0.24

Notes on Using Laundry Detergent Liquid with Castile Soap

• Make sure to fully dissolve the washing soda completely while making or the detergent will be gritty.

• If the detergent sits for an extended period of time it many separate, stir or shake to combine.
• The detergent has a thin gel-like consistency, pour directly on top of clothes instead of using your liquid detergent dispenser.
• Use vinegar in the rinse water for extra softness. Add it to the fabric softener dispenser or use a Downy Ball filled with white vinegar. It automatically releases the vinegar during the rinse cycle.

 

Version 2 – Laundry Detergent Liquid with Sal's Suds

Ingredients

• Super Washing Soda – 7 oz (2/3 c)
• Sal's Suds – 1/2 cup
• Water – 4 cups, divided

Directions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
2. Pour washing soda into a large glass bowl then slowly stir in 2 cups of boiling water until washing soda is completely dissolved.

3. Stir in ½ cup Sal’s Suds until well combined. Then slowly stir in remaining 2 cups of boiling water.

4. Cool to room temperature, store in a glass bottle. Use ¼ cup liquid detergent per load.

Healthy Cleaner Rating and Cost

This DIY laundry detergent scores an A on the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Healthy Cleaning scale.

• Each of the ingredients (baking soda and Sal's Suds) have earned the highest safety rating.
• The EWG scale was designed to protect humans and the environment from dangerous chemicals.

The detergent is cost-effective at $0.26 a load, my favorite commercial laundry detergent costs about $0.30 a load.

Laundry Detergent Liquid with Castile	Cost per batch	EWG Rating
Super Washing Soda (I use this kind.)	$0.50	A
Sal's Suds (I use this kind.)	$3.20	A (or 0)
Total Cost	$3.70
Cost Per Load (1/4 cup or 16 loads)	$0.26

Notes on Using Laundry Detergent Liquid with Sal's Suds

• Make sure to fully dissolve the washing soda completely while making or the detergent will be gritty.

• If the detergent sits for an extended period of time it many slightly separate, stir or shake to combine.
• Use vinegar in the rinse water for extra softness. Add it to the fabric softener dispenser or use a Downy Ball filled with white vinegar. It automatically releases the vinegar during the rinse cycle.

More Natural Laundry Solutions

If you're concerned about chemicals in your home check out some of my other green laundry tutorials:

Natural Homemade Fabric Softener (it can be used in the washer or dryer)

All-Natural Stain Sauce for Laundry (It's a great stain pre-treater)

All-Purpose Cleanser (it's great for all-purpose household cleaning and laundry stains)

Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent (The original powdered detergent I have been using for years)

How to Natural Clean Smelly Towels (Learn how to get towels clean and fresh, naturally)

 

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