diy laundry detergent

DIY Laundry Detergent

DIY laundry detergent powder is super easy to make! And one of the really cool aspects of making your own laundry detergent is that you can make it with whatever ingredient combination that you want for those light, medium or heavy wash loads that you have! And you can also give it whatever clean smelling fragrance that you want it to have!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

There are so many different ways to make DIY laundry detergent. Just as you have to experiment with different laundry detergents from the store to fit you and/or your family’s needs, you may need to experiment with some of the DIY laundry detergent recipes in small batches until you find the one that fits you and your family’s needs and works best for you.

Between being able to create your own customized laundry detergent for less and add a clean smelling fragrance, this DIY laundry detergent powder is a delight. So, if you want to learn how to be self-sufficient – the DIY laundry detergent powder is something you may want to try!

diy laundry detergent

Ingredients

The simplest DIY laundry detergent powder is made with only 3-ingredients! It is made with baking soda, SLSA, citric acid, and an optional fragrance. You can alternatively use a grated laundry bar and then boost the detergent with other things like washing soda or borax. So, let’s do a quick run down of the different ingredients that can be used along with some general safety precautions.

  • Baking Soda – The baking soda is a natural deodorizer and cleanser used in DIY laundry detergent powder recipes. It is gentle enough to be used in tooth powders and mouth wash tablets. So, it is a gentle ingredient that actually softens the water as well. Therefore, it will leave your clothes feeling soft and smelling fresh.
  • SLSA – This is a foaming agent that is often used in various DIY personal care items and can be used in the DIY laundry detergent powder. By itself, it is a much stronger chemical that is usually added in much smaller amounts. Therefore, a little can go a long way.
  • Citric Acid – The citric acid is a laundry boosting ingredient that will increase the foaming action of other ingredients to help fight stains.
  • Laundry Bar – A laundry bar is a bar of soap that has been specifically formulated with a little extra lye for washing laundry. So, while it would be harsh on your skin, it is perfect for cleaning dirty clothes. Some popular laundry soap bars are Fels-Naptha, Zote, and Hispano. For the DIY laundry detergent powder, the soap is grated into a powder.
  • Washing Soda – The washing soda is sometimes called soda ash. It is a stain fighter and also used to treat hard water. It is not to be confused with its cousin – baking soda. While you can make tooth powder and mouth wash with baking soda – washing soda is a bit more caustic and can therefore irritate the skin when handled with bare hands. So, gloves are recommended when handling.
  • Borax – The borax is an excellent stain remover and can be used as an alternative to using bleach. However, you can use it on dark colors as well because it does not fade your dark colors.

Safety Precautions: The ingredients are all chemicals that you will be working with including the bar of soap. Some of the ingredients used to make DIY laundry detergent powder are quite a bit stronger than others. Therefore, you should wear gloves and protective eye goggles when mixing the powder.

If you do not have protective gear you should (1) avoid handling the ingredients directly with your hands, (2) minimize any dust created from adding/mixing the powder (3) wipe down your work area afterwards, and (4) wash your hands and your face afterwards. The dust can settle on your face and eyelashes, resulting in a surprise eye irritation later on if you rub your eyes.

Store all of the ingredients away from children and pets.

In Summary

That is all for now! Before you start making DIY laundry detergent, you may want to try the DIY laundry spray or perhaps one of the DIY dryer sheets. Be sure to check out the DIY laundry page for any new DIY laundry additions. For now, this concludes the DIY laundry detergent page.

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