homemade laundry detergent for hard water

How to Make Laundry Detergent (Complete Guide)

How to Make Laundry Detergent (Complete Guide)

how to make laundry detergent

The use of detergent is one important part of our daily lives. When it comes to washing or cleaning, detergents always come in handy.

Owing to the diverse use of detergents in our various homes, it takes quite a good part of our expenses. Repeated purchases of detergents for different purposes over a long period can be quite expensive.

More so, industrially made detergents contain toxic and harmful chemicals that are harmful to the environment and can cause skin problems. The contents of a good number of detergents out there are toxic and pose a danger if not avoided.

We, however, use them as though we are left with no choice.

But come to think of it, isn’t there a way to avoid the use of industrially made detergents? What if you can make detergents that contain zero hazardous chemicals? Don’t you think it’s a great idea?

Now you’re probably wondering, isn’t the materials used in making a laundry detergent as expensive as buying an industrially made detergent? Certainly not!

It is way more cost-effective than buying detergents from the store. Making your detergents will let you save more money and have a supply of detergent that can last for a long time. You win on both ends.

Do you have to be a professional to do this? What about the process, is it rigorous?

The detergent making process is way easier than doing your laundry. You don’t have to be a professional in the field to pull it off. The process requires no special skill whatsoever.

All you need to do is to get the ingredients, mix them, and apply heat to get it prepared – nothing more. The major requirement will be a bit of your time, which is worth it. Don’t you think it’s better to spend a little extra time to save more money?

If you have been searching for a way to make your laundry detergent at home, search no more. Right here, you’ll be getting the complete guide that will show you how you can make laundry detergent that is void of toxic and harmful chemicals.

We have simplified the processes so that even a 10-year-old will find it easy to follow through.

 

How to Make Laundry Detergent

In this article, you’ll discover how to make three types of laundry detergents namely:

  1. Powdered laundry detergent
  2. Liquid laundry detergent
  3. No-soap laundry detergent

 

Let’s take a close look at each.

 

1. Powdered Laundry Detergent

 how to make laundry detergent

To make powdered laundry detergent, you’ll need these ingredients:

  • Two cups of baking soda
  • One bar of castile soap
  • Two cups of washing soda
  • Two cups of borax

 

How to Make Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent

  • Grind the whole bar of soap until it is finely mashed
  • Pour the grounded soap into a bowl and add the baking powder, washing powder, and borax
  • Stir the mixture until they are evenly mixed up
  • Pour the mixture into an air-tight container

To use your powdered detergent, dissolve it in hot water before use. This is because it won’t dissolve in cold water.

 

2. Liquid Laundry Detergent

    how to make laundry detergent

    The following ingredients are required to make liquid laundry detergent:

    • One cup of borax
    • One bar of castile soap
    • One cup of washing soda
    • Essential oils
    • One liter of water
    • Half cup of baking soda

     

    How to Make Liquid Laundry Detergent

    • Grind the soap until it is finely mashed
    • Pour a liter of water into a pot and boil it. Add the grounded soap one portion at a time and stir gently until it gets dissolved
    • Put the baking soda, washing soda, and borax into a different bowl
    • Pour the soap solution into the bowl containing the baking soda and the other ingredients, then stir thoroughly to mix it evenly
    • Leave the mixture to cool for about 30 to 45 minutes
    • When it is cool, add essential oil to improve the fragrance of the detergent if you wish. If you decide to add it, let it be between 15 and 20ml and stir to let it seep in
    • Get your empty containers and pour in your liquid detergent for storage

    When it’s time to do your laundry, just take half a cup of your liquid detergent and you’re good to go. For severe stains, add a little bicarbonate and vinegar into your washing water.

     

    3. No-Soap Laundry Detergent

      how to make laundry detergent

      You may probably wonder why you should make detergent without soap. As you know, soap is an integral component of detergent but it can become problematic.

      How?

      This arises from the nature of the water used. Hard water and soap don’t go well together. There is a formation of an insoluble substance known as “soap scum” when soap is used in hard water. This occurs due to the presence of magnesium and calcium in hard water. When soap is used in hard water, the sodium salts contained in the soap reacts with the magnesium and calcium in the water and forms soap scum.

      Soap scum can accumulate on clothing and attract dirt, which will serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. If you stay in an area where you get mostly hard water, then a soap-based laundry detergent isn’t ideal for you. This is why we also provide an alternative just in case you fall into this category.

      Here are the required ingredients:

      • 1 liter of distilled water
      • Preservatives – 10g  
      • Sodium lauryl sulphate – 750g
      • Coco betaine – 50g
      • Decyl glucoside – 30g
      • Salt – 20g

       

      How to Make No-Soap Laundry Detergent for Hardwater

      • Pour the surfactant into a container
      • Add the distilled water and stir to mix the surfactant and water. Stir gently to prevent the formation of excessive lather
      • Add salt to the mixture and keep stirring. As the salt dissolves, the mixture will thicken. Alternatively, you can dissolve the salt in a little quantity of the distilled water then pour it into the mixture. This will help foster the efficient blending of the ingredients in the mixture
      • Add the preservative and you are all set

       

      Benefits of Laundry Detergent Ingredients

      Some of the ingredients have powerful properties that make them an integral part of the detergent. Listed below are the benefits of the ingredients used in making the laundry detergent.

       

      Castile Soap

      This aids in the reduction of the surface tension of water and acts as an emulsifier. It has a particularly good cleaning effect on grease, oils, and dirt particles.

       

      Baking Soda

      how to make laundry detergent

      Over the years, baking soda has been utilized for different purposes including preservation of dead bodies, the active ingredient in toothpaste to prevent tooth decay, and the production of deodorants.

      Its utilization is due to the antibacterial and deodorizing properties it possesses. The effect on clothing isn’t any different as it is known to eliminate the unpleasant odor that may arise from sweat. It also removes stains, makes clothes softer, and protects them from haze.

       

      Washing Soda

      It possesses the property of softening water to prevent the formation of soap scum. It is ideal for the elimination of stubborn dirt and stains.

       

      Bicarbonate

      Bicarbonate is a natural product that acts as odor removal and disinfectant. It neutralizes the pH value when your products have too much acid or are too alkaline, and makes the fabrics soft.

       

      Advantages of Homemade Laundry Detergent

      If you’re still in doubt about the importance of making your laundry detergent, have a look at the advantages of doing so.

       

      1.  Environmentally friendly

        The ingredients are all environmentally friendly. They are void of hazardous chemicals that can affect the environment adversely. So, you don’t have to worry about throwing toxic synthetic chemicals down the drain.

         

        2. Skin-friendly

          Particularly suitable for people with sensitive skin, the compositions of the detergent are less hazardous to the skin.

           

          3. Zero waste

            A do-it-yourself laundry detergent reduces packaging waste; you can buy all ingredients plastic-free.

             

            4. You are in control

              When you make the detergent yourself, you’re in control of the number of ingredients to put therein. If you’re sensitive to the synthetic fragrance that comes with the industrially made detergents, you have the option of leaving it out.

               

              Final Words

              As much as it is a good idea to make your laundry detergent, it can be a bad idea as well. Have in mind that you’re dealing with chemical elements that can be dangerous if wrongly handled.

              Always ensure you take precautionary measures when engaging in the process. Take safety steps like wearing a hand glove and, possibly, a nose mask (to prevent inhaling the fumes and/or particles of the materials).

              Also, the materials and ingredients used to prepare the laundry detergent should be kept beyond the reach of children to avoid accidents.

              Reading next

              7 House Design Trends in Africa that are Growing in Popularity
              Factors to Consider when Moving to a New House

              Leave a comment

              This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.