Homemade Detergent for a Cheap and Effective Wash

It's quite easy to make a simple homemade detergent for washing clothes.

Real detergent?

OK, this isn't strictly what we generally mean by detergent. Wikipaedia defines detergent as: "a compound, or a mixture of compounds, intended to assist cleaning." Which is what this is...but, it goes on: "The term is often used to differentiate between soap and other chemical surfactants used for cleaning purposes."

Well I won't split hairs about it! This mixture certainly works well and you don't have to be so concerned about the chemical surfactants, phosphates and the complex chemical fragrances which can cause both health and environmental problems.

It's also quite cheap - though probably not quite as cheap as washballs.

Washing machine safety

This recipe for homemade detergent is suitable for use with all common types of washing machine, though you may prefer to check with your manufacturer if you have a gleaming new machine and/or you are of a nervous disposition!

I find this homemade detergent is a great solution for when the washball has (finally) run low and I can't find time to re-fill it. You can also use it as a stop-gap solution for when you don't want to travel to the shops solely to buy detergent!

A simple homemade detergent

Ingredients

You don't strictly need the bicarbonate (it keeps things fresh-smelling).

You can also add a little essential oil for a fragranced washload if you like. Always choose fragrances which are recommended for diluted application on skin. See An Aromatherapy Air Freshener Using Essential Oils for more information on using essential oils.

Method

Buy some ordinary household laundry soap. In Britain, the Co-op stocks it. You can use ordinary soap if you prefer.

Grate the soap into a vessel such as a storage jar.

Add one dessertpoonful of salt to every ounce (30gms) of soap grated. (A dessertspoonful of salt also weighs in at about an ounce.)

Put this mixture into the detergent drawer of your machine. The exact amount depends upon your washing loads but I find that similar amounts to normal detergent work fine - i.e. between an half ounce and one ounce of the detergent mix.)

If you live where the water is very soft you may need to increase the amount of salt you use. (Soft water generally lathers up more.)

Add about two teaspoonfuls of sodium bicarbonate. This will help your wash to smell fresh after the washing cycle.

You can use this mixture on practically everything, though perhaps you might not want to wash your finest clothes this way.

An even easier way to do this is to just grate a little soap into the detergent drawer of your machine and add a dessertspoon of salt.

Salt does make water harder, so you may want to add a fabric softener to the wash to prevent your clothes feeling starchy.

How does it work?

Most washing machines should suffer no harm from this mixture; if in doubt, please contact your washing machine manufacturer for advice. I have used this mixture for some time as an occasional alternative to washballs and I have had no problems.

If you do notice a lot of suds being produced, just add more salt next time.

Of course, it's a good idea to rinse your machine through from time to time to clear out any greasy deposits or soap scum. Use a proprietary cleaner or use vinegar. Vinegar is one of the best natural cleaners around.

It is also far more eco-friendly than most proprietary cleaners and does a great job. Please see my page on cleaning with vinegar for more about this.

There you have it - a simple homemade detergent for occasional or emergency use!

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