Looking for the DIY Cloth Diaper Detergent recipe? Click here.
Small Batch Recipe
- 1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
- 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
- 1/2 cup of OxiClean Free or “Baby”
- 1 bar of soap, finely grated
There are tricks to grating it.
My favorite method is to chop it up (a food processor can help here), lay it out on cookie sheets to dry out overnight, and then chop it up again (again, the food processor is a big help!) Be careful not to push your processor too hard (don’t rush it!) It will turn to dust, which will make using in cooler water much easier!
Now I don’t like leftovers and I don’t like having to do things over and over again, so I like to make large batches. It’s a little more work at the time, but a lot less work in the long run.
Large Batch Recipe (my favorite way)!
- 3 Boxes Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (55 oz each)
- 2 Boxes 20 Mule Team Borax (76 oz each)
- 1 Large Tub OxiClean Free or “Baby”
- 24 Bars of Soap, finely grated
Depending on what soap you get and how you buy it (bulk, discount store, etc.) you can make a full batch of this for around $60 and it will last a VERY long time.
I’ve found that getting large buckets to mix this up makes it SUPER easy! Layer all of your ingredients into one (or more) buckets. Pour from one bucket to the next, and repeat until it’s mixed to your satisfaction. That’s it!
What soaps can you use?
Most any bar soap will do, but something easy on the skin is always good choice. You might consider:
- Fels Naptha
- Ivory
- Zote
- Kirk’s Castile
If you don’t want to use bar soap, you could make the recipe without it and simply add a squirt of Dr. Bronners to heavily soiled loads, or simply pre-treat spots!
How do I use it?
I liked to use 2 tablespoons per load of laundry. My husband has a fairly dirty job and my daughter is quite messy, so from time to time I toss in a little extra on their loads.
If I’m doing a cold wash, I have a jar that I keep close by that I can put my scoops into, add some hot water and help dissolve it a little before throwing it in the wash. It will work without doing that, but I like to.
Want to buy a detergent, here are some brands that gentle on skin & the environment.
Allens Naturally Laundry Detergent
Charlie’s Soap
Country Save
Eco Nuts
Eco Sprout
Nellie’s
Planet
Rockin’ Green
**I’d like to make a note about the borax used in this recipe. A recent article by EWG cautions the use of borax for cleaning in the home noting that toddlers and young children face special risks from hand-to-mouth transfer of carpet or crack and crevice, dust or spray borax treatments. I would recommend not using borax as a general home cleaner – any cleaner (aside from pure water) used for these purposes will leave a residue. I feel comfortable using the minuscule amount in the detergent. It is not used on open surfaces and is washed out during the rinse cycle.
You can read a bit more on this debate here – there are some great points of view in the comments.