Why buy dishwashing and laundry detergent when you can make your own for half the cost?! It’s super easy, too. Plus, if you make your own detergent, you get to control what goes in it—perfect if you have kiddos with skin allergies.
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Here are two of my favorite detergent recipes:
How to Make Dishwashing Detergent Tabs
What You’ll Need
- 2 cups baking soda
- 2 cups Borax
- 1/2 cup kosher or Epsom salt
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 15 – 20 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 ice cube trays
- Large container for storage
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Don’t be alarmed if the vinegar causes a bit of fizzing—this is normal.
Baking soda cuts grease, Borax acts as a disinfectant, the salt helps reduce the effects of hard water, vinegar helps bind the ingredients and adds extra cleaning power, and the essential oils help make things smell fresh.
2. The ingredients should start clumping together once they’ve been well combined.
3. Firmly pack the mixture into two ice cube trays.
4. Let the cubes sit in their ice cube trays for at least 24 hours. Place in a dry, sunny spot for best results.
5. After 24 hours, or once they’re dry and hard, remove them from the ice cube trays and store in a lidded container.
How to Use Dishwashing Detergent Tabs
Add one tab to your dishwasher’s detergent compartment. If you have hard water, add 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar to the bottom of your dishwasher to help prevent cloudy glasses and dishes. This recipe should make 32 tabs.
Note: If the inside of your dishwasher is stainless steel, check your dishwasher’s manual to ensure vinegar can safely be used as a dishwashing aid.
Adapted from: One Good Thing by Jillee
How to Make Laundry Detergent Pods
What You’ll Need
- Grater
- Parchment paper
- Rounded 1 Tbsp measuring spoon
- Spray bottle
- 1 1/2 cups washing soda
- 1/2 cup laundry soap bar, grated
- 2 Tbsp Epsom salt
- 3 Tbsp hydrogen peroxide
- 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp white vinegar, separated
- Water
- 15-20 drops of essential oil such as lavender or jasmine for fragrance (optional)
- Resealable bag or container for storage
Directions
1. Place washing soda, grated laundry soap, and Epsom salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Add hydrogen peroxide to bowl and give the ingredients a good stir.
3. Add 1/4 cup vinegar to bowl. Then, if you want your homemade pods to smell nice, add 15-20 drops of essential oil such as lavender or jasmine to the mixture. Stir all the ingredients together. The mixture should resemble wet sand and should clump together when you press it.
The washing soda in this recipe will refresh your clothes, the Fels-Naptha will remove stains, Epsom salt will prevent detergent buildup in your washer, while hydrogen peroxide and vinegar brighten and preserve the colors in your laundry.
4. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
5. Use a rounded 1 Tbsp measuring spoon to scoop the mixture out of the bowl and onto the cookie sheet. Leave a little space between each scooped out mound.
6. Add 2 Tbsp vinegar and 2 Tbsp water to an empty spray bottle. Spritz the pods on your cookie sheet with the solution.
7. Completely dry pods at room temperature for at least 8 hours before using.
How to Use Laundry Detergent Pods
One pod is good for 1 load of laundry. This recipe should make about 28 pods. Store in a resealable plastic bag or a container with a lid.
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