Many of you have asked how I “cook up” laundry detergent. Since there are many mothers among my readers and website visitors who might be considering making their own homemade laundry detergent for washing a new family member’s clothes, I decided to publish the recipe directly on the website.

You will need:

• 2.5 L water
• 100g laundry soap
• 3 tablespoons washing soda
• at least a 4 L container for storing the detergent (glass or plastic) or 2 smaller ones (I have one 2 L and one 3 L)

1. Pour 2.5 L of water into a pot, cover it, place it on the stove, and wait for the water to boil.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, grate 100g of laundry soap. Any kind will do. If you buy a bar larger than 100g, weigh it out. I grate it on a fine grater so it dissolves faster and better later.
3. Once the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and add the grated laundry soap to the water.
4. Stir until the soap dissolves.
5. Once the soap has dissolved, add 3 heaped tablespoons of washing soda. If you don’t have washing soda (which contains no water), you can make it by drying baking soda in the oven to evaporate the water (click), or you can use regular baking soda. I have made detergent with regular baking soda many times, and it was just as effective.
6. Let it cool. Stir several times while cooling, otherwise the detergent will harden like a rock and you won’t be able to pour it. When it’s cool enough that the temperature won’t warp plastic containers, pour the detergent. I pour it into two plastic bottles so it’s easier to shake.

IMPORTANT! Never fill the detergent to the top, as it will harden and needs to be shaken before use.

Even when you use it, you’ll see that it’s not as liquid as store-bought detergent (watch the video below)

It often happens that hardened detergent builds up around the neck of the bottle. Remove it frequently so that the cap sits properly on the bottle.

I use this detergent for all types of laundry.

Instead of fabric softener, I use alcoholic vinegar, to which I usually add a few drops of essential oil (I choose based on my current mood). It’s true that the scent isn’t as strong as to fill the entire apartment. Nevertheless, the laundry has a pleasant, delicate scent and is soft. At the same time, you’ve also done something good for your washing machine and yourself.