I am IN LOVE with this homemade laundry detergent. It is simple, effective, and SO cheap. Let me break it down for you.
Here’s some math:
I went on H-E-B’s (my local grocery store) website and took the average of the first 4 laundry detergents I saw that were for 64 loads.
- Gain $9.94
- Tide original $11.97
- Tide simply clean $6.94
- Cheer $7.48
The average cost for a 64-load jug of laundry detergent was $9.08.
The average family will do 300-390 loads of laundry per year.
The low end:
300 loads: You will have to purchase detergent 4.68 times this year. (we’ll round up to 5) You will spend on average $45.40 on detergent for one year.
390 loads: You will have to purchase detergent 6.09 (we’ll round to 6) times this year. You will spend on average $54.48 on detergent for one year.
If you do less or more loads, calculate how many loads then divide by 64 to see how many times you will need to purchase detergent.
Materials for this all-natural detergent:
- Baking soda: $1.44 (for two 1 pound boxes)
- Super Washing Soda: $4.12 (for one 3 pound box)
- Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap: $11.99 (for two 32-ounce bottles)
Total Spent: $29.54
Now I will say, if you buy these items in your local grocery store it will be much cheaper. However, if you prefer shopping online I have linked some of these products below.
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I make my detergent in a 64 oz jar (but it actually holds 70 ounces if filled to the top!) It will make me 27 loads. So to make this detergent last for 300 loads, I will have to make this about 11 times.
Here is the exact jar I use if you’re interested.
Some more math:
To make my detergent for 300 loads, you would use
- 22 tablespoons of Baking Soda (these two boxes contain 64 tablespoons)
- 22 tablespoons of Super Washing Soda (1 box contains 96 tablespoons)
- 33 tablespoons of Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap (1 box contains 64 tablespoons)
Look how much is leftover after you make 11 loads from this one purchase. You could still make enough to wash 600 more loads!
You could wash 900 loads of laundry (or 3 years worth) for $29.54!
On average, I only do laundry 1-2 times per week. So If I did 104 loads of laundry per year, I could spend $30 and wash over 8 years of laundry! Of course, number of loads will increase once I have kids 🙂
If you take the math we did earlier for one year’s worth of detergent for the low end (300 loads for $45.40), it would cost you an average of $136.20 for 3 years of detergent.
Homemade Natural Laundry Detergent
5 Ingredient Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent
- 2 tbsp Baking Soda
- 2 tbsp Super Washing Soda
- 8.5 cups Water (changes depending on size of container)
- 10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 3 tbsp Lavendar Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap
Pour the super washing soda into your jar.
Add in warm water to cover, then stir to dissolve.
Add in the baking soda and stir to dissolve.
Fill to the top with hot water, leaving a couple inches of room.
Add in the castile soap.
Add in the essential oil.
Fill the remaining space with hot water.
Shake before use. Use 1/3 cup each time you wash.
Start with a large jar of your choosing. Mine holds 70 ounces.
Add in the super washing soda and cover with hot water to dissolve. Then, add in the baking soda and give it another stir.
Fill the jar with hot water and leave two inches of space at the top.
Pour in the castile soap and essential oil and stir to combine.
Fill up the remainder of the jar with hot water.
Whenever you’re ready to use, give it a shake, and remember to use 1/3 cup with the load.
If you’re interested in more ways to save money, check out my post 7 eco-friendly switches to save you thousands and reduce waste.