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    Home Β» Housekeeping Β» Quick Zero Waste DIY Laundry Detergent

    Quick Zero Waste DIY Laundry Detergent

    Sep 21, 2017 + modified Jan 11, 2022 by shia

    This is our second favorite homemade laundry detergent. What? Only the second favorite?, you might wonder, Why does she even bother posting the recipe then?

    Well, our favorite laundry detergent is using horse chestnuts (aka conkers in the UK), which we simply collect off sidewalks or in parks every fall. It is an all-natural, ridiculously local, and completely free way to wash your clothes. In fact, now is the best time to go out to collect some horse chestnuts! Head over to my FAQ on this to learn more!

    DIY Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Powder in a laundromat

    However, depending on where you live, horse chestnuts might not be an option, because, well, they do not grow in your area! Or you are reading this article off-season and, honestly, you shouldn't have to wait for fall to arrive to be able to wash your clothes in a healthier, non-invasive, and non-toxic way!

    In our case, we moved from Germany to Vancouver in spring, and yes, we had the audacity to leave our all-natural laundry detergent behind. So ever since then we have been using this homemade laundry detergent, and I can say that we like it and it is just as effective, if not even slightly more effective.

    The reason why we still prefer using horse chestnuts is because it is as local and as zero waste as it can get! You can probably collect the nuts on your walk, so the carbon footprint is zero! There is no upstream waste, and putting nuts that would otherwise rot on the streets to good use just makes my little zero waste heart skip a beat! ❀️😝

    Homemade Powder Detergent

    Time required

    7 minutes including grating the soap, 3 minutes if you have previously grated soap on hand

    Ingredients

    5.6 oz/ 160 g palm oil-free castile bar soap* 1 cup/ 240 g baking soda 1 cup/ 240 g washing soda Optional: Essential oils for a nice fragrance (I prefer my clothes unscented though)
    1. Grate the castile bar soap into soap flakes. Skip this step if you have previously grated soap. (I like to grate a bar of soap while watching some TV show to wind down, so I usually have some soap flakes at hand.)
    2. Mix to combine all ingredients. Blend in blender or food processor if you prefer it completely pulverized. I personally do not mind though.
    3. Use 1–2 tbsps per load.
    * Unfortunately, most bar soaps contain palm oil (read more about the social and environmental impact of palm oil), and even organic palm oil is very controversial. And yes, all of Dr. Bronner's soaps contain (organic) palm oil. Palm oil-free choices are Kirk's Coco bar soap (not organic, sold in a recyclable paper wrapper), and 100% olive oil soap that you can often find in Middle Eastern, Greek, and Turkish stores.

    Related

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brigitte says

      September 21, 2017 at 3:09 pm

      What is washing soda?

      Reply
      • shia says

        September 21, 2017 at 3:11 pm

        Sodium Carbonate. You can buy it in cardboard boxes in most supermarkets :).

        Reply
      • Coccinelle says

        September 21, 2017 at 4:36 pm

        If you can't find it, you can easily make it by baking sodium bicarbonate.

        Reply
    2. Coccinelle says

      September 21, 2017 at 4:35 pm

      Can I use Alep soap?

      Thanks for your chestnut idea, I didn't know that soap nuts were not ecological. It's so hard to keep up with everything!

      Reply
      • shia says

        September 22, 2017 at 12:37 am

        You can :)! We have used it with Alep soap and it works great! And please, don't be too hard on yourself! I didn't know until my friend wrote the guest post here on how to use horse chestnuts! You cannot know what you don't know, right? πŸ˜‰
        And it's very cool that you try to keep up! <3 What we can do is to keep an open mind, try to keep up, and make the best decisions based on what we do know, right?

        Reply
        • Coccinelle says

          September 22, 2017 at 8:57 am

          I'm not beating myself up! I found that it's actually counter-productive to do that. I do what I can do and I know that I'm always doing the best I can even if it's not perfect. It's always better than nothing!

          Reply
    3. Eva says

      October 21, 2017 at 4:06 pm

      Do you put the powder directly with the clothes ?
      I have tried a similar recipe but it asked to dissolve everything in hot water (so it was obviously liquid). Do you need to use a hot temperature cycle with this recipe?

      Reply
      • shia says

        October 22, 2017 at 2:58 pm

        You can :). And you don't need to use a hot temperature cycle, but of course you can. Using hot water is always more efficient, provided the material of your clothes can be washed at that temperature.

        Reply
    4. Tessa says

      January 21, 2018 at 6:27 am

      Does it have to be castile soap or can I grate any odd bar of soap for example fragrance free curd soap?
      Thanks for your easy recipe!

      Reply
    5. Clean Bubbles says

      March 20, 2018 at 1:34 am

      Thank You For Sharing This Blog.. Awesome Blog!!

      Reply
    6. Clean Bubbles says

      April 03, 2018 at 12:42 am

      Thank You For Sharing This Blog.. Keep It Up!!

      Reply
    7. Alexandra Arcangel says

      April 14, 2018 at 12:49 am

      What do you do for softeners? πŸ™‚

      Reply
    8. Katie says

      May 04, 2018 at 5:45 pm

      Will this recipe work in washers that call for HE soaps only?

      Reply
    9. Kat says

      May 18, 2018 at 4:59 am

      For how many loads is the recipe?

      Reply
    10. Cathrine says

      August 21, 2018 at 10:39 pm

      This laundry soap is great! I made a batch from two small soap bars and it lasted for almost two years!
      How? It's pretty concentrated, and I diluted it with hot water until I felt it was almost like liquid laundry soap and stored in a bottle. It will separate in the bottle after a while, but just give it a good shake before using. Still only need 1-2 spoons per wash!
      I couldn't find washing soda and tried baking baking soda (I think) but didn't see any difference so I might have used only baking soda or even baking powder. πŸ˜€ It was a long time ago, but my clothes always stayed clean.

      Oh, and softener? 1 part vinegar of choice, 1 part water. And if you dye your hair and get those small packages of hair conditioner, you can squeeze them into the mixture as well. I wouldn't use them on my hair but I don't mind using them on my clothes.

      Reply
    11. Natalie says

      November 06, 2018 at 5:33 pm

      Can I use this in a high efficiency washing machine?

      Reply
      • shia says

        November 08, 2018 at 3:34 pm

        We have used this in the laundromat, so yes :).

        Reply
    12. Courtney S says

      December 05, 2018 at 5:10 am

      Do you use this solo or do you add in a softener too (like vinegar/water mix?) Thanks!!

      Reply
    13. Shelby says

      December 22, 2018 at 2:01 am

      Can you use this in the cold cycle? Will it dissolve?

      Reply
    14. Jay says

      April 22, 2019 at 6:43 pm

      I'm a little new to doing my own laundry (I'm autistic and have usually had assistance, but have requested to do my own laundry now) and I'm wondering if this recipe for homemade powder detergent is safe for HE washers and where I would be putting the powder in the washing machine? Is it in the same area that I would put a liquid detergent?

      Reply
      • Jay says

        April 22, 2019 at 6:45 pm

        Sorry, to add to this, how much do I throw in with my laundry?

        Reply
    15. Isabell says

      February 14, 2020 at 9:15 pm

      If you use essential oils, will it cause oil stains on your clothes when you wash them?

      Reply
      • shia says

        February 23, 2020 at 1:41 am

        Essential oils are so intense, you really only need to add a few drops. These tiny quantities will not stain your clothes, I promise :).

        Reply
    16. Alana says

      April 02, 2020 at 1:16 am

      Will this dissolve in cold water? Can it be used in HE? Do you combine with clothes or in the top detergent compartment? Thanks!

      Reply
    17. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      JrQT' AND (SELECT 3553 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7162767071,(SELECT (ELT(3553=3553,1))),0x7170706a71,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a) AND 'xeSk'='xeSk

      Reply
    18. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      JrQT) AND (SELECT 3553 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7162767071,(SELECT (ELT(3553=3553,1))),0x7170706a71,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a) AND (6718=6718

      Reply
    19. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      JrQT AND (SELECT 3553 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7162767071,(SELECT (ELT(3553=3553,1))),0x7170706a71,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a)-- LhCM

      Reply
    20. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      JrQT) AND 7948=CAST((CHR(113)||CHR(98)||CHR(118)||CHR(112)||CHR(113))||(SELECT (CASE WHEN (7948=7948) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END))::text||(CHR(113)||CHR(112)||CHR(112)||CHR(106)||CHR(113)) AS NUMERIC) AND (6869=6869

      Reply
    21. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      JrQT') AND 2031 IN (SELECT (CHAR(113)+CHAR(98)+CHAR(118)+CHAR(112)+CHAR(113)+(SELECT (CASE WHEN (2031=2031) THEN CHAR(49) ELSE CHAR(48) END))+CHAR(113)+CHAR(112)+CHAR(112)+CHAR(106)+CHAR(113))) AND ('vBky'='vBky

      Reply
    22. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:12 pm

      JrQT' AND 2023=(SELECT UPPER(XMLType(CHR(60)||CHR(58)||CHR(113)||CHR(98)||CHR(118)||CHR(112)||CHR(113)||(SELECT (CASE WHEN (2023=2023) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) FROM DUAL)||CHR(113)||CHR(112)||CHR(112)||CHR(106)||CHR(113)||CHR(62))) FROM DUAL) AND 'aBcp'='aBcp

      Reply
    23. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:12 pm

      (SELECT 9092 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7162767071,(SELECT (ELT(9092=9092,1))),0x7170706a71,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a)

      Reply
    24. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:13 pm

      JrQT UNION ALL SELECT CONCAT(CONCAT('qbvpq','SjEwZxlcJjnadzseGWgrouyqEEHsfxCoahqVjYxR'),'qppjq'),NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL-- KqqT

      Reply
    25. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      -3029 UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,CONCAT(CONCAT('qbvpq','dooRhQcjHupMNpYklLYnlvgHoXmJIsJkgQSqHCNY'),'qppjq')-- suWe

      Reply
    26. Anonymous says

      June 05, 2020 at 6:16 pm

      JrQT UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL-- udPJ

      Reply
    27. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      rvIF') AND (SELECT 6878 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7178706a71,(SELECT (ELT(6878=6878,1))),0x71626b7671,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a) AND ('rkHK'='rkHK

      Reply
    28. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      rvIF AND (SELECT 6878 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7178706a71,(SELECT (ELT(6878=6878,1))),0x71626b7671,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a)-- rOyO

      Reply
    29. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      rvIF) AND 7857 IN (SELECT (CHAR(113)+CHAR(120)+CHAR(112)+CHAR(106)+CHAR(113)+(SELECT (CASE WHEN (7857=7857) THEN CHAR(49) ELSE CHAR(48) END))+CHAR(113)+CHAR(98)+CHAR(107)+CHAR(118)+CHAR(113))) AND (2424=2424

      Reply
    30. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      rvIF' AND 2742=(SELECT UPPER(XMLType(CHR(60)||CHR(58)||CHR(113)||CHR(120)||CHR(112)||CHR(106)||CHR(113)||(SELECT (CASE WHEN (2742=2742) THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) FROM DUAL)||CHR(113)||CHR(98)||CHR(107)||CHR(118)||CHR(113)||CHR(62))) FROM DUAL) AND 'kcwK'='kcwK

      Reply
    31. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:54 pm

      (SELECT 3610 FROM(SELECT COUNT(*),CONCAT(0x7178706a71,(SELECT (ELT(3610=3610,1))),0x71626b7671,FLOOR(RAND(0)*2))x FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.PLUGINS GROUP BY x)a)

      Reply
    32. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      rvIF ORDER BY 1-- QWof

      Reply
    33. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      rvIF UNION ALL SELECT CONCAT(CONCAT('qxpjq','QDRBIUjWmVOrdGWwaCnvnezBCKdrKeIUBlUuMVGU'),'qbkvq'),NULL,NULL,NULL-- zdWA

      Reply
    34. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      rvIF UNION ALL SELECT CONCAT(CONCAT('qxpjq','PNkbSRdgOu'),'qbkvq'),NULL,NULL,NULL-- QXgW

      Reply
    35. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      -2444 UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,CONCAT(CONCAT('qxpjq','JCmTMSSfggZCgNDODzlPbUkMbBiRkyqnMLMTWmly'),'qbkvq'),NULL-- swAy

      Reply
    36. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      -1334 UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,CONCAT(CONCAT('qxpjq','DoCDZYLfVz'),'qbkvq'),NULL-- edFp

      Reply
    37. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      rvIF UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL-- fkUs

      Reply
    38. Anonymous says

      June 06, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      rvIF UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL-- pBvA

      Reply
    39. Anonymous says

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      rvIF UNION ALL SELECT NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL-- vCoQ

      Reply
    40. Sarah says

      November 26, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      Hello! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Can this detergent be used with a cold water wash?

      Reply
    41. Colette says

      January 12, 2021 at 9:41 am

      So many have no clue that fast growth shampoos (of course with no sulfates, no parabens, no DEA) are a thing. We all now may enjoy longer hair and attain more options. Definitely worth investigating.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. The big list of zero waste cleaning recipes - Green Indy says:
      October 17, 2018 at 5:14 pm

      […] from Wasteland Rebel’s […]

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    2. Plastic Free DIY Cleaning Recipes For Your Entire Home - Splendid Moon says:
      November 29, 2018 at 10:03 pm

      […] Making laundry soap is one of my favorite tasks! Why? Because I get to shred bar soap! It’s extremely satisfying and I always look forward to making it again. I mostly use this but also have soap nuts that I’ll use occasionally. I found the recipe at Wasteland Rebel’s blog. […]

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    3. Easy Zero Waste Swaps - A Comprehensive List Of 93+ Swaps | Earth Macros says:
      September 8, 2019 at 2:18 am

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    4. A Plastic Free Laundry Routine - Splendid Moon says:
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      […] this recipe since last October and it works really good! Like really good. The original recipe is from wasteland rebel blog, but I made some adjustments with the amount of castile soap I […]

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    Shia Su

    Hey, I’m Shia, a fun-oriented hot mess and insubordinate cookie monster that has yet to learn how to shut her trap or to grow up. 🀷

    If I can live a vegan zero waste lifestyle, really, anyone can!

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