Simple Gifts: DIY Laundry Soap
Want to give a clutter-free gift to your friends and family but don’t know what to give? As a professional organizer, I’m often asked for gift ideas that won’t add to the clutter in people’s homes. There are lots of clutter-free gift ideas, but an easy one is to give something consumable. Here’s one idea you can give away. Everyone needs to do laundry so it definitely will be consumed!
Shortly after I began making homemade laundry detergent, I made an extra batch at Christmas to give to some family members to try.
They’d heard me talk about it already, but they weren’t sure if they’d like it enough to make it. So giving it as a gift was a win-win all around! They got the opportunity to try out DIY laundry detergent and I got to give practical, clutter-free, budget-friendly gifts.
Recipe for DIY Laundry Detergent
There are lots of different recipes online, but most of them use these basic ingredients:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
- 6-8 oz Fels Naptha or other soap (I couldn’t find it here in Canada so I used 1 cup finely grated Sunlight soap instead – about 1/2 a bar)
Many recipes made bigger batches, which use up the boxes, but I reduced the recipe to this size so you can see the proportions. I usually double or triple the recipe. You can adjust the recipe to suit your own preferences.
I just used a hand grater this time, but I’ve also used a food processor for a larger batch.
I mixed all the ingredients together in a large measuring cup.
Here’s a close-up of what it looks like.
The little bits of grated lemon soap look pretty don’t they?
I keep our DIY laundry detergent in a big jar on top of my dryer. I have a small scoop to make it easy to add it to the water in the washing machine. I just need to add about a tablespoon per load. It doesn’t make suds the way other detergents do but it works really well.
I love how this detergent cleans my clothes, and they smell lemony fresh because I use the lemon scented Sunlight. {If you want unscented detergent you can just use unscented soap.}
I especially like that it’s less harsh than the chemicals in regular detergents, and that it is better for the environment. It’s also so much cheaper than store-bought soap!
Giving DIY Laundry Detergent As A Gift
For Christmas one year, I gave small jars to several family members so they could give it a try. I used small sized mason jars and the Christmas lids I got for free on Freecycle. Aren’t they cute?!
You can use any sized jar, depending on how much you want to give to people. I recommend using a tight-fitting lid to keep the detergent from clumping from the humidity that is typical in laundry rooms.
The response was great from each of the recipients and some even started making their own laundry detergent afterwards!
So if you’re looking for budget-friendly, practical, clutter-free gift to give, mix up a batch of this DIY laundry detergent! {If you don’t make your own detergent currently, you may want to try it out yourself first, so you can feel confident giving it away.}
Click here for more clutter-free gift ideas!
Do you make your own laundry detergent? What clutter-free gifts do you like to give?
If you need help decluttering, contact me for in-person organizing services in the Mississauga area, or virtual organizing services anywhere else.
Happy organizing!
I am a professional organizer, ready to help you declutter and organize the overwhelming areas in your home and develop systems that will work with your family’s lifestyle to help keep you organized!