Myth Busted: Why You Should NEVER Use Homemade Soap in Your Laundry
I get this question all the time: "Do you make your own laundry detergent?"
It comes from the intention to simplify, save money, and go natural.
But my answer is always the same: No, and please don’t use that recipe you found online!
Homemade laundry soap—the kind made with borax, washing soda, and grated bar soap—seems like a perfect, simple, old-fashioned solution. In reality, it’s one of the quickest ways to damage your clothes, compromise your washing machine, and lock in that musty "clean" smell you're trying to avoid.
Here is the science behind why you should ditch the bar soap and why choosing a high-quality, eco-friendly detergent is the best choice for your clothes, your skin, and the planet. And I’ll admit- I’ve been there. I’ve damaged clothes and locked in smells for years that it took time to get out. I don’t want you making the same mistake!
The Problem is Simple Chemistry: Soap vs. Detergent
The crucial difference lies in the cleaning agent itself.
1. The Soap Scum Trap
What You’re Using (Grated Bar Soap): This is true soap, made from natural fats/oils and lye.
The Reaction: When soap meets water—especially hard water (which is most of Canada)—it reacts with the water's mineral content (calcium and magnesium) to form an insoluble compound.
The Result: This is the dreaded soap scum—the white, waxy film you see on your shower door. In your washing machine, this scum doesn't rinse away; it settles deep into the fabric fibers and the internal workings of your appliance. Because there was no “chelator” to bind ot the dirt and carry it away. This is an important ingredient in well-designed laundry detergents.
2. The Fabric Nightmare: Why Your Clothes Get Ruined
Over time, this soap residue buildup creates several major problems for your wardrobe:
Residue Locks in Odor: The waxy film of soap scum traps and holds onto dirt, body oils, and bacteria. This means the musty smell you thought you washed out is actually locked into the fabric, making your clothes smell worse over time.
Destroys Athletic and Sensitive Fabrics: Athletic gear (like Lululemon or Nike Dry-Fit) is designed to wick moisture away. When soap residue coats these synthetic fibers, it clogs their pores, eliminating the wicking capability and making the fabric stiff and non-breathable.
Dulls and Stiffens Clothes: White clothes become dingy and yellowed, colors look flat, and your towels lose their absorbency and feel permanently stiff.
3. The Washing Machine Warning
Modern High-Efficiency (HE) washers are designed to use very little water. This low water level is terrible for dissolving bar soap, leading to residue buildup that can clog hoses, pumps, and eventually breed mold and mildew inside your machine—potentially voiding your warranty.
Why Athletic Clothing Gets Hit The Hardest
The synthetic fabrics used in athletic wear (like spandex, Lycra, elastane, polyester, and nylon) are designed to stretch and wick moisture. They are extremely sensitive to three things: soaps scum residue, heat and bleach.
1. Soap Scum
The wax, oil, or fat in traditional soap (and fabric softeners!) coats the synthetic fibers. This film stiffens the fabric, traps bacteria, and prevents the elastic fibers from moving freely and contracting. This sticky, waxy residue from bar soap (or homemade detergent) is the most common cause of this stiffening and elasticity breakdown in synthetic materials.
2. Heat Damage (The Dryer)
High heat melts the rubber/polymer components that create the stretch (spandex/elastane), permanently compromising their structure. Even if you used a good detergent, if you put these materials in the dryer on high heat, the damage is irreversible.
3. Bleach or High-Alkalinity
Chlorine bleach (like liquid chlorine bleach) chemically degrades the elastic fibers and can break down the color dye.Highly alkaline powder detergents (like strong doses of pure Sodium Carbonate) used improperly can also stress and weaken the fibers over time.
The Solution: Choose a Modern, Enzyme-Free Detergent for Everyday Use
The best way to clean your clothes is to use a modern detergent. A detergent is chemically designed to not react with hard water minerals, allowing it to rinse cleanly away with ingredients that each have specific functions, clean well, rinse away and are gentle on clothing. Nellie’s, unfortunately isn’t the best option as it resembles that cheap homemade recipe.
When choosing a great daily detergent, look for simple, enzyme-free, plant-derived formulas like PURE, Down East, ECOS or Lemon Aide. (I like the refillable options at Consciously clean Refillery!)
Why It's Better for You, Your Clothes & The Planet
For Your Clothes: Rinses completely clean, preventing waxy residue buildup. This truly gets the dirt out and keeps colors bright, towels absorbent, and allows high-performance fabrics (like athletic wear) to function as intended without ruining their elastics. The tageting ingredients work to carry away dirt in the wash cycle, rather than hanging around.
For Your Skin: By choosing Unscented/Free & Clear detergents with gentle surfactants (Alkyl Polyglucoside or Decyl Glucoside), you eliminate the main skin irritants: soap scum, fragrances, and enzymes.
For the Planet: Modern eco-friendly liquids use biodegradable, plant-derived surfactants and powerful, fast-acting builders (like Sodium Citrate or MGDA), which are effective in cold water and safe for septic systems.
Our Laundry Strategy: The Two-Detergent System
You don't need one detergent to do everything! The smartest way to manage your laundry is to use a two-step system:
The Everyday Driver: Use a gentle, eco-friendly, economical, enzyme-free liquid. This keeps your clothes clean, soft, and residue-free 90% of the time.
The Stain Booster: For heavy grease, tough protein stains (like grass or blood), or that occasional "deep clean," use a concentrated, enzyme booster. The enzymes do the heavy lifting that no natural soap could ever achieve. And for lightening or disinfecting, sodium percarbonate does the trick instead of using damaging bleach.
Now, I urge you from experience- PLEASE stop ruining your clothes with grated soap bars and start truly cleaning your clothes. Your wardrobe (and your washing machine!) will thank you.
