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    Home » HEALTH » Natural Living

    How To Make Homemade Washing Soda

    Published: Sep 3, 2020 / Modified: Jun 15, 2022 by: Dr. Karen Lee / This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. /

    Use this guide to make homemade washing soda from baking soda. It's easy and you only need one ingredient!

    box washing soda in front of bowl of homemade washing soda

    Washing Soda In Homemade Detergent

    I use Washing Soda in my laundry detergent recipes, with and without Borax. I also use it to wash dishes in my dishwasher, clean bathtubs, scrub burnt pots, wash moldy shower curtains, make dishwashing soap, and etc...

    As you can see, washing soda is a key ingredient for cleaning jobs at my house and I can easily find it in my local stores. But I understand it's harder for some of you to find washing soda (#ad) in your area, especially if you live out in far away places or if you run out of it and needs it right away.

    There seems to be a bit of confusion between using baking soda and washing soda because I've been receiving emails from some of you. The most popular questions are, "can I substitute baking soda for washing soda?" and "can I make DIY cleaners without washing soda?"

    Make Homemade Washing Soda

    So I thought I'd share how you can make your own Washing Soda. Yup! You can totally make your own!! And to clear up some of the confusion about the difference and why you can NOT substitute one for the other.

    So turn off your phone and grab something hot to drink and read on.

    Warning: Don't try to explain what you are doing to your family because mine looked at me like I had two heads ... taking over the kitchen, with glass bowls and cake pan filled with white powder all over the place...

    "Mom, you forgot to add the flour to baking soda! How are you going to make a cake without flour???" Don't ask.

    bag of baking soda and box of washing soda behind glass pan of homemade washing soda

    DIY Washing Soda From Baking Soda

    To make homemade washing soda, you only need one ingredient: baking soda. (#ad)

    Wait. What? Only one ingredient? Yup! That's it!

    ONE ingredient: baking soda. I like this kinda tutorial, don't you?

    And the direction is really simple too.

    Place the Baking Soda In The Oven

    Use a large baking pan, like a glass cake pan or a deep cookie sheet. Set your oven to 400 degrees F. Spread a thin layer of baking soda in the pan. Bake for about an hour and mix it, then, bake for another hour.

    There are sites that say it should only take about an hour but when I checked mine, it wasn't done. So I baked it for about 2 hours total until the color became a bit dull and yellowish.

    Note: According to one of my readers, LK, if you use a glass pan, it will take longer. If you use stone or metal, it will take less time. Thanks for the tip LK!

    There you have it! You made Washing Soda!

    glass bowl of homemade washing soda

    How Baking Soda Turns Into Washing Soda

    And now here is a bit of a Chemistry lesson on how this happens.

    Simply, when baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) gets heated, it turns into washing soda (Sodium Carbonate) + Carbon Dioxide + Water.

    2NaHCO3 + Heat ==> Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O

    That's it! See how that works? Easy peasy.

    Here is a picture of washing soda (L) and baking soda (R) and how the coloration and the textures are very different. Baking soda is finer and whiter.

    glass bowl of washing soda next to glass bowl of baking soda

    This is how it looks after baking soda turns into washing soda. I know you can't really see the grains in the homemade version but trust me, it's not as fine and powdery as its former life. You can tell the color has yellowed a bit too and when you rub it between your fingers, you can feel the tiny granules, unlike baking soda.

    glass bowl of homemade washing soda between glass bowl of arm and hammer baking soda and glass bowl of arm and hammer washing soda

    Vinegar Reacts Differently With Washing Soda

    And to test it even further - because I wanted to be absolutely sure I made washing soda - I added vinegar to it. After fizzing died down, here are the results.

    See how washing sodas (M and R) got clumpy and the solids separated from the liquid (water)? Yup. Washing soda (basic) neutralized the vinegar (acid) and created solid salts (the clumps), water, and, get this, smelly CO2 while giving off heat. Yes, the bowl was warm and CO2 smell stunk when I added vinegar. See how baking soda (L) is just sitting there? It didn't get clumpy at all.

    Sodas_and_vinegar_ecokaren

    Differences Between Washing Soda and Baking soda

    If you have ever wondered, "can baking soda be used instead of washing soda?" the answer is no, it cannot. They are different chemically.

    Let's look closer at how baking soda and washing soda are different.

    Washing Soda Is Used For Washing

    Washing Soda - Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3) Otherwise known as soda ash, it is mainly used for WASHING. The compound is strong basic at pH 11.

    It is used as:

    • water softener
    • pH balancer
    • photo developing agent in darkrooms (yes, people used to use chemicals to develop pictures and not just "upload" them to computers.)
    • chemical to make chlorine less acidic and balance pH in pools
    • 'lyeing' agent for making German pretzels
    • to degrease, remove oil and wine stains
    • to descale electric coffee pots from hard water.
    • softening water for laundry
    • a way to polish silver - see my tutorial on non-toxic silver cleaning method

    Washing Soda Is Not Edible

    But it is, CAUSTIC and NOT EDIBLE. And it's strongly advised to use gloves when cleaning with it and not inhale the particles.

    Baking Soda Is Mainly Used For Baking

    Baking Soda - Sodium BiCarbonate (NaHCO3). Mainly used for BAKING and is a mildly 'basic' with pH of 8.

    It is used as:

    • an antacid.
    • a leavening agent as it reacts with acidic ingredients such as buttermilk and yogurt.
    • cleaning agent and a deodorizer.
    • an ingredient in toothpaste.
    • a fire extinguisher in an emergency

    And it is SAFE TO EAT.

    In short:

    • Washing Soda ---> NOT EDIBLE
    • Baking Soda ---> EDIBLE

    *Caution - in one particular site I read, she says "...and taste different". YIKES! Folks...DO NOT TASTE Washing Soda! Trust me. Washing soda is different from baking soda! Don't put that in your mouth to taste. It's caustic!

    Is Making Your Own Washing Soda Worth It?

    In short, it doesn't make sense for me to suggest you make your own washing soda.

    You can easily find it in the store and cranking up the oven to 400 degrees for two hours just to make some washing soda is not going to save me a ton of money or time. I'd spend more energy and money on electricity than save a few pennies.

    Unless I was going to bake pounds of baking soda or bake dinner at the same time, it makes no sense to me.

    But if you can't buy it anywhere or you are stuck in your house in a blinding blizzard and you can't go out to the store, then, bake a few pounds or bake a turkey dinner at the same time. And open the oven door afterward to get warm.

    If not, you can always buy Washing Soda in bulk from Amazon.

    Washing Soda FAQs

    Is Borax the same as washing soda?

    No, they are different chemically. Washing soda is Na2CO3 and Borax is Na2B4O7. They have the same purpose and you can use them in the same way. Borax dissolves in water easier than washing soda.

    Is washing soda a detergent?

    A detergent is a cleaning agent that combines with impurities and dirt to make them more soluble. Washing soda is an ingredient in homemade detergent. It is not a detergent by itself.

    Is washing powder the same as washing soda?

    No, washing powder is not the same as washing soda. Washing powder is a mixture that includes washing soda in it.

    Is washing soda toxic?

    Washing soda is safe and non-toxic. However, you should never eat it. It is caustic and very non edible.

    Sources: Chemical Formula, Penniless Parenting, Arm & Hammer

    More Natural Living

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    • How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies Naturally - Once And For All
    • Non-Toxic DIY Dishwasher Tablets
    • Homemade Borax-Free Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin

    About Dr. Karen Lee

    I am a food writer, recipe developer, and a cookbook author sharing my family’s favorite simple & easy, allergy-friendly recipes with you! Let's connect on Instagram || Facebook || Pinterest || YouTube Learn more about me on the ABOUT page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. yakstr says

      February 07, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      Sodium Carbonate is used instead of lye by many to make pretzels.

    2. Nun Ya (@onesimpleidea) says

      January 15, 2016 at 10:55 pm

      Hi. At first I was intrigued, but now it seems to me that this "turn A to B project" is a "solution out hunting for a problem". I'd never even heard of washing soda before today, so what is the problem that needs to be fixed, that isn't already fixed by something more common or easily obtainable?

    3. Ossi says

      December 09, 2015 at 2:33 am

      Many big thanks Karen!
      I follow your advises from Italy and here u can't find anything at all (i mean no borax, no citric acid.. nothing!) so i really appreciate your work for more than a reason.
      Finally i can make my own homemade natural cleaners ❤

    4. Ellen Davidson says

      July 18, 2015 at 3:53 pm

      Can one convert baking soda to washing soda in a microwave rather than an oven?

      • Dr. Karen says

        July 21, 2015 at 3:51 pm

        Hmmm...great question. I haven't tried it in the microwave oven since the temperature can't be controlled like in the conventional or convectional oven.

    5. southwestanne says

      May 20, 2014 at 7:40 pm

      Just so you know - Arm & Hammer is not cruelty free. You might want to try Bob's Red Mill baking soda. Bob's doesn't torture animals with unnecessary and inhumane testing of its products.

    6. shelby says

      April 04, 2014 at 4:27 pm

      Hi, I am new to making dishwasher detergent and want to continue to
      do so for all the reasons you have mentioned.  I just finished my first
      load and am very pleased (I added some all natural powdered lemonade to
      the mix, but other than that I did all the same as you listed out)!  One
      thing I am wondering is if the washing soda is caustic, how is it
      better to use than other caustic store-bought cleaners?  Just a thought I
      had...Thank you!!

    7. ginnygross08 says

      June 10, 2013 at 5:33 pm

      Loved all this information and enjoyed perusing your site. Only one thing I noticed in this particular post: Sodium Bicarbonate is what is used in pools, not the washing soda. I only know this because my husband just went to a class for public pool certification and we just adjusted all the chemistry for the pool at a summer camp. He was trying to find some Sodium Bicarbonate and I asked if he wanted to use our new unopened bag of baking soda. He looked at me like I had three eyes, researched in his pool book and on the internet, made a couple calls and came back and said yes. Lots of helpful information. Thank you!

      • ecokaren says

        June 10, 2013 at 11:08 pm

        ginnygross08 I think it depends on the pH level of the water. When I researched, both can be used. According to this source, washing soda can be used  http://www.ehow.com/about_6385449_soda-ash-pools_.htmlbut others say you have to use baking soda. I think it depends on the pH and how big the pool is. This wiki source says, baking soda is used. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_you_use_baking_soda_to_increase_the_PH_in_a_swimming_pool
        So it looks like it really depends on the size of the pool and the pH level. Good point.

        • ginnygross08 says

          June 13, 2013 at 8:29 pm

          ecokaren ginnygross08 Thanks for the reply and info. We are knew to the pool stuff.

          • Karen Lee says

            June 14, 2013 at 11:43 am

            You are welcome! On a related note, I'm jealous that you have a pool. But I'd love a salt pool though...that sounds so soothing.

    8. erdaite says

      June 01, 2013 at 9:30 pm

      Thanks for the chemistry lesson. Good to know how to make it if we had to but till then I think I will just buy it for now even tho I will keep the instructions on how to make washing soda.  You make me laugh with your funny comments to us . So glad I happened across this site.

    9. GGirlGGreen says

      March 22, 2013 at 11:00 am

      I use it for laundry and cleaning my bathroom!

    10. almostallthetruth says

      March 21, 2013 at 8:29 pm

      Loved the chemistry lesson! I like the idea that I CAN make my own if I wanted, even though I may not want to. 😉

      • ecokaren says

        March 24, 2013 at 9:41 pm

        almostallthetruth LOL...yea, if you can buy it easily, I'd recommend it. But some people were asking me where they can buy it and thought I'd post a tute. 🙂

    11. queentob says

      March 21, 2013 at 11:00 am

      you explained it in such simple terms, thank you! I knew there was a difference but now I know exactly what the difference is and how each does a diffeent "job"

      • ecokaren says

        March 24, 2013 at 9:40 pm

        queentob Oh, I'm so glad you found it helpful! Just wanted to make sure that people didn't substitute one for the other. Thanks for reading!

    12. greentalk says

      March 19, 2013 at 8:10 pm

      Love the idea of making my own. I wonder if I could "baked" it outside when it is really hot?

      • ecokaren says

        March 19, 2013 at 10:42 pm

        greentalk You need to bake it at 400 degrees F ... Mars, maybe. 🙂

    13. LindaWeeks says

      March 19, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      whoops, link took me to Amazon, but they were talking soda pop. I don't really need to make my own soda pop. I shouldn't even be drinking the stuff, as fluffy as I am.

      • ecokaren says

        March 19, 2013 at 5:58 pm

        LindaWeeks That was weird it took you to a page to make soda pop. Sorry about that. The link is fixed. And to answer your previous question, you can definitely use Washing Soda in HE. This does NOT create suds. It's perfect for HE. Thanks for reading!

    14. LindaWeeks says

      March 19, 2013 at 5:40 pm

      Dear EcoKaren;
      I've been thinking about doing just that, now that you mention it, but I'm wondering, are we talking using this in a high-efficiency washer? Is that cool? Lemme know! Thank you! and thanks some more!

    15. Personalized Fitness says

      March 19, 2013 at 1:37 pm

      Awesome!

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