This recipe for natural liquid laundry detergent is one my faves. It only requires 5 ingredients and it makes about a gallon—for just $5! Plus we're sharing recipes for sensitive skin and powered laundry detergent.
One day shortly after my husband and I moved in together he warned me that he used a lot of laundry detergent. Turns out, he wasn't kidding!
With the amount of money we were wasting on the expensive stuff, I decided it was high time to save a few bucks and make my own. This gentle laundry detergent uses green, but effective, ingredients to get clothes squeaky clean.
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How To Make Natural Liquid Laundry Detergent
Why DIY Laundry Soap?
Natural laundry detergent has long been a priority in our house. It's better for you, your health and the environment. In the absence of harmful chemicals, sulfactants, parabens and phthalates, it’s a lot safer for long term use. Plus it's completely biodegradable and won’t pollute our waterways.
Oh, and the hefty price tag of the store-bought stuff definitely leaves something to be desired!
If you've hesitated to make homemade laundry detergent because, frankly, it's easier to buy it at the store, keep reading: this recipe will save you money and the kicker is that it gets clothes cleaner than the stuff you'll find on store shelves.
Ingredients
Even with just 5 ingredients, this laundry detergent is a lot cheaper than (and just as effective as) the store-bought kind. It relies on liquid Castile soap to clean clothes and get rid of odors, and borax and washing soda to help tackle stains. Plus, by dissolving everything in water first, it won't leave any white flakes on your clothes like some homemade dry detergents.
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup washing soda
- ½ cup Borax
- 1 cup liquid castile soap
- Essential oils I used 5 drops thyme oil and 15 drops grapefruit oil
- Medium stock pot
- Gallon size jar or plastic bottle with lid
You can usually find everything you need to make your own laundry detergent at the neighborhood grocery store. The only ingredient I sometimes have trouble finding is washing soda.
But a quick Google search usually points me in the direction of a local grocery store that sells it. If you can’t find it nearby, you can usually find it pretty easily online.
Instructions
Step 1: Boil water
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium-size pot. Remove from heat and add the borax and washing soda.
Step 2: Whisk in borax and washing soda
Whisk until the borax and washing soda are completely dissolved.
Step 3: Combine Castile soap and essential oils
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining water, castile soap and essential oils.
Step 4: Combine liquids
Combine the two liquids and stir. As it cools it should thicken up. If it's too thick, add more water and mix again.
Variation: DIY Laundry Detergent with Fels-Naptha and Zotes Soap (Powder + Liquid Options)
This recipe uses a combination of fels-naptha and Zotes soap flakes, super washing soda and borax. I added some tea tree and rosemary essential oils, too. The tea tree has antimicrobial properties, which is nice for laundry, and both the essential oils help cut the strong scent of the soaps.
For a completely natural laundry soap, use grated vegetable oil based soap, like Dr. Bronner's castile bars. The Fels-Naptha does have some chemicals and dyes, but it's a hard call because it helps get the laundry super duper clean.
Ingredients
- 2 bars Fels-Naptha grated
- 2 cups grated soap or soap flakes
- 2 cups super washing soda
- 2 cups borax
- 20-40 drops essential oil I used rosemary and tea tree
Instructions
- First, grate the soap. I find it easier to use the grating disk on my food processor and then switch over to the blade and pulse it until it's powdered. A food processor is really handy for this, but a blender will also work.
- Working in batches, if needed, pulse the ingredients in a food processor or blender until combined. There will still be flecks of the Fels-Naptha visible. Place in an airtight jar and use 1 tablespoon detergent for a regular load, 2 tablespoons for a bigger load.
- To make it into a liquid detergent, dissolve 1 tablespoon of powder in 1 cup hot water.
- For a big batch of liquid detergent mix the powder with 2 gallons plus 1 quart hot water in a 5 gallon bucket. Use 1 cup per load. The liquid will solidify and be more scoopable than pourable.
This detergent can also be used in conjunction with this stain remover spray for extra stain-fighting power.
Variation: Laundry Liquid Detergent with Sal Suds (No Borax)
The main soap in this recipe is Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds, a concentrated, all-purpose cleaner made from plant-based surfactants, as opposed to oils like in traditional Castile soap.
It’s a bit stronger than liquid Castile soap, which means it’ll get your clothes squeaky clean. But because it’s plant-based and free of dyes, fragrances and preservatives, it’s gentle on skin. Not to mention, it’s effective in hard water and dissolves at both hot and cold temperatures, so it rinses cleaner than other homemade laundry detergents.
To boost the cleaning powder, add Kosher salt and super washing soda, which help scour clothes, remove greasy build up and lift stuck-on stains from fabric.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water, divided
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup washing soda
- 1 cup Sal Suds
- 15 drops essential oil, optional
- Large glass jar
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup of hot water into a large glass jar.
- Add the washing soda and salt. Stir until the powders are well dissolved and the water is almost clear.
- Add the remaining water, Sal Suds and any essential oils. Stir until the mixture thickens (approximately 1-2 minutes).
- Shake or stir well before each use.
Storage
If you plan to keep making your own detergent, a glass beverage dispenser makes a great container, since it’s easy to dispense and refill. Otherwise, make sure to store detergent in an airtight jar and keep it away from children and pets.
Just note that this liquid laundry detergent doesn't have the same texture that you might be used to. Because it contains powdery ingredients, it has a tendency to thicken up as it cools. You can get around this by adding more water until you reach a consistency you like.
Since natural liquid laundry detergent doesn’t contain preservatives, it has a somewhat short shelf life. It’s best to make small batches and use it within 2-3 weeks.
If you can’t use it fast enough, either make a smaller batch or store it in the refrigerator in between uses. It should store in the fridge for at least a month.
Using DIY Laundry Detergent
Standard, non-HE washer — ½ - ¾ cup depending on the load size.
High-efficiency washers — ⅛ - ¼ cup depending on the load size.
Top-loading machines — Place the detergent in your machine’s automatic detergent dispenser. If you have a front loading machine, either pour it into the detergent dispenser or directly in the washer drum before loading your laundry.
Adding 1 cup of vinegar to the washer will act as a natural softener and help rinse away any soap residue. But such a small amount is needed for a load, you probably shouldn't have a problem.
Keep an open mind! Even if the consistency isn't what you had in mind, I promise it will win you over with its cleaning power.
FAQ
It's best to follow the instructions on your washing machine. If the manual says to only use a certain type of laundry detergent, then I wouldn't risk it by using homemade detergent. Better safe than sorry!
To make sure the powders dissolve and don't leave a residue on your clothes, I would recommend using warm or hot water only.
Add more water and stir well. You may also need to shake the detergent prior to each use if the ingredients have separated. Even if the detergent is thicker than what you're used to, it should still dissolve in warm water.
Natural Liquid Laundry Detergent
Equipment
- Medium stock pot
- Gallon size jar or plastic bottle with lid
Materials
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup washing soda
- ½ cup Borax
- 1 cup liquid castile soap
- Essential oils I used 5 drops thyme oil and 15 drops grapefruit oil
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium-size pot. Remove from heat and add the borax and washing soda.
- Whisk until the borax and washing soda are completely dissolved.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining water, castile soap and essential oils.
- Combine the borax mixture with the castile soap mixture in a large lidded jar or old laundry detergent jug.
- Gently stir to combine. As the mixture cools it should thicken up. If it's too thick, add more water and mix again.
- Use ⅛ cup for small loads and ¼ cup detergent for large loads of laundry.
