DIY Laundry Soap Recipe (Liquid Laundry Detergent)
After testing many different recipes for homemade laundry soap I can confidently say this one is the best. Join thousands of others who are saving money with this awesome liquid laundry detergent recipe.
DIY Laundry Soap Recipe
If you are sick of spending tons of money on laundry detergents that do a sub-optimal job, we have the solution for you.
Not only is this recipe easy to make and cost effective, but it works better than any store bought brand we've tried.
We have used this recipe for ten years, and hundreds of others have as well. Read on for detailed instructions as well as a video tutorial that shows you just how simple this detergent is to make.
Why I Choose Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
I had almost given up on homemade laundry detergent completely, when my good friend Keesha texted me and said she had a recipe and wanted to make it together! I had my doubts, but she told me her mom and her sister had both been using this kind forever and swore by it, so I decided I would give it a go. Holy cow. I am in love with this homemade liquid laundry detergent, it is AMAZING!
Every time I open up the washer to switch loads, I am filled with joy because it smells fresh and clean. It also doesn't leave gross residue, and gets out tough dirt and stains. Suffice it to say, this recipe is gonna shrink your laundry expenses considerably!
*This post contains affiliate links.
Homemade Laundry Detergent Ingredients
- Fels-Naptha soap bar
- Washing soda
- Borax
- Essential oils (optional)
- Water
How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
1.Start by grating your Fels-Naptha soap bar. Here is what the Fels-naptha soap looked like after grating it. You want to use the smallest grater that you have, so that it melts as quickly and easily as possible!
2. While you are grating your soap start four cups of water boiling.
3.Add your grated Fels-Naptha bar and stir over medium heat until soap is completely melted.
4. Next, fill your five gallon bucket up halfway with hot tap water.
5. Then add your other dry ingredients and stir together.
6. Finally, fill your bucket the rest of the way with hot water and stir again.
Homemade Detergent Recipe Label & Storage
Be sure to clearly label your containers so that everyone knows they contain a detergent. Also, if you have young children be sure to keep your laundry detergent in a childproof container or on a high shelf. Here is the gallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket! I also love this gamma seal lid!
How much DIY Laundry Detergent does this recipe make?
This recipe makes a 5 gallon tub of liquid detergent. You only need ½ cup detergent for top loader machines and ¼ for front loader machines per load! It's easy to see how utilizing homemade laundry detergent can add up to a big savings!
It costs less than $10 to make 5 gallons of this laundry soap (not including the cost of the bucket). Which equals out to 160 ½ cup loads or 320 ¼ cup loads. Either way, there is a massive savings when comparing to store bought laundry detergents, even when they are purchased in bulk quantities.
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Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 5 gallon bucket
Materials
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
- 1 cup washing soda
- ½ cup Borax
- essential oils (optional)
- 5 gallon bucket
Instructions
- Heat 4 cups of water until boiling.
- Grate your Fels-Naptha soap bar (I just used a cheese grater) and add to boiling water. Stir continuously over medium low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
- Fill your 5 gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, add melted soap, washing soda, and borax and stir well until all powder is dissolved.
- Fill the bucket the rest of the way to the top with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
- The next day, stir well and fill an old laundry detergent container with detergent.If desired, add your essential oils at this point! I use Doterra citrus bliss.
Notes
- Shake well before each use, because detergent can separate a bit.
- Top load machines use ½ cup per load, front load machines use ¼ cup per load.
- Here is the gallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket!
It's SO easy and SO worth it you guys! I can guarantee you're gonna be glad you tried this DIY liquid laundry detergent!
xo,
*This post was originally written September 1, 2014 and has been updated with new photos, video and more detailed text.
Could you add baking soda to this recipe? If so how much would be a good amou.t to add?
I have a auto dispensing washer and wonder if this would be safe to use. I pour my detergent in a reservoir and the machine dispenses the detergent automatically depending on the size of the load it detects.
Yes, it should be fine!
Can I use Castile soap instead of Fels-naptha? Or with it, maybe?
Very excited to try this!
I made it last night and it’s been about 15 hours. My question is , is it supposed to gel? Mine has not gelled and is watery. I used my personal homemade coconut oil soap instead of naphtha bar but the same ounces. Should I use it as is or should I add some more soap shavings to make it gel? Thank you!
It definitely is supposed to gel, but that being said, the substitution may work fine! I can't say for sure as I've never used that coconut oil soap to make this before.
I have been making my own soap for years, but used the recipe that calls for using a blender and whipping the soap. I tried your recipe last time and love it, so much easier to make and works great!! Just made my second batch.
So glad to hear that! thanks Aleta!
Jessica, is this safe for a HE washer?
Thanks!!!
Yes, absolutely!
Jessica, is this safe for a HE washer?
Yes it is!
can u add oxy powder to this when u mix in the 5 gallon bucket?
I'm guessing you can but we haven't tried. Let us know how it goes if you do!
I’m new to this ! I put the essential oils in when I put all the other ingredients in will it be okay??
Yes, it should be fine!
How long does this detergent last?
Up to a year!
Do you have a recommendation of how many drops of essential oils to add?
Just totally personal preference but I add around 10 for all the gallons.
How much do you think you use for essential oils? The whole bottle for the whole 5gals?
I do like 10 or 15 drops, but you can add more or less whatever you prefer!
The smell of the bar soap was super strong and chemically in the kitchen when I was melting it down in the water. I wonder if it’s safe to melt down indoors?
How good is it on dark color fabrics? Does it fade the colors?
Not at all! Works great on any color.
Making this tonight! Do you put this in the detergent dispenser or the drum of a front load machine?
I use the detergent dispenser, but either would work fine!
How much of each ingredient do you use?
I just made this for the first time. I grated the soap bar in a food processor to very fine grain and heated on the stove for awhile but it never fully dissolved. Is this common?
Mine always dissolves, you may need to up the heat a little?
Is this recipe safe for HE washers?
Yes, absolutely.
I made this yesterday, followed the recipe other than used zote bc thats what i had on hand and even after stirring its like jello, how can I fix this?
That's a bummer, I don't know how to fix that!
I've has the same recipie come out like jello too. I just diluted the batch with enough extra water so that it was scoopable. Ends up being like runny jello. I just use a little extra in the machine. More like a cup for a full load, maybe extra if you have giant loads.
I have been making this for three no problems at all, I just made my second 5 gallon bucket! I love making my own laundry soap!
How long can the detergent stay in the 5 gallon bucket? Will it separate in the bucket?
It never "expires" but will become less efficient over long periods of time. It should have peak efficiency for the first year if stored in an airtight container indoors. The detergent may separate in the five gallon bucket. Simply mix well each time before pouring into your smaller regular use container!
I’ve been making this for years.
I add lavender oil when it is cooled off.
I now have another friend making it as well.
That makes us so happy! Thanks for letting us know Deb!
I would love to try this recipe. However, we can not use Borax due to allergies. Any suggestions on making it without the Borax?
You could try subbing baking soda. I have never tried it before so I can't guarantee results, but let us know if you try it.
Did you ever try it with baking soda? Wondering if it worked. I tried just doubling the washing soda instead of using borax and it turned solid ????