Ready to give your laundry routine a fun makeover 🎉 Our Homemade Laundry Detergent Liquid Recipe is super easy, economical, and environmentally-friendly! 🌱 Save money on expensive detergents and reduce plastic waste with this fantastic natural alternative. 💚
I despise laundry. I really do. It may be the very bane of my existence as far as household chores go.
Nope. Never mind. That’s dishes.
In any case, I absolutely hate laundry. It takes forever and it’s never ending. Kind of like those blasted dishes.
But, laundry is a necessary evil. Using an expensive, toxin filled store bought laundry detergent is not. That’s why this DIY laundry detergent is one of my favorite natural products I make. It’s toxin free!
Why Make Your Own Laundry Detergent?
I originally came up with this recipe because we realized how much the toxins in the everyday products we were using were messing with my health.
I was sick. I was really sick.
Were those products the ultimate cause of my illness? No, I have an auto-immune disorder called Ankylosing Spondylitis.
But, those products that we switched to making ourselves, weren’t helping and to this day, I still use my own homemade products for that reason. I don’t have any allergies specifically, but making homemade detergent is great for those that do or those that have sensitive skin.
But cost also became a factor. 2015 was an incredibly hard year for my family financially. Things got really tight, really quickly and this homemade laundry detergent is incredibly cheap compared to what the prices of store bought detergent are.
Especially in 2024.
Making homemade laundry detergent can help ease the cost of keeping clean clothes quite a bit. Since you’re making a 5 gallon bucket of detergent for around $10.00, you’re getting so many more loads from your batch than you would be from a store bought option; even if you buy the biggest package possible.
Is Homemade Laundry Detergent Better Than Store Bought?
Yes and no. This is one of those “how do you define” things. If you’re looking for a washer full of suds to prove your clothes are clean, you won’t find that here.
However, if you’re looking for a more budget friendly laundry detergent and one that uses natural ingredients like Castile soap and washing soda, your homemade laundry detergent will be better than store bought.
As far as cleaning, yes, I feel that for normal laundry, it works and cleans much better than store bought.
Does Homemade Laundry Soap Really Clean Clothes?
Honestly, it depends on what you’re looking for in a liquid detergent. This recipe will clean clothing that is soiled with what could be considered average dirt.
However, my late husband was a truck driver and I wouldn’t bother to try and wash his diesel covered clothes in it. It would be a waste of detergent honestly.
So average dirt and stains for babies, kids and adults, but not heavily soiled items will work as good if not better than store bought. It is also safe to use for most fabrics unless they say dry clean only or have other specific instructions.
If you are going to use it for heavily soiled clothes, I would add a cup of Borax powder or Oxiclean when you make it. Doing so will help tackle tougher stains.
Can this Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Be Used in an HE Machine?
If you have an HE washing machine, you’ve probably seen both yes and no when it comes to using homemade laundry detergent in an HE machine.
The answer again is that it depends. For the most part, yes this DIY liquid laundry detergent is safe for HE machines, but you will want to check the specifications for your washer before using it.
Chances are you’ll be fine, but given how expensive washers are, it’s best to check.
Can I Use This Homemade Washing Soap in Cold Water?
Does anyone actually wash clothes – aside from whites – in hot water these days? I know I don’t.
Yes! This DIY laundry detergent works incredibly in cold water! Use it as you normally would use a store bought detergent no matter what temperature you’re washing your clothes in.
Why Use Castile Soap in Homemade Laundry Detergent?
Most homemade laundry detergent recipes call for a Fels-Naptha soap bar and a box of borax. Some use Zote bar soap instead. While I am a huge fan of all the different uses for Fels-Naptha, making laundry soap requires grating the bar of soap.
Fels-Naptha is known to be a nasal irritant and it bothers my nose pretty badly. So, when I needed a new recipe that did not use it, I opted for using a bar of Kirk’s Castile soap instead.
Not only is the recipe easier on my nose, but the truth is that I find it cleans my clothing better.
Can I Add Scent to DIY Laundry Detergent?
Yes! Of course! I love using essential oils to make my laundry detergent smell amazing! Since this is a large batch homemade laundry detergent recipe, I use 40 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Use whatever scent appeals to you! Lavender essential oil, Lemon essential oil and Geranium essential oil are all great options!
You will add the scent oil at the end of the recipe. Make sure to stir it together very well though so that the smell you’re looking for gets evenly distributed throughout the entire batch.
How to Use this Homemade Laundry Detergent Liquid
To use, add 1 cup of your Castile Soap Laundry Detergent to your washer and use like you would any other commercial detergent.
When you’re using this recipe, I do want you to keep in mind that since it contains no SLS or other sulfates, it will not suds the same way that a store bought bottle will. It does contain soap so some suds should be expected, but don’t be taken by surprise when it isn’t as much as you are used to.
How to make a Fast Homemade Fabric Softener
To make a simple homemade fabric softener, add 1/2 cup white vinegar to your washing cycle. Not only will this help to soften your clothes, but it will also help to remove any soap residue that your washer may leave behind.
You don’t need to worry too much about the smell of the vinegar. It will dissipate in the dryer; especially if you use wool dryer balls when your laundry is in the dryer.
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
Equipment
- 5-Gallon Bucket, with lid
Ingredients
- 1 bar Castile soap
- ½ box Super washing soda
- ½ C. Baking soda
- ½ C. Table Salt
- Essential oils any scent
- 5 gallons Water
Instructions
- Using the rotary grater, grate the Castile soap bar fully.1 bar Castile soap
- Add grated soap, washing soda, baking soda and salt to a large stockpot. Stir the dry ingredients until they're fully combined.1/2 box Super washing soda, 1/2 C. Baking soda, 1/2 C. Table Salt
- Fill the stockpot half-way with water. Stir until all the dry ingredients are wet and mixed well.5 gallons Water
- Heat the stockpot on medium-high heat making sure to stir often and that the mixture does not boil.
- Heat and stir consistently until the mixture is fully dissolved and soap flakes are fully melted.
- Turn the heat off and allow the mixture to sit and cool 5-minutes.
- Pour soap mixture into a 5-gallon bucket. Top the bucket off with cool water making sure the bucket is at least 75% full.
- Add 40 drops essential oil scent of your choosing and stir very well to ensure the fresh water and the essential oils are fully incorporated.Essential oils
- Put the lid on the bucket and leave it sit 24 hours where it will not be disturbed.