How to Make Laundry Soap (Liquid or Powder Recipe)

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Liquid or Powder Natural Laundry Detergent
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Making your own natural, homemade laundry detergent is one of the easiest parts of a transition to natural living. This natural laundry soap recipe a great way to save money on laundry detergent and is incredibly easy to make. This homemade laundry detergent post is an updated version of this recipe that addresses high efficiency washers and borax safety.

Why Switch to Natural Laundry Soap?

Conventional laundry detergent is loaded with chemicals like sulfates, fragrances, phenols and more. Many brands contain things like petroleum distillates, which are linked to cancer and lung disease. Fragrances in these detergents are made of a mix of harmful chemicals. (This is also why I make my own linen spray.)

Luckily, making your own laundry soap is an easy and fast process! You only need three basic ingredients to make either a powdered or liquid laundry soap:

DIY Laundry Soap Ingredients

  • Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer Brand available at most stores)Borax Powder
  • Borax (20 Mule Team Borax available at most grocery stores)
  • Bar Soap (Dr. Bronner’s,  Ivory, or other natural, unscented bar soap)

Washing Soda and Borax should be available at your local grocery store on the laundry aisle. Natural bar soaps are in the health, beauty, or organic sections of the store, or online. You can also add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to help freshen clothes.

Wonder What’s in These Ingredients?

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral made up of sodium, boron, oxygen, and water. It is an ingredient in most of the natural soaps available now (Seventh Generation, etc.) but it is much more inexpensive to make yourself. There are some concerns about the safety of Borax, but here’s why I feel comfortable using it, especially for laundry.

Washing Soda

Washing Soda, sometimes called sodium carbonate or soda ash, is made from common salt and limestone or found as natural deposits. If you can’t find this locally, you can make your own from plain baking soda with this tutorial. Here are some other great household uses for washing soda.

Dr. Bronner’s soaps are fair trade and made with vegetable castile soap and pure organic oils.

Liquid or Powder Natural Laundry Detergent
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4.10 from 66 votes

Natural Laundry Soap Recipe

This homemade laundry detergent recipe is easy and very inexpensive to make, plus you avoid the chemicals of conventional detergents.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Yield: 2.5 cups
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

  • 1 bar soap (such as Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Bar Soap or homemade coconut oil soap)
  • 1 cup washing soda
  • 1 cup borax

Instructions

  • Grate the bar of soap or chop it in a food processor until finely ground.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the grated soap, washing soda, and borax.
  • Store in a sealed container.
  • To use: add 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of soap per load of laundry.

Notes

See below for instructions on making a liquid version of this laundry soap.
Homemade liquid laundry soap recipe

How to Make Liquid Laundry Soap

  1. Grate one bar of soap with cheese grater or food processor.
  2. Put grated soap in pan with 2 quarts water and gradually heat, stirring constantly until soap is completely dissolved.
  3. Put 4.5 gallons of really hot tap water in a 5-gallon bucket (available for free in bakeries at grocery stores, just ask them) and stir in 2 cups of borax and 2 cups of Washing Soda until completely dissolved.
  4. Pour soap mixture from pan into 5-gallon bucket. Stir well.
  5. Cover and leave overnight.
  6. Shake or stir until smooth and pour into gallon jugs or other containers.
  7. Use 1/2 to 1 cup per load.

These recipes are also a great way to save money on laundry. By my calculations, I am saving over half on my laundry bill by switching

A Note About Soap vs. Detergent

All Natural Laundry Soap Recipes - two ways

As mentioned above, there is chemically a difference between soap and detergent. The advantage of conventional laundry detergents is that they are formulated to work specifically in washing machine environments. Many soaps are designed for skin and are not as strong. Some sources suggest that over time, natural soaps can leave buildup in washers.

I’ve found that while this recipe works well for me, it isn’t suitable for all water types and washer types. If you’ve used natural laundry soap and experienced clothes getting dingy, this may be the reason.

I’ve found one natural detergent that works brilliantly and can be used alone or in combination with homemade laundry soaps like this one. I often add 2-3 Tablespoons of Dr. Bronners Sal Suds per load as a natural detergent. Sal Suds gets out tough stains and odors and is still a natural product (though technically a detergent/surfactant and not a soap).

Don’t Want to Make it?

Homemade Natural Effective Laundry Soap Recipe

We usually make our own detergent, but for times when we are traveling or I haven’t had time to make it, I’ve found a few good brands of eco friendly laundry detergent that actually work (all received an “A” by the Environmental Working Group):

  • My Green Fills Laundry Detergent – Just a warning… after you try this laundry soap, you may be ruined for DIY forever. This is the best smelling non-toxic laundry detergent I’ve tried and it works well on tough stains and dirt. Similar to my favorite all-purpose cleaner, a huge bonus is their eco-friendly approach. The detergent comes concentrated in a small refill packet (hence the name) which you add to warm water in the provided bottle. Super smart!
  • 2 tablespoons Sal Suds + 1/4 cup Baking Soda or Washing Soda (highly effective and super simple!)
  • Ecover Zero Laundry Detergent– Works well, relatively cost effective and low/no risk of developmental or reproductive toxicity and cancer according to the EWG.
  • Emma Eco Me Detergent – Also rated well by the EWG and cleans up to 64  loads for $12. Good scents.
  • Planet Natural Detergent –  Relatively eco-friendly and cost effective at $9 for 32 loads.

Obviously, the most frugal option is to make your own, but these natural alternatives are a good choice if you aren’t able to make your own or don’t want to.

Have you tried making your own laundry detergent? What ingredients did you use?

This homemade laundry detergent recipe is easy and very inexpensive to make, plus you avoid the chemicals of conventional detergents.
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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

906 responses to “How to Make Laundry Soap (Liquid or Powder Recipe)”

  1. Lina Avatar

    Thanks for sharing the recipe! May I know whether the soap bar needs to be a laundry soap bar, or any soap bar like the ones we used for our bodies will work too?

  2. Kirstie Keller Avatar
    Kirstie Keller

    I am sorry if this has already been asked, but can I use the liquid bronner castle soap? I would just take the step about boiling bar soap in water to make liquid soap out of my mixture right?

    Thanks!

  3. Karen Avatar

    I love the way this detergent works. I love it! I think it works better than store bought commercial detergents. I sometimes add white distilled vinegar to loads that are extra dirty. I have a concern though. My sister will be moving to an apartment complex that has extremely hard water. It is not filtered or softened in any way. Will this detergent work? Should she add anything to it? I have read that non-iodized salt is good to add but have not tried this myself. Liquid or powder better? Any help would be appreciated!

  4. Mary Avatar

    Your homemade laundry soap works great! I have been using it for two weeks now. I have found that adding vinegar to the bleach dispenser in my HE washer helps tremendously and all the clothes come out smelling clean and fresh every time. I’m so glad to be using natural soap for my family’s clothes.

  5. Robin Avatar

    I have an HE top load washer. I just made the powder detergent and, I guess, should have checked which detergent is best for this type of machine. However, can you tell me if this will work in my machine and if so, do I just put the detergent directly on the clothes, or dilute it and put it in the dispenser? Thank you for your help.
    Robin

  6. lisah Avatar

    My daughter has had a reaction to Borax recently. I used the spray cleaner with Borax in the tub rinsed really well and she had a rash. Now I’m afraid to use Borax in the wash. Is there a substitute for the Borax in this recipe? Can’t wait to try this! LOVE your site!

  7. Kelly Avatar

    Hi!

    I made the liquid soap last night following your recipe. I used a little less water since some people said it was very watery, and I still feel like it is watery for detergent. On some other sites people use the same amount of product with half the water, is there a reason why your recipe calls for 5 gallons? Also, should I start over, or can I add extra to what I had already made?

    I do not want to waste what I already made, but I do not want to have to rewash my laundry.

    Thank you.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It could be a water hardness thing. I use as much as I use because that’s how much is required for it to make suds and clean my clothes at home. You could try adding to the stuff you made. Did you actually use it to wash a load yet, or are you just judging the wateriness based on looks at this point? I ask because it may surprise you if you are just eyeballing it, so you may want to test it first. If you have already done so, ignore the foregoing and maybe try adding to what you have made.

  8. Michelle Avatar

    Is the liquid laundry soap septic safe? Due to our septic system, I have to use liquid, but I’m finding it difficult to track down a natural liquid laundry detergent that the EWG doesn’t rate a D or F.

  9. Diana E Avatar

    I noticed in the recipe you did not add essential oils to the detergent. For either the liquid or the powder recipe is it pretty simple to add? I wanted to add a scent, and I have read that some essential oils add to cleaning.

  10. Amy Avatar

    I am wondering with this detergent, does is get sudsy in the washer like store bought? I tried some yesterday and it did not soap? Do I need to add more grated soap? I used the fels-naptha soap.
    Thank you

  11. Jennifer Avatar

    This being a natural recipe, I am still curious as to whether this would be safe for infants. I looked into Dreft, and it has the same chemicals as Tide. Any thoughts on if I could/should use this recipe for washing my baby’s clothes???????

  12. Gina Avatar

    Hey!! I am about to make this recipe, but i have 2 Questions!
    I live in Greece and i don’t know if we have these brands u mentioned (ivory, zone, etc)
    but my grandmother has white natural soap (some days ago i grated it and formed it in liquid to use it as a hand washing or body washer, and she told me that in her age they used this soap for washing clothes) but I’m wondering,is it gonna work? is there a case it will damage my washing machine (top load, not really new) ? And my second question is,what is the deference between the Liquid and the Natural Laundry Soap ? Does it have to do with the w.machine or is one more effective from another??
    Thaaanks !!

  13. Christina Avatar

    This is the best detergent I have ever used! The clothes come out so fresh and clean, you do not even need the essential oil unless you want the clothes to smell a certain way. I will never ever use regular detergent again. I have told everyone about this and your site, you have been a blessing to me, my daughter’s severe eczema lead me to your site and she is doing much better. I have used so many of your recipes and natural cleaning products, thank you for taking the time to provide such great information. I am a true fan of your site thanks a million!!

  14. essay Avatar

    Two questions, and I apologize for not reading all 500 comments to see if this was already addressed…
    1) could you use Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap instead of grating and melting the bar?
    2) could you use less water for a more concentrated detergent?

    1. Natalie Avatar

      Hi,
      Havebyou ade if wil the liquid and less water yet? I’m thinking to do the same.

  15. Norma Avatar

    I make my own Detergent using
    3 Tbsp. Arm & Hammer washing soda
    3 Tbsp. Borax
    3 Tbsp. Dawn dishwashing liquid
    (per gallon of water)
    Mix washing soda and Borax in hot water to dissolve.
    Add water to make 1 gallon, add Dawn.
    Use 1-2 cups per load. Low suds safe for HE washers! (IT IS THIN!)
    I love this! Saves so much money and time. I keep it
    in a 2 gallon dispenser over my washer:)

  16. Carly Avatar

    I’ve been making my own for years using basically this recipe and a similar one but without soap for my cloth diapers. Recently, a friend shared a few articles about how homemade laundry detergent is not good for cloth diapers because nothing in them actually cleans the diapers. I know our water is hot enough to kill bacteria but I do notice that my diapers don’t smell great and have stains despite leaving them in the sun from time to time. Can you point me to any resources that may be helpful. I don’t want to switch to store bought detergent but I do want my diapers to be clean!

    1. Theresa Avatar

      Hi
      Did you manage to find a solution to your cloth nappy cleaning issues?
      We use cloth nappies and want the best natural (homemade) cleaning option we can find.

      Would appreciate hearing from you

      Thanks 🙂

  17. Kat Avatar

    Hi Katie – I LOVE this recipe for natural laundry soap! I’ve been using it for over a year and it works great.

    I find my blacks (which I have a lot of!) lighten considerably with the natural laundry soap compared to using the Woolite “dark” laundry detergent. Do you have any recommendations for a “dark laundry” version of this laundry soap, to keep blacks, well, black?

    Thanks 🙂

  18. Joline Avatar

    Hi!

    I very interested in this recipe as I have autoimmune condition however i am from singapore and it’s impossible to get borax. What can I sub it with?

    Thank you so much!

  19. Tina R Avatar

    Just made my first batch, but cut it down to a gallons worth. Can’t wait to use it!!!

4.10 from 66 votes (62 ratings without comment)

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