How to Make Laundry Soap (Liquid or Powder Recipe)

Katie Wells Avatar

Reading Time: 5 minutes

This post contains affiliate links.

Read my affiliate policy.

Liquid or Powder Natural Laundry Detergent
Wellness Mama » Blog » Natural Home » How to Make Laundry Soap (Liquid or Powder Recipe)

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
Print
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.
Sources

Become a VIP member!

Get access to my VIP newsletter with health tips, special deals, my free ebook on Seven Small Easy Habits and so much more!

Easy Habits ebook on ipad

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. Dee Avatar

    I made the liquid version about four months ago using Kirks Origianl Coco Castille bar soap, and all of our clothes began to get holes, jeans especially..any suggestions? Terriably frustered:)

  2. Chanda Avatar

    I started making my own laundry soap about a year ago or so and have also made it for others to bless them. I am always looking for different homemade stain removal solution. On this page there is a picture of a bottle that is homemade stain removal and it has the ingredients written on the bottom of it. I was really wanting that recipe if possible. I look forward to your reply. Thank you very much for your time and have a blessed day!

  3. Steven Avatar

    Thank you for this recipe…I was looking for some ways to save money. And this one is great!! And very easy.

  4. Kassie Avatar

    Doesn’t look like my last comment worked right… My husband and I made the liquid version of soap last night… It came out chunky (looks like egg drop soup, but maybe even chunkier). Did we make it incorrectly?

    1. Steven Avatar

      You did it right…I just put it in an old detergent bottle…give it a little shake when you use. The good stuff is in the chunks….Have fun!!!

  5. Kassie Avatar

    My husband and I made this last night and it got a lot thicker than we were expecting. Did we do it right?

  6. Shelby Avatar

    Hi there. Love your site and the laundry recipe. I have been making my own for over a year now and I love it. I am writing an article for my blog about DIY products to reduce our harmful chemical exposure and I am trying to add in the calculations per load for the laundry detergent I use. I am just wondering how you got to the calculations you show here? Maybe my math is just off but if you add up all the ounces and then convert to cups and divide by the price I am getting more like .17 cents per load. And I know you state it is much less. That is about the amount I am getting for my detergent as well but I feel like that is too high. Can you help me with that calculation! I want to show the readers that it is much cheaper (and healthier) to use these detergents. Any readers could help out this math challenged blogger! Thanks.

  7. Annie Sporer Avatar
    Annie Sporer

    Hi Katie, I noticed in the picture of your laundry products there is a container of stain remover. Is the recipe for that listed on your site? Also, do you cloth diaper? Do you use this laundry soap for diapers or something different?

    1. Jeri Avatar

      I’d like that stain remover recipe myself 🙂

      Annie, as for cloth diapers. I use them and wash my clothes with my own homemade soap (I use zote soap…and I also add a 1/2 cup of oxi clean as well)

  8. Lucy Avatar

    Question. Is the liquid detergent suppose to be very watery? I made mine and its not thick at all like store detergent. I just want to make sure mine came out like its suppose too. Thanks

    1. Jeri Avatar

      I take small batches from my 5 gallon bucket and throw it in the blender to smooth it all out…I think it’s more eye appealing as well (I sell and gift it).

  9. Jenni Avatar

    Oh fantastic! THankyou for sharing this! Trying to trim the budget adn was wanting a a gentle detergent for my grandkids.

  10. Emily Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    Loving your website! My family has extremly sensitive skin, I would like to make the liquid detergent, I have very hard water and a he washer. Will the recipe be safe to use for my family?

    Thank you

    1. Caitlyn Avatar

      Mdurkin, my family has sensitive skin as well… We love Katie’s liquid soap recipe. We use Dr Bronners baby mild castile soap as it’s unscented. FYI, even essential oils can upset sensitive skin! We were using Eco’s previously as it’s plant based and cheap at Costco, but we were all getting rashes here and there. No rashes with this soap. SO HAPPY!

    2. Denise Avatar

      I have hard water and an HE washer. I use 103 tablespoons of dry mixture and have no problem.

  11. Virginia Chapleau Avatar
    Virginia Chapleau

    I have already made the liquid laundry detergent and used it. The clothes smell fresh and clean but I would prefer them to smell more like the bar of soap(Dial) I used. Dissolve another bar of soap and add it to the mixture or …. ? Suggestions Plz
    =)

  12. Lory Avatar

    I made 1 gallon of the liquid laundry detergent. It is wonderful! I have a light colored jacket that had a very dirty collar that didn’t come clean a month ago with pre-treating with common store bought detergent & commercial spot treatment. The dirt is almost completely gone with one wash today! I used a little of the home made detergent on the collar and rubbed it in & tossed it in the washer.
    I appreciate all that you have published on this site. Thank you!

  13. Greg Avatar

    Hi Katie,

    Thanks for sharing for what looks like several years. I am having a separation issue and was hoping you might be able to suggest ways to keep the mixture together.

    I made the liquid detergent the other night and used 5.5oz of the Zote flakes from WalMart which I melted over the stovetop in about 2qts of water until it was a complete liquid. After mixing with the hot soda/Borax solution and letting the batch cool for 24 hrs, I used a 5 gallon paint mixer I got at Home Depot mounted to a drill. I mixed very thoroughly and had great consistency. I poured it in a large container. After a couple of days I noticed it began to separate. Any suggestions on how to prevent the separation?

  14. Jill Avatar

    I just made a batch of the liquid version. Quick question: I followed the recipe noted above and let it sit overnight. When I mixed it up the next day its pretty watery and it seems as though which ever ingredients make it thicker are floating around??? I used it, it seems to be working fine, but doesn’t look great with the ‘floaters’ 🙂

  15. madelaine Avatar

    I am going to try the recipe for liquid laundry detergent this week. I understand from your instructions, that the dry powder formula follows a 2 parts borax, 2 parts soda, 1 part shaved soap ratio. However, the ratio is unclear for the liquid formula and becomes important when there is a difference in soap brands used and soap sizes available for purchase. For example, Dr. Bronner’s bar soap is 5 oz. The ivory soap bars I bought are 3 oz. each. I would prefer to know the exact portion of soap to be used in the liquid laundry formula either by specific ounces required, or shaved soap cupfuls. That way no matter what kind of soap I buy, I can add the proper amount to the liquid version without guessing (and possibly wasting a lot of time and ingredients “experimenting.”) Thank you for your help. I have enjoyed your blog and look forward to trying more of your recipes!

  16. Melissa Avatar

    Hi Katie

    Do you think I’ll have the same effect If I halve all of the ingredients? as I’m only washing for 2 people!

  17. Nancy Walkenford Avatar
    Nancy Walkenford

    A friend gave me a similar recipe for making detergent-however, she added 2 Tbl. of Glycerin. Some of the liquid became a very elastic like material and was very hard to reduce. I sieved the “goo,” which made the soap okay-and mixed the liquid a lot.
    Do you recommend using Glycerin with the soap? Could I do something
    else so the Glycerin does not become rubbery?

  18. Rona Avatar

    Thanks for posting your recipes! I made the liquid recipe the way you instructed plus an extra step. After I let it sit overnight I stirred in another half cup of borax and then blended it with an electric hand blender for about 5 minutes. I let the new mixture sit overnight and it is smooth and has not separated. It is also thicker now.

  19. Helena Avatar

    Hi there, I just tried this recipe for laundry soap for the first time the otherday and I have a few questions. It seems quite jelly but separates easily (not just a tub of solid jell) but I’ve washed 2 separate loads and the clothes don’t really seem clean. I followed the recipe exactly, even used Dr. Bonners bar soap, except I added 20 drops of peppermint oil extract at the end. It smells good but the clothes don’t.. lol I used 1/2cup in the first load that I washed and 3/4cup in the second.

    Is there something I can do? Could I reheat it and add more of something maybe? I really want this to work.. I’m trying to be more self sufficient and get away from the chemicals! Thanks!!

  20. Elise Hokman Avatar
    Elise Hokman

    This sounds good and perhaps I will try. I recently started using natural soap nuts and found them to be natural, easy to use, no fuss – no muss. I was able to eliminate laundry soap and fabric softener and the clothes come out smelling great!

4.10 from 66 votes (62 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating