The laundry detergents available to us at the supermarket are good at getting our laundry clean. But this homemade liquid laundry soap recipe gets clothes and linens clean without the harsh chemicals and fragrances, not to mention — you can skip the plastic jugs!
And while you’re making a healthier change in the laundry room, consider making your own non-toxic dryer sheets, too.
Do you drive by the local laundromat and get choked up by the smell? I sure do. Those chemical fragrances are powerful!
And they’re not exactly good for us, either.
I’ve been making my own laundry soap for years now. (Admittedly, with a few gaps in there when I don’t get it made it time and my husband buys the “natural” store bought stuff.
My powdered laundry soap recipe appears on page 139 of my book, but some people prefer a liquid soap for doing laundry.
Take a Peek Inside My Book!
Get a free excerpt from my book, Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living! You’ll also get my free weekly newsletter, complete with recipes, gardening tips, and a little peek at what’s going on around here — both the zany and the mundane.
Reasons to use a liquid laundry soap:
- You live in a humid climate (as I do) and get tired of the powdered version clumping.
- It’s pre-dissolved, so no worries about the occasional powdery residue left in the laundry.
- Liquid laundry soap can be rubbed into a stain as a pre-treatment.
What’s the difference between soap and detergent?
Soap is made from natural ingredients. Detergents are comprised of manufactured ingredients and often include synthetic surfactants.
These surfactants make oils and dirt easier to remove, but many get a poor safety rating from the Environmental Working Group and are known carcinogens.
Making this liquid laundry soap recipe
This is an easy recipe to make, and only requires three ingredients (plus water). I generally have these ingredients on hand, as I use them in a variety of recipes, but you may not.
Check the laundry aisle at the supermarket for both Borax and washing soda. If you can’t find them there, you may find them at the hardware store. Short of that, there’s always ordering online.
You can use any type of bar soap, grated so that it dissolves more quickly. Grate it by hand or use a food processor if you have one.
Essential oils for fragrance are optional, but choose a scent that complements the soap you use!
Using this DIY laundry soap
Store the soap in a large container with a lid. The glass container you see here is a one-gallon container and holds only about 2/3 of the recipe; the remainder is in another sealed container. I’ve opted for this container because the lid is easy to lift off.
A two-gallon bucket works well, as do a number of upcycled containers.
Keep a scoop handy for transferring soap to the washing machine. Use 1/8-1/4 cup per load.
★ Did you make this laundry soap recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! ★
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
Equipment
- Grater or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 ½ gallons water divided
- 5 oz bar of soap
- 1 cup Borax
- ½ cup washing soda
Instructions
- Grate soap using a grater or a food processor.5 oz bar of soap
- Put soap and 1/2 gallon water into a stock pot.1 1/2 gallons water
- Heat until soap is nearly dissolved, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off heat and add Borax and washing soda. Stir gently to dissolve.1/2 cup washing soda, 1 cup Borax
- Add remaining 1 gallon of water. Stir to combine.
- Cover pot and allow to sit overnight.
Notes
- Store the soap in a large container with a lid. The glass container you see here is a one-gallon container and holds only about 2/3 of the recipe; the remainder is in another sealed container. I’ve opted for this container because the lid is easy to lift off.
- A two-gallon bucket works well, as do a number of upcycled containers.
- Keep a scoop handy for transferring soap to the washing machine. Use 1/8-1/4 cup per load.
I found washing soda at my Canadian Tire hardware store. I was planning to mix with hydrogen peroxide to clean my front load washing machine. Thanks for the recipe. I have a small vitamin bottle where I will scoop some in with a few drops of essential oil and some warm water to thin it. I shake this up and it should be fine for a front load machine. This way I can vary the scent too.
I forgot about this brand, that’s a GREAT suggestion. I like plain old Ivory bar soap and Dr. Bronners castille soap too *unscented as my allergies are BAD! lol
So I made this today. Set up like jello , lol. Excited to use it. I have an HE washer but other than less water usage I can’t see why this would hurt it but will clean monthly. Huzzah!
May I ask specifically what kind of bar soap people are using for this?
So, you say this is probably not good for a HE washer, but typically I see any detergents are ok as long as you don’t use a ton per load; because they need less soap to work. My question, then is do you have a recommendation for a washer cleaner so that you can make sure this will not damage an HE washer? I can’t see why it would other than the fact that the smell is the build up of soap residue and fragrances that don’t completely wash out.
I’m not sure about that, sorry!
Michelle Brennan,
You asked about possibly a washing machine cleaner to use periodically if you were to use this recipe with your HE machine. I would suggest white vinegar in the rinse cycle now and then if you don’t already use it all the time….just a quarter cup of white vinegar in your compartment, or if you mix it in water then I would just add a half a cup of the water/vinegar mixture. I’ll wait and see if anybody has feedback and tell me that vinegar is not good to use in the HE machines but as of right now I’ve never read or heard that.
Sandy – Was also going to recommend that as well. Vinegar works great in an HE washer, as I have one too.
As for the soap recommendation, I use Ivory because it has no chemicals that I am aware of. The other one I was thinking would be good is Dr. Bronners. I have severe allergies and tend to lean towards Ivory to avoid any reactions. Anyways, I’m not a chemist and just my two cents of advice for what it’s worth. Would love your thoughts Kris
I use Dr. Bronners or homemade soap.
is washing soda & borax the same? thanks!
No they’re different, so you’ll need both for this soap.
I have never seen washing soda. Is the sane as regular baking soda??? Thanks.
No, it’s different. I can get it at my local hardware store in the cleaning section.
If I make the bar dish soap recipe you have her, could I use that as the bar soap in this recipe?
I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why not!
Love this!!! Been using for quite awhile and gets everything clean!
So glad it works for you too! 🙂
Hello!
I made my own laundry soap, for years. I want to get back to it. I followed a recipe like yours, but it made a much larger volume. I just want to check and make certain that I am to use only one gallon of water for this recipe.
Thank you for your time.n
This recipe calls for 1.5 gallons of water, I hope that helps!
Does this actually clean the clothes? Recipes used in past did not.. TY
It gets clothes and linens clean, I’ve been making this for years now and I love it.
My mix is watery and didn’t get thick. Thoughts?
It’s hard for me to know from way over here… but I’m guessing it’s still ok to use!
Is is supposed to be thick and like a gelatin?
Yes. It thickens as it cools.
Mine is thick like jello this morning after sitting overnight. How do I now turn it to liquid.
Try warming it up a touch, maybe set it on the dryer. Good luck!
Can this be used in a High Efficiency washer?
The manufacturer would probably say no…
How much do you put in each wash?
Use 1/8-1/4 cup per load.
Where shall I buy the ingredients to make laundry soap, bath soap ? And the recipe?
Check the laundry aisle at the supermarket for both Borax and washing soda. If not, try the hardware store. Short of that, there’s always ordering online.
What type of bar soap?
Any type of bar soap you like will work!
You are my hero woman. You cover it all………inteligence, beauty, consideration for our planet and others. I just know you are a sweet lady. Keep on keeping on. Go Kris. I am fascinated with not wasting food and being practical. I think the world has gotten out of control with “buying” with no thought to cost…discards….or how practical things/foods/clothes can be made, recycled or even “passed” on. I can’t wait to try your recipes. Le’
Kiss My Face Olive Oil is good for those, like me, allergic to all things coconut.
Were do you get washing soda?
Check the laundry aisle at the supermarket for washing soda. If you don’t find it there, look at the hardware store. Short of that, there’s always ordering online!
Do you have a link for the container you use?
Am wondering how much this recipe makes – is it the same amount of the water you put in, or less?
It ends up making more than a gallon – the container I use to store it for use is a one-gallon size and only holds about 2/3 of what this recipe makes in total. I store the rest in another sealed container and refill the gallon jar for use. A 2-gallon storage would definitely work too!
Thanks for the idea, but I was wondering what size bar soap do you use, facial size or bath size?
So sorry! I knew I’d left that out and meant to fix it. 5 ounces.
Can I use liquid soap like Dr. Bronner’s instead of bar soap?
No, stick with the bar soap.