Want to make an all-natural laundry detergent as effective as commercial detergent? Your search is over. Here’s how to make the best DIY homemade laundry detergent. And all you need is 3 key ingredients and 15 minutes.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

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11 years ago, I started making the switch to natural cleaning products, including laundry detergent!

At that time, the majority of recipes online called for a bar of fels naptha, washing soda, and Borax. But there was one problem: our clothes came out with chalky white spots.

So I made a simple swap: liquid Dr. Bronner’s castile soap instead of the fels naptha soap bar. With this one change, the detergent worked just as good as Tide.

This recipe is non-toxic, fights stains better than commercial detergent, and is cheap! I’ve been making this liquid laundry detergent for over 11 years (originally created in 2014) because of its extraordinary cleaning power.

Homemade Laundry Detergent Benefits

  • Simple Ingredients – The key ingredients you’ll need are castile soap, borax, and washing soda. The DIY detergent ingredients brighten, remove dirt, and fight off stains.
  • Save Money – It costs about $20 to purchase the ingredients, which make multiple batches of homemade detergent and clean many loads of laundry. Castile soap alone has over 24 different uses.
  • Non-Toxic – Many commercial detergents are made with fragrances and harsh chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin (source). The ingredients used to make this recipe are safe and well researched.
  • Quick & Easy – You only need 10-15 minutes of hands-on preparation time to make this easy recipe.
  • 1 Month Shelf Life- Store this liquid laundry soap for up to 1 month.
Ingredients needed to make homemade laundry soap.
Simple ingredients: liquid castile soap, borax, washing soda, water, and essential oil (optional).

Before You Get Started: What You’ll Need

Ingredients

This recipe, made with simple ingredients, makes 1 gallon of homemade soap.

  • 1 cup borax – freshens, deodorizes, and lifts dirt and stains
  • 1 cup washing soda – freshens and deodorizes
  • 1 cup liquid castile soap or Sal Suds – the main cleaning agent, lifts dirt and cleans
  • 50 drops essential oiloptional for a scent
  • 15 cups water – distilled water, found in any grocery store, is best as it doesn’t contain containments found in tap or filtered water

Equipment

  • Large saucepan or Dutch oven – enough to hold 1 gallon of liquid, 15 cups
  • Storage Jars – such as 2 half gallon-size glass mason jars, 1 gallon-size jar, or reuse an old detergent bottle

Thicker Detergent Tip: This recipe calls for 15 cups of water. If you’d like a thicker, more concentrated soap, use 10-12 cups of water.

How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent: Recipe Steps

  • Step 1 Boil 6 Cups of Water: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water to a slight boil. Once the water begins to boil, turn off the burner.
  • Step 2 Add Borax, Washing Soda, More Water, and Castile Soap: Add the Borax and washing soda. Stir to dissolve. Then add 9 cups of room-temperature water and 1 cup of liquid castile soap. Give the ingredients a stir to combine.
  • Step 3 Cool for 5-10 Minutes: Allow the soap to cool for a few minutes before pouring into one large gallon-size jar or smaller containers, like quart-size jars. Make sure your jar(s) are heat-safe. If not, wait until the soap is cool, then spoon the soap into the jar(s).
  • Step 4 Add Essential Oil For Scent: Add an essential oil of choice (if using) to the soap (now in the jar) and stir to combine with the detergent.

What to Avoid Doing

  • Baking Soda – Don’t use baking soda in place of washing soda. Washing soda has a different chemical composition and will not work in this recipe. It is NOT a substitute.
  • Dish Soap – Don’t use other dish soaps in place of the castile soap. Dish soap will cause the soap to have too many bubbles in the wash.
  • Lack of Suds – Don’t assume that a lack of suds and bubbles means the soap isn’t effective. Suds and bubbles don’t equal clean.
  • Plastic Containers – If you’re reusing an old detergent bottle for storage, make sure the laundry detergent is fully cool before adding to a plastic container.
  • Heat-Safe Glass – Use a heat-resistant glass jar (if using glass for storage), and also allow the detergent to cool a bit (about 10 minutes) before adding it.
  • Essential Oils – The essential oil will add a subtle fragrance, but shouldn’t be added until the soap cools as heat will cause the essential oil to evaporate.

How to Prevent Chunky or Gelled Detergent

After a few days the liquid laundry detergent may clump or gel. This is a completely normal chemical reaction that is usually caused when the outside temperature is cooler. There’s no way to completely prevent this from happening; however, one option is to use more water (2-3 cups more) to make a less concentrated soap.

The laundry soap is 100% usable if it gels up (l actually love this form). Simply scoop the detergent from the container and add to the washer.

Key Takeaway: Whether the laundry detergent gels up or remains liquid, it’s 100% effective and usable in both forms.

Stain on shirt on the left and no stain after using the detergent.

How to Use This Liquid Laundry Soap

The detergent is ready to use immediately after making. And may be stored for later use.

  • Give the jar a good shake or stir (with a long spoon) before use.
  • Use this detergent just as you would any laundry soap to clean clothes.
  • This homemade liquid laundry soap is highly concentrated, which means you need only a tiny amount to get a dirty job done.
  •  For top-loading washer machines, use 1/8-1/4 cup. 
  •  For an HE front loader, use 1-2 tablespoons.
  •  Add the detergent directly to your washer or the laundry soap compartment.

Can I use this in an HE washer?

I do, so I can only speak to my personal experience. I use 1-2 tablespoons per load. If it’s in gel form, add it straight to the washer on top of the clothes.

Always consult your machine’s user guide before using any laundry detergent to know what your machine can and can’t handle.

How long does this recipe last?

FAQs

  • Can I use a castile soap bar instead of liquid castile soap? Yes, you can. Use a cheese grater to grate a bar of castile soap into the hot water (along with the borax and washing soda). Stir and continue to boil the ingredients to dissolve fully (takes about 10 minutes). I also use a bar of castile soap to make powder laundry soap.
  • Is it normal that it’s more watery than soapy? Yes, this is normal. For a thicker, more concentrated detergent, there are two options: use Sal Suds instead of castile soap OR reduce the water to 10-12 cups for a more concentrated detergent.
  • The detergent is chunky (or gelled) after cooling, is that normal? Yes, this is normal. Depending on your home’s temperature, the soap may be more liquid or even chunky (like a gel). Both are normal and usable!
  • My laundry soap didn’t gel. What happened? If your environment is cooler, your laundry soap may gel after cooling. Or it may not. This is normal. Both forms are 100% good and usable. A reader recently shared this tip you can try as well, “I also like the the detergent to be more gelatinous and I use my immersion blender for a few seconds after it is cool to whip it. It turns white and jelly.”
  • Is borax safe? Borax is a debated ingredient in naturally-minded circles. I personally don’t see any reason to avoid it. This borax article from Wellness Mama has fantastic information.
  • Can I use this soap to lift stains? Yes, you can. You can either add the garment to the washer or add the garment to your kitchen sink with the soap and water and soak the garment to lift the stains. Or, apply the soap directly to the stain and scrub. If you’re dealing with tough stain, I recommend using this homemade stain remover before washing the garment.
  • Does this soap work with hard water? Yes, it does. I have hard water and this soap works great. You may want to use this laundry softener recipe as well.

Conclusion: Does this detergent work?

People always ask me, “Will homemade soap work as well as a store-bought product?” The answer, “YES! It will.”

My daughter’s chocolate stain on the left and after using this detergent in the wash. The stain lifted and the shirt was saved. If you need need extra help lifting a stain, you can also use my homemade stain remover first.

DIY Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Soap
Ready to use detergent, made in less than 20 minutes.

The Best Natural Laundry Detergent Brands: I’ve researched and tried many different laundry soap brands and narrowed down the best 11 brands!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
4.91 from 152 votes

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe

With 3 simple ingredients and ten minutes, you can make your own homemade laundry soap. Nothing fancy, just simple ingredients that freshen, deodorize, fight stains, and remove dirt.
Kristin Marr
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course DIY, Homemade
Cuisine Cleaning
Servings 16 Cups
Cost: $5 per batch

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water to a slight boil. Once the water begins to boil, turn off the burner.
  • Add the Borax and washing soda. Stir to dissolve. Then add 9 cups of room-temperature water and 1 cup of liquid castile soap. Give the ingredients a stir to combine.
  • Allow the soap to cool for a few minutes before pouring into one large gallon-size jar or smaller containers, like quart-size jars. Make sure your jar(s) are heat-safe. If not, wait until the soap is cool, then spoon the soap into the jar(s).
    If you're reusing an old detergent bottle, make sure the soap is fully cool before adding to a plastic container.
  • Add an essential oil of choice (if using) to the soap (now in the jar) and stir to combine with the detergent.
    The essential oil will add a subtle fragrance, but shouldn't be added until the soap cools as heat will cause the essential oil to evaporate.
  • As the soap sits, the mixture may form into a gel and become chunky. There may also be liquid and gel separation, simply stir or shake. This is normal.

How to Use

  • For top loading washer machines, use 1/8-1/4 cup. For a front loader, use 1-2 tablespoons. Add the detergent to the liquid soap compartment of the washer.
  • Stain Treatment – Use a small amount of soap directly on the stain, scrub or rub the stain with a cloth. Repeat as needed, then wash the garment. Or use this stain remover spray.
  • Laundry Softener – This laundry detergent may be used with a fabric softener. I use vinegar added to the softener compartment or this salt scent booster & softener added directly to the wash basin before running a wash cycle.

Notes

A reader recently shared this tip, “I like the the detergent to be more gelatinous and I use my immersion blender for a few seconds after it is cool to whip it. It turns white and jelly.”
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
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508 Comments

      1. 5 stars
        I loved the power of this detergent. My husband had an old shirt he uses when gardening. He once scratched his back and this shirt had a blood stain along with tree sap It was just VERY stained ( he would not throw it away) I had tried chlorine bleach with no avail. Well, this detergent did it! I was amazed.

  1. 4 stars
    I have made this a few times and I like it! It cleans clothes reasonably well, (not great on stains) but gets underwear clean and sweaty smells out. Mine never gels, so it does seem a little watery and I end up using about 1/3 cup per load. Any tips on better stain removal? I’ve used an ultra concentrated orange stain cleaner on established dirt stains (cuffs etc.) and this directly applied to the area, but not much luck so far.

  2. 4 stars
    I make my own liquid (either 100% coconut oil, or a 75/25% coconut & soybean oil,)
    and I usually use a combination of both potassium & sodium hydroxide – Lye. . . because 100% coconut oil will be very watery when the soap paste is diluted. . . the lye combination makes for a thicker liquid soap.
    I make the bar soaps to use for my powder laundry soaps as well.
    I normally use white vinegar in the rinse. . . I Will definitely have to try adding the salt!
    Gotta love the ever-changing hardness of Florida well water! LOL
    Afew years back, I had to switch back to store bought due to the hardness of the water changing.
    Moving just over a year ago, we have much better water (all around) as there are alot of natural springs. So I’ve been making my *Naturals) again. . . It’s great saving money & the environment as well.
    I also make & sell my handmade soaps online & at the local flea market.

  3. Thanks for this. I was quite excited to whip this up for my wife, who is intrigued by the possibilities. I notice that my resulting mixture has a light tan color. I’m wondering if this is normal or if, perhaps the borax combo reacted to the cat iron pot in which it was dissolved. I’ll do some research but would like to come to some conclusion before she starts on the whites! 😮

  4. Has anyone put the finished product into a beverage dispenser, such as the jars with a spigot? Thanks so much!

  5. HI, this sounds too much water to me. I have found the same recipe on the net but the only difference with yours was 4 cups of water and it still was liquidy and clumpy and hard to dispense. Soda bicarbonate and Soda crystals after several hours separate from the soap and water and at that point get very clumpy. What could be a reason for this? Thank you

    1. Hey Sonia, You’re welcome to reduce the amount of water if you’d like. A bit of separation and clumps can be normal, I just stir the solution to incorporate it back together. You could also try reheating if you feel this is effecting your ability to use it.

  6. I am about to try you liquid detergent recipe. One question instead of tap was would distilled water be better and last longer?

  7. 1 star
    Stays clumpy and not disolved even after stirring…only is liquid when it’s warmed in a pot on the stove. Very hard to dispense this way.

  8. 5 stars
    I have to say that this has become my favorite laundry soap to make and use! Thank you for sharing with us.
    I do have a couple questions for you though…the first time I made it ( I make 1/2 batch at a time) it turned into a very nice gel-like detergent. The second time I made it (this past Sunday) I did everything the exact same, with the exception that I added more drops of my 2 essential oils (lavender and lemongrass), and this time around it seems so watery that I’m using more than my normal 1/4 cup, in fear that my clothes won’t be clean because it seems SOOO watery this time around. Am I using too much by using approximately 1/2 cup? I should be clear that my detergent did turn cloudy as it did the first time around and it does have a gel-like consistency, just not as thick as the first time. What’s your thoughts?

    1. So glad you love the laundry soap! I think it has to do with environmental temp. I honestly can’t figure out why sometimes it gels and sometimes it doesn’t, that’s just my best guess. But the gelling doesn’t make it more effective. It will work either way. How much you use is up to you, whatever you feel works best.

      LS Team

  9. When using this on a front load washer, would it damage the machine if i put the soap (gel-like) into the soap dispenser? Also, for HE washer, 1-2 tablespoons is accurate for a large load?

    1. Hi Leslie,

      Not sure if it would damage the machine, if that is a concern, I would add straight to the washer. Yes, 1-2 TB for HE you can add more if you feel the need.

      LS Team.

  10. The Environmental Working Group does caution against Borax, especially for children. Can you suggest an alternative? Thank you!

  11. Hi! I sent you a message, but I realized that I sent it too early – when I halve the recipe, would I be using half a cup of borax/washing soda/soap, 5-8 drops of essential oil, and about 8 cups of water?

    Thanks,

    Camille

  12. Hello Kristin,

    I made this recipe in a half batch, but it didn’t gel up and after a few hours, it formed a web-like film across the top. Is that normal? What am I doing wrong?

    – Erin Kelly

    1. Hey Erin, There’s no guarantee it will gel. But gelling really doesn’t mean it worked or is better. In the warmer months, gelling doesn’t usually occur. So this is very normal. It doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong. Enjoy the laundry soap!!

  13. 4 stars
    Mine turned out with “chunks”. My washer is HE. It has a try for liquid and a different spot for powder. Should I treat it as a liquid or powder since it has chunks.

  14. How is bar soap in the liquid laundry mix? It’s easy for me to get bars of Sunlight soap where I live in the interior of British Columbia; not sure about Castille liquid soap.

    I use the Sunlight soap, about 1 tbsp. shaved into boiling water in an ALUMINUM pot (old camp pot) to clean silver. Just dump the silver (even delicate jewellry) into the water for a few mins. and presto, the tarnish is all gone. Now I hope I can use it in the laundry soap mix too.

    1. You can turn a bar of Castile into liquid Castile soap. It is like 2 1/2 cups hot water for every bar of soap. Grate the bar and Dissolve it in boiling water

  15. 5 stars
    Perfect recipe! Just tested it today, and my laundry smells wonderful and cleans very well! Will use this recipe instead of constantly going to store just to buy a new bottle of detergent everytime I run out of it.

  16. I made this detergent following the instructions but unfortunately it seems to have almost no effect on laundry. Stains and dirt remain and the clothes still smell of sweat even though i used extra essential oils. It seems far too dilute to me.