Learn how to make your own DIY liquid laundry detergent in this easy tutorial for making your own laundry detergent at HOME!
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So you’ve used up the last of your store-bought laundry detergent and you’re wanting to try something new. A DIY liquid laundry soap recipe is what you need!
Whether you want to save a little money, try something more natural, or you just like making ALL the things, this recipe will work for you.
Now this recipe is NOT a 5 gallon recipe. If you’ve done any digging around for laundry detergent recipes, then you’ve seen quite a few that are for making 5 gallons worth of laundry detergent.
I don’t know what it is, but 5 gallons of anything kind of intimidates me! When I was first wanting to make my own laundry detergent, the thought of attempting to make 5 gallons of it, when I wasn’t even sure if I would like it, totally threw me off.
If you’re the same, then this recipe is for you. It makes about a gallon of liquid laundry soap, that you can store in whatever kind of container you have. I use a gallon, glass jar, but you can use a bucket, an old detergent container, whatever:)
Its simple, easy, and effective. The perfect combo!
On another note, there are articles out in internet-land that say some kinds of homemade laundry detergents are not a good idea.. as in they can be damaging to your washing machine and irritating for your skin.
I have had NO issues with this DIY liquid laundry detergent that I make, but of course, do your own research, and make it at your own risk;) it seems silly to say that, but you know what I mean.
What are the 3 ingredients in homemade laundry detergent?
This three ingredient homemade laundry detergent uses borax, washing soda, and castille soap. All of this is mixed together and dissolved in hot water. You can also add in essential oils for some extra, all natural, scent power!
Just those three MAIN ingredients will create an effective, inexpensive, all-natural laundry detergent. HERE is an option for buying your borax and washing soda together in a bundle.
Borax
Borax is a mineral salt that occurs naturally in some parts of the world. The borax you are going to be using in this recipe has been partially dehydrated and comes in a powder form. Because the borax has alkaline properties, it can naturally help fight stains. Borax is safe to use in laundry, but it should be treated like any other cleaners and be kept away from children and handled with care as it can be dangerous if inhaled. HERE is the borax I use.
Washing Soda
Washing soda is often used in homemade laundry cleaners! Its a chemical compound (sodium carbonate) that’s effective in homemade laundry detergents because it helps to ‘soften’ the water by binding to the minerals that make water hard. This allows the soil and junk in the fabrics to suspend in the water and allow the other cleaners to do their work. Does this make sense?! Washing soda is also alkaline like borax, which helps it to remove stains more easily. Just like borax, washing soda should be kept out of reach of kiddos because it can be dangerous if consumed in large quantities.
Castile Soap
The last main ingredient in this DIY liquid laundry detergent is castile soap. If you’ve been around the DIY natural world for a while then you’ve likely heard of castile soap. Castile soap is a real, true, natural soap made with naturally occurring oils. Its natural, non-toxic, and biodegradable. Most soaps nowadays are not any of this!
HERE is the castile soap I have used most often, but you can also use a plain, unscented one like THIS one.
Is it cheaper to make your own laundry detergent?
Yes, its usually MUCH cheaper to make your own laundry detergent. I don’t know how much cheaper, I am not a math whiz or someone who keeps track of things like that. I’ve had the same box of borax and washing soda for a couple years now. You only need a small amount to make a gallon of soap.
If you choose to add essential oils, depending on the type and cost of those, that can add up. I really love THESE essential oils from Amazon because they’re very inexpensive and they smell great, especially in this recipe!
How do you make your own liquid laundry detergent?
To make your own liquid laundry detergent you’ll need to gather your ingredients and supplies. Here is what you’ll need:
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1 cup castile soap
- 16 cups water
- essential oils (optional)
You’ll also need a container to store it in, a pot for boiling your water, and something to mix it all up with.
Boil 8 cups of water in a medium sized stock pot.
Add your borax and washing soda to your container, then add the castile soap.
Once the water is boiling, take it off the heat. Let it cool just a touch, then add it to your container with the soap ingredients. Mix this all up in until the borax, washing soda, and castile soap dissolve.
Top this all off with 8 more cups of cold water. Mix it all up.
Add essential oils if you like! About 30-40 drops will work great.
Its ready to use! Add 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on the size of the load) to your washing machine like you would any other liquid laundry detergent.
Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
I hope you enjoyed this DIY liquid laundry detergent recipe. Its easy to make and cleans your clothes just like you’d hope it would.
If you love leveling up your laundry routine try using Wool Dryer Balls or check out THIS POST on creating a good laundry routine.
Happy homemaking, friend!
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