Home » Tips » DIY Laundry Soap Recipe (Liquid Laundry Detergent)
Published: · Modified: by Jessica · This post may contain affiliate links · 243 Comments
29K Shares
Jump to Tutorial Jump to Video Print
After testing many different recipes for homemade laundry soap I can confidently say this one is the best. Join thousands of others who are saving money with this awesome liquid laundry detergent recipe.
DIY Laundry Soap Recipe
If you are sick of spending tons of money on laundry detergents that do a sub-optimal job, we have the solution for you.
Not only is this recipe easy to make and cost effective, but it works better than any store bought brand we’ve tried.
We have used this recipe for ten years, and hundreds of others have as well. Read on for detailed instructions as well as a video tutorial that shows you just how simple this detergent is to make.
Why I Choose Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
I had almost given up on homemade laundry detergent completely, when my good friend Keesha texted me and said she had a recipe and wanted to make it together! I had my doubts, but she told me her mom and her sister had both been using this kind forever and swore by it, so I decided I would give it a go. Holy cow. I am in love with this homemade liquid laundry detergent, it is AMAZING!
Every time I open up the washer to switch loads, I am filled with joy because it smells fresh and clean. It also doesn't leave gross residue, and gets out tough dirt and stains. Suffice it to say, this recipe is gonna shrink your laundry expenses considerably!
*This post contains affiliate links.
Homemade Laundry Detergent Ingredients
- Fels-Naptha soap bar
- Washing soda
- Borax
- Essential oils (optional)
- Water
How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
1.Start by grating your Fels-Naptha soap bar.Here is what the Fels-naptha soap looked like after grating it. You want to use the smallest grater that you have, so that it melts as quickly and easily as possible!
2. While you are grating your soap start four cups of water boiling.
3.Add your grated Fels-Naptha bar and stir over medium heat until soap is completely melted.
4. Next, fill your five gallon bucket up halfway with hot tap water.
5. Then add your other dry ingredients and stir together.
6. Finally, fill your bucket the rest of the way with hot water and stir again.
Homemade Detergent Recipe Label & Storage
Be sure to clearly label your containers so that everyone knows they contain a detergent. Also, if you have young children be sure to keep your laundry detergent in a childproof container or on a high shelf. Here is the gallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket! I also love this gamma seal lid!
How much DIY Laundry Detergent does this recipe make?
This recipe makes a 5 gallon tub of liquid detergent. You only need ½ cup detergent for top loader machines and ¼ for front loader machines per load!It's easy to see how utilizing homemade laundry detergent can add up to a big savings!
It costs less than $10 to make 5 gallons of this laundry soap (not including the cost of the bucket). Which equals out to 160 ½ cup loads or 320 ¼ cup loads. Either way, there is a massive savings when comparing to store bought laundry detergents, even when they are purchased in bulk quantities.
Shop this Post:
More Cleaning Hacks
- DIY Laundry Organization Bags
- How to Clean a Washing Machine
- Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Printable Laundry Cheat Sheet
More Favorites from Pretty Providence:
- Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice
- Magic Cookie Bar Recipe
- Texas Sheet Cake Recipe with Buttermilk
- Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe
- Mini Fruit Pizza
- Fruit Salad Recipe with Cool Whip
- Best Potato Salad Recipe Ever
- Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Red Velvet Brownies with Cake Mix
- Cheese Sticks Recipe
- Green Beef Enchiladas
- Marshmallow Fudge Recipe
- Easy Tres Leches Cake
- Baked Chicken and Stuffing
- Mixed Berry Smoothie Recipe
- Disney Fish Extender
- Pantry Organization Ikea
- Easy Homemade Brownies Recipes
If you make this recipe and like it we would love for you to leave us a comment and a positive rating, they mean so much to us!
Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
How to make Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent. This is so easy, the batch lasts a long time and is cheaper than any store-bought detergent!
4.91 from 30 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Active Time: 5 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 1 day day
Total Time: 1 day day 25 minutes minutes
Makes: 5 gallons
Author: Pretty Providence
Cost: $10
Video
Equipment
5 gallon bucket
Materials
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
- 1 cup washing soda
- ½ cup Borax
- essential oils (optional)
- 5 gallon bucket
Instructions
Heat 4 cups of water until boiling.
Grate your Fels-Naptha soap bar (I just used a cheese grater) and add to boiling water. Stir continuously over medium low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
Fill your 5 gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, add melted soap, washing soda, and borax and stir well until all powder is dissolved.
Fill the bucket the rest of the way to the top with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
The next day, stir well and fill an old laundry detergent container with detergent.If desired, add your essential oils at this point! I useDoterra citrus bliss.
Notes
- Shake well before each use, because detergent can separate a bit.
- Top load machines use ½ cup per load, front load machines use ¼ cup per load.
- Here is thegallon jar I used, and here is a good five gallon bucket!
Did you make this?Mention @prettyprovidenceblog or tag #prettyprovidence!
It's SO easy and SO worth it you guys! I can guarantee you're gonna be glad you tried this DIY liquid laundry detergent!
xo,
*This post was originally written September 1, 2014 and has been updated with new photos, video and more detailed text.
29K Shares
