Did you know it’s actually ridiculously easy to make your own Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent? You won’t believe how much money you’ll save!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
Who knew making your own Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent could be SO easy?
Just a few simple ingredients, and you’ve got a fabulous laundry soap to clean your clothes for pennies!
Seriously, this one trick will save you SO much money!
Tonya writes: “I have been making this for years. I spend about $15 for a year for 5 of us and fur babies. We are always doing laundry. One 5 gallon bucket lasts about 3 months!”
This DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent is thrifty, simple to make, and works great!
Now you’ll never have to buy expensive laundry detergent at the store again!
Trust me… once you start making your own detergent, the savings are mind-blowing! It’s such a simple way to Save Money Fast!
Prefer powder detergent? No problem!
Simply use this Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder Recipe instead!
Then after you make your own homemade laundry soap, don’t forget to make some Homemade Fabric Softener, too!
So are you ready for this DIY Recipe for the best homemade liquid laundry detergent already?
Here’s what you’ll need to get started…
Related: 50 DIY Homemade Cleaners That Actually Work!
Why Make Your Own Laundry Detergent?
There are so many reasons why I love making my own laundry soap! Here are just a few…
> It’s easy to make!
> You’ll know exactly what ingredients are going into your laundry products.
> It will reduce packaging waste.
> You won’t run out often… each batch lasts a long time.
> If you want to stock up even more… just double the batch.
> It’s ridiculously frugal ~ you’ll save SO much money!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap Reviews
What Your Frugal Friends Are Saying About This DIY Laundry Soap Recipe…
Misty writes: “I wish I had discovered and known about this many years ago!! I could have saved so much money!!”
Tia writes: “I made my first batch and love how it cleans.”
Rose writes: “Just finished my first batch so making a 2nd time. Works great.”
Tonya writes: “I have been making this for years. I spend about $15 for a year for 5 of us and fur babies. We are always doing laundry. One 5 gallon bucket lasts about 3 months!”
Kristy writes: “I’ve been using this exact recipe for laundry detergent for almost a year now”
Kristen writes: “The Fels Naptha laundry soap bar is by far the best stain remover on clothes ever! It’s my secret ingredient for my messy children and it’s so cheap!
Wet clothing, rub bar on stain, rinse under cold water and repeat until it comes out. Then I toss in the wash! I invested in some nice clothes for my little ones so I invest a lot of time in keeping them nice 🙂 ”
Ingredients for Homemade Laundry Detergent
You’ll just need 3 simple ingredients to make your own liquid laundry detergent…
- 1/2 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
- 1/2 Cup Borax
- 1/3 Bar of Fels-Naptha Soap (you could also use Ivory soap, but if using Ivory… use the whole bar.)
- Bucket (2 gallon size or larger)
- Empty laundry detergent containers or bucket with lid to store detergent.
- Funnel
How to Make Laundry Detergent at Home
Making this laundry detergent at home is easier than you might think.
Here’s what to do…
1. Grate 1/3 bar of Fels-Naptha Soap, then transfer to large stockpot.
2. Add 6 cups of Hot Water.
3. Heat on stove over Medium-High heat until soap dissolves and melts.
4. Once soap has melted, add Washing Soda & Borax, and stir until dissolved.
5. Then remove from heat and set aside.
6. Pour 4 cups Hot Water into large plastic bucket, then pour in Soap Mixture and stir well.
7. Then, add 1 Gallon + 6 Cups (22 cups total) of additional water, and stir again.
8. Transfer to empty laundry detergent containers using your funnel.
9. Allow detergent to sit overnight, or up to 24 hours, to thicken and gel up. Then it’s ready to use! Stir or shake before each use, as it will continue to gel.
Note: Consistency and color will vary depending on your soap & water ~ it may be lumpy and watery… kind of like a watery gel, but it works great!
How Much Laundry Soap To Use in the Washer
Keep in mind, the amount of laundry soap you’ll use depends on a variety of factors, including the size of your laundry load, how heavily soiled your clothing is, and the type of washing machine you’ll be using.
You’ll want to use more in upright machines, and slightly less in HE front loaders.
So wasn’t that easy?? Now you know how to make your own laundry detergent at home!
Bonus Tip: How to Make Washing Soda
No washing soda? No problem! Check out this simple tip from frugal friend Lynn…
Lynn writes: “Making your own washing soda saves even more money. Put a layer 1/2″ thick of baking soda in a half sheet pan, into preheated 400 degree oven.
Bake for 1 hour, stir 2 or 3 times in that hour, then cool and use as washing soda.
I always make mine as it is not always available.”
More Easy Cleaning Recipes
In addition to this easy recipe, I have even more ideas that will help you can save money on laundry and cleaning supplies.
So be sure to check out these tips to make sure you’re saving as much money as possible…
Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder Recipe
Do you prefer Powder Laundry Detergent? It’s so easy to make that, too!
Homemade Fabric Softener Recipe
This Homemade Fabric Softener with Vinegar and Hair Conditioner Recipe is about as easy as can be! You won’t believe how much money you’ll save!
DIY Wool Dryer Balls
I love my wool dryer balls. I can’t even imagine doing laundry without them!
DIY Wrinkle Releaser
You need to try this DIY Wrinkle Release Recipe that is both fast and frugal!!
Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
I’ve been using this Homemade Glass Cleaner for years and I love, love, love it! It’s so fast and easy to make, so frugal, and honestly works better than store bought glass cleaner!
Homemade 409 Recipe
Just a few simple ingredients, and you’re on your way to an effective and thrifty all-purpose cleaner!
DIY Foaming Dish Soap
You’ll love the simplicity of this ridiculously smart tip. Sometimes it’s shocking how easy it is to save money!!
How to Keep your Washing Machine Smelling Fresh
Keep the odors away with this easy Smelly Washing Machine Fix!
DIY Homemade Febreze
This DIY Homemade Febreze Recipe is such a cinch to make, and you’ll save SO much $$ with this simple little trick!
DIY Carpet Powder Freshener
We love using this DIY carpet powder on the carpets, what an effective and frugal way to make carpets smell fresh!
How to Make Your House Smell Good (HUGE List of Genius Hacks)
Nobody likes a stinky home. So skip the stink, and transform your home into a paradise of lovely fragrances with my easy hacks!
50 Homemade Cleaners Recipes That Work! (Surprisingly Easy)
Get ready for some serious savings with these simple DIY Homemade Cleaners Recipes and Tips!
How to Save Money Fast (20 Genius Tips to Save $2200 this Month!)
Are you wondering how to Save Money Fast? It’s easy when you start slashing expenses and adding these extra sources of income to your finances!
So have you tried making this Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent at home yet??
Leave a comment and share…
Just wanted to say that Do It Best online stores has the Fels-Naptha soap for $1.29 and they ship to store free. ;o)
I am getting ready to start making the laundry detergent. However, I have not found Borax yet. Does anyone know where I might be able to purchase this in the Grand Rapids MI area? Thanks
My daughter has a Bed- Wetter, and sometimes can’t get to the laundry for a day or two. She adds 1/2 cup of Pine Sol to her laundry, and WOW. It puts a very fresh, and clean smell into the house as well. I witnessed people coming into her house while laundry was going and they’ll sniff right away and say…”oh, you’ve been cleaning today, it smells nice in here”. She also uses it to scrub her sofa and the carpet. So maybe I’ll add a little Pine Sol to my homemade laundry soap for that… very fresh smell.
That doesn’t stain you clothes or discolor them?
I make my own detergent and love it. 3 c. Borax, 2 c. Washing Soda, 2 c. Baking Soda and 1 1/2 bars of ivory soap finely grated (or one bar of fels naptha, but I prefer ivory). I use my pampered chef hand grater and with the help of my wonderful daughter it takes minutes to make a batch. We keep it in a tupperware container and use about 2 TBSP per load in my super capacity top loader. I pour white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser but I know that the downy ball filled with vinegar would work, too, if you don’t have a dispenser on your machine. It costs me about 2 cents per load and has saved us TONS of money. OH – and I wash my husband’s ACU’s, too. Unless the stain is really bad, there isn’t much need to pretreat. I’ve now converted my mother in law and several friends to saving money and making their own powdered detergent 🙂
I made the dry above that was stated as the Green Planet recipe. I don’t know if it’s just his clothes but they still smell. He is usually covered in grease and smells of exhaust, I tried his clothes first thinking that would be the one to try and see if it made a noticeable difference. So bummed…
I have been using the liquid recipe for a few months now and I am not happy with it at all. I am going to try the dry recipe next and see what happens. My whites come out dingy and it doesn’t get stains out and simply doesn’t seem to get them very clean. I use one to two cups per load. I was really hoping this would save money but I will have to switch back to store bought if the dry recipe I am going to make doesn’t work.
Just wanted to add that his stuff smelled disgusting, ran it through a second time with another recipe listed above plus some vinegar in the rinse, they still smell gross. They look clean, though….
I have wanted to try making my own detergent for quite some time and finally “bit the bullet”. I don’t know what happened, I used your recipe and it never thickened, there are NO suds at all and I used probably 2 or 3 cups in the washer. Just like water. I waited for it to suds up under the running water and nothing. Is that normal? I couldn’t smell anything in there either. I have my son washing a load of his disgusting clothes, LOL, so we’ll see what happens. I did add some Zote…
Try again! I’ll bet you didn’t use enough of the bar soap. It gels up wonderfully each time I make it. Follow the directions to the tee and it should work!
I’ve been making the powdered version with Zote for over a year & I love it. I buy Zote at Walmart, A&H washing soda at Harris Teeter and Borax at Target, walmart or Harris Teeter. When I first read it the dose was 1 Tablespoon per load & 2 if heavily soiled. That’s what I do & I love how our clothes feel & smell. Especially the linens. I usually add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to loads & it keeps them soft & I feel it adds some umph to the cleaning. No problems with stains. For any stain that’s organice (blood or chocolate) pour hydrogen peroxide on it & it comes clean. The blood stain will bubble up but it appears at first to do nothing on the chocolate staine – until you take it out of the washing machine & then it’s all gone. Much cheaper than oxyclean!
We’ve been making our own laundry detergent (liquid with fels naptha) for a few years now. Love it! I put vinegar in a downey ball (sometime I’ll put a few drops of Lavendar essential oil in it also) for a fabric softener/deodorizer. (Vinegar is also a mild bleach). My DH comes home wearing grease occassionally and I’ve found an amazing stain treater in Clean House Clean Planet (Karen Logan-Pocket Book ISBN 0-671-53595-1)
1/4 c liquid detergent (not soap, use clear, not colored like Palmolive or Ivory. I use the Green Works)
1/4 c vegetable glycerin (you can use regular glycerin too)
1-1/2 c water
Combine in a clean 16 oz squirt or spray bottle. With a little scrub brush and this pre-treater, I can get the grease out (for other stains, I just rub it out, no brush). Don’t use too much and be sure to rinse after you’ve treated. Clean House Clean Planet has a alot of amazing, safe and cost effective cleaning recipes!
Also for a cheap wrinkle release and, I put a capful of downey (that I got on clearance) in a spray bottle and fill it the rest of the way with water.