Learn how to make homemade laundry soap with all natural ingredients for under 5 dollars. This DIY Laundry Detergent is an effective way to clean clothes and fight stains.
Hey friends!
I want to reintroduce you to my sister Laura from Our Oily House.
She shared with us a few weeks ago a tutorial for how to make All Natural Organic Cocoa Lip Balm.
Today she is back with another DIY recipe that you can use to keep your clothes clean, without all the junk.
I will let Laura take over, as she shares how to make homemade laundry soap.
Homemade Laundry Soap is Inexpensive
A few years ago, I started making most of my household products.
The main reason was to cut down on toxins entering the body. The other bonus is it saves us lots of money!
Making laundry soap is super easy, and very inexpensive! All you need is a handful of natural ingredients, many of which you may have on hand if you are already creating natural cleaning products for your home.
It makes 5 gallon bucket worth and that lasts my family five months (I do a load everyday) and it cost under $5!
It is worth the 15 minutes it takes me to whip it up.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure HERE.
Tips For Making Homemade Laundry Soap
- You can scent your detergent with a variety of essential oils. Orange happens to be my favorite of the moment. Make sure when using essential oils they are 100% pure. Don’t fall for cheap grocery store kinds.
- This natural laundry detergent will become thick and chunky my morning. Stir it up using an immersion blender or even a drill with a paint mixer attachment.
- The type of water you have at your house may impact how effective this recipe is. Those who have hard water with a lot of minerals may find that it is less effective. I’ve been using this recipe for 5+ years and still love it.
Homemade Orange Scented Laundry Soap Ingredients and Supplies
water
30 drops essential oil of choice (I like lavender or anything citrus)
Homemade Laundry Soap Instructions
1. Shred a 5 ounce bar of Fels Naptha Soap with a cheese grater. You could also use a food processor.
2. Put the soap in a saucepan with 2 cups of water, over medium heat, and stir constantly, until the soap is all melted.
3. Fill the five gallon bucket 1/2 way with water. Add 1/2 cup Washing Soda, 1 cup Borax, and your melted soap water mixture.
4. Give it a stir, and fill the rest of the bucket with water.
5. Add essential oils for scent.
- My favorite is Wild Orange!
- I do 25-30 drops for a 5 gallon bucket.
6. Let it sit overnight with the lid on.
7. In the morning give it a good shake, or stir to mix well. Stirring it with a drill paint mixer attachment, or an immersion blender, really helps to get the clumps out!
That’s it!
How To Use Homemade Laundry Detergent
Add about 1/2 cup per load in my HE washer per load, so it lasts a VERY long time.
You can add directly to the washer or place it in the load and go compartment (if you have one).
Making laundry soap is quick and easy!
You can feel good about using this soap, as it is made out of all natural ingredients, and works very well.
Find More Homemade Products:
- Homemade Non-Toxic Bathroom Scrub
- Minimalist Cleaning Essentials
- Natural Homemade Diaper Rash Cream
- How To Make Beeswax Candles
Homemade Laundry Soap
Equipment
- 5 gallon bucket with a lid
- drill paint mixer attachment
- cheese grater
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 cup Borax
- 1/2 cup Washing Soda
- 1 Fels Naptha soap bar
- Water
- 30 drops essential oil of choice, I like lavender or anything citrus
Instructions
- Shred a 5 ounce bar of Fels Naptha Soap with a cheese grater.
- Put the soap in a saucepan with 2 cups of water, over medium heat, and stir constantly, until the soap is all melted.
- Fill the five gallon bucket 1/2 way with water.
- Add 1/2 cup Washing Soda, 1 cup Borax, and your melted soap water mixture.
- Give it a stir, and fill the rest of the bucket with water.
- Add essential oils for scent. I do 25-30 drops for a 5 gallon bucket.
- Let it sit overnight with the lid on.
- In the morning give it a good shake, or stir to mix well. Stirring it with a drill paint mixer attachment, or an immersion blender, really helps to get the clumps out!
- To Use:I use 1/2 cup per load in my HE washer, so it lasts a VERY long time.
Notes
- You can add any variety of essential oils that you like. My favorite is wild orange.
- The type of water you have may impact the effectiveness of homemade laundry detergent. It may not work as well if you have hard water.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Is this the liquid detergent that you use for your cloth diapers too? I am going to make this very soon and I need to prep my newly purchased prefolds and inserts soon.
Is this soap baby friendly? If not how could I adjust it to be?
THANKS!
Yes! It is baby friendly. 🙂
Lisa, can you use a Dr. Bronner’s castille soap bar for this as well? They’re also 5 oz bars.
Yes, you sure can!
HI Lisa, would any other soap do? I have grated soap (palm kernels) and wonder if I can use it here?
Thank you for your helpful feedback
How much soap would you use for a regular washer vs an HE? The 1/2 cup is for an HE washer? So, 5 oz fels naptha, 1/2 C washing soda, 1 cup borax, 25-30 drops essential oils with 5 gallons of water? It’s a lower soap to water ratio than I have used previously. Thanks!
The Fels-Naptha laundry bar has the following ingredients:
Ingredients :
INGREDIENTS: SOAP (SODIUM TALLOWATE*, SODIUM COCATE* (OR) SODIUM PALMATE KERNELATE*, AND SODIUM PALMATE*), WATER, TALC, DIPENTENE, COCONUT ACID*, PALM ACID*, TALLOW ACID*, PEG-6 METHYL ETHER, GLYCERIN, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PENTASODIUM PENTETATE, TETRASODIUM ETIDRONATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, TRICLOCARBAN, FRAGRANCE, ACID ORANGE 24, ACID YELLOW 73 *CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THESE INGREDIENTS
How are they non toxic to us?
Fels-Naptha changed their ingredients about 5-6 years ago to include things that are toxic to me. I no longer use their product.
I believe they discontinued the fels naptha product altogether in 2022. I looked it up after having a bad rash reaction to this recipe in January. I realized I should be more careful and always validate when I see “homestead” and “natural.” Not always the case but I do appreciate the owner sharing the recipe as some may prefer the low cost and not mind the toxic ingredients. I, however, would request to be more sure of the ingredients and not include “natural” with this one.
i had the same concern. These ingredients are toxic. How come you recommend this bar soap over others? Can I use something like Kirks or Castile bar soap?
I did (I thought) everything as directed but ended up with the grated bar soap being chunky in the mixture.. what can I do to avoid this? Thanks!
You could try using a stick blender to incorporate it better. 🙂
Thinking of trying this! Do you put it in a glass jar with spigot, as pictured, and then leave the remainder in the 5-gal bucket for refills as needed?
I am also interested in this question.
Thanks
Sofia
How many bars of Fels Naptha is in this recipe for a 5 gallon bucket???
Just one 14 ounce bar for a five gallon bucket. 🙂
Hi Lisa
You inspired me to try this again! Has been awhile since I did! In the recipe you said 5 oz soap but here you said 14 oz. Which one is correct?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa
Is it a 14oz bar or 5oz bar per 5 gallon bucket? I don’t want to get overloaded with soap bubbles!!!
5 ounce bar. So sorry that was a typo!
Hi! Love your blog and your sisters. Just to verify a 14 oz bar of Fels Naptha is 3 bars? I made it with 3 bars which is 15 oz and is super thick and doesn’t look as liquid as yours. Only one bar is 5 oz. Please let me know, thank you