Go Back
Print
How to make laundry detergent. homemade on our homestead. Rustic living, food from scratch, handmade home. #homemadeonourhomestead #howtomakelaundrydetergent #DIYer #naturallaundry detergent

Homemade Laundry Soap with Essential Oils

This is a quick and easy recipe for the laundry soap I make for our home. Toxin-free and works great. Easily found ingredients as well. 

Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Author Homemade on our Homestead

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
  • 3 cups Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
  • 3 cups Borax
  • 2 bars Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap Bars (unscented) You can use any brand and any scent you like. If you'd prefer not to use essential oils, a scented castile soap bar is great! Dr. Bronners has some great scents available.
  • 30-50 drops Essential Oil of your choice I use 80-90 drops for a very large batch (5 gallon bucket full). So its really up to you how much fragrance you'd like to add (if any) to the mix.
  • *half cup Distilled White Vinegar (optional) I add this to my wash to soften my laundry. I don't use dryer sheets so this helps with that
  • * 2-3 Wool Dryer Balls (optional) I use these with a couple drops of essential oil as a fabric softener as well

Instructions

  1. SMALL BATCH RECIPE:

    1. Have a 1-2 gallon storage container available to put all the ingredients into. I make a huge batch of this at a time (5 gallon bucket) and transfer into a 1 gallon storage jar that I store next to my washing machine. 

    2. Label your storage jar so you and others know the containers contents. 

    3. Grate (with a box grater or food processor) 2 bars of castile soap. Set aside.

    4.  Add 3 cups of borax, 3 cups of arm & hammer super washing soda, 3 cups of baking soda and 2 bars of grated castile soap to container and mix contents of container together well. 

    5. (optional) If you are going to add essential oils to your laundry detergent, do so now. 30-40 drops is recommended, but you can really add as much (or little) as you'd like. If you are using scented castile soap bars, you really don't need to add essential oils as well. But its really up too you and your preference. 

    LARGE BATCH RECIPE: 

    1. Label 5 gallon bucket and 1 gallon storage jar.

    2. Grate 6 bars of castile soap of your choice with a box grater or food processor. Set aside.

    3. Add 3 BOXES of Borax, 3 BOXES of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, 13.5 lb bag of Baking Soda and 6 grated bars of Castile soap to bucket.

    4. Mix all ingredients together. I have found the best way to do this is to put the lid on my 5 gallon bucket and roll it around on the floor. *NOTE* I use a 5 gallon bucket with a screw top lid so I know that the lid won't come off. If you are using a regular 5 gallon bucket, be careful if you are going to roll it around on the floor. I don't know how well these lids stay on. 

    5. (optional) Open bucket and add 80-90n drops of essential oil of your choice. if you are using a scented Castile soap, you likely won't need essential oils at all. Totally up to you. 

    6. Again, mix together well. 

    7. Transfer small amount of detergent to 1-2 gallon glass jar to store next to your washing machine. When the glass storage jar is empty, refill from 5 gallon bucket. 

    **5 gallon bucket full of soap last us about 6 months for our family of 4 doing 1-2 loads of laundry every day. **

    TIPS:

    1. Adding 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to wash is a great way to soften the your laundry without having to use dryer sheets. Plus it works great to eliminmate odors as well.

    2. Use wool dryer balls (2-3) in your dryer when drying laundry as a great replacement for dryer sheets. Place 1-2 drops of essential oils on the dryer balls to scent.