Homemade Laundry Soap (Updated)

Making your own laundry soap seems like it would be a monumental task that isn't worth the effort, but in reality it is super easy. It takes about 15 minutes of active prep work. And, consider this. The cost is less than $0.01 per load (for HE washers)!



That puffed up thing on the right is what happens to a Fels-Naptha bar when you microwave it

Liquid Laundry Soap

1 5 gallon bucket with lid
1  Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar
1 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1 cup kosher salt
10 ml* essential oil, any scent (optional)

UPDATE: We have very hard water and after a month I found that this detergent was causing damage to some of our clothing. I found that adding 1 cup of kosher salt to the detergent mixture helped to soften the water. Our clothes now come out clean and damage free.


Unwrap Fels-Naptha and place it on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until soap is puffed up. Cool completely.
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, crumble fels-naptha bar.

When water is boiling add fels-naptha, reduce heat and stir until dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Fill 5 gallon bucket half full of hot water.

Add borax, washing soda, salt and melted soap. Stir until dissolved.

Fill bucket with hot water to two inches from the top. Add essential oil, if using, stir and seal bucket tightly

Let sit overnight. Stir Well (detergent will have gelled and will separate some when you stir). Using a funnel, pour Laundry soap into a clean, used liquid detergent bottle. I use 1/4 cup detergent for most loads in my HE washer. Top load washers use 1/2 a cup.

*This amount of essential oil might seem like a lot but a good amount of the fragrance comes out in the wash leaving a nice light scent