Are you looking for a simple detergent recipe you can do at home? Today we are sharing with you our favorite ways to make homemade laundry detergent with just a few ingredients. Keep reading!

Ways to make homemade laundry detergent Feature image- Kids Activities blog - Collage of 7 different laundry detergents you can make at home.
Let’s learn different ways to make homemade detergent!

21 DIY Ways To Make Homemade Laundry Detergent

In the past few years, more and more people are turning to homemade laundry detergent. Whether your current laundry products are causing skin irritation (or you have sensitive skin), it’s hurting your wallet, or simply aren’t enough to remove every tough stain, if you’re reading this post it’s because you’re on the fence about making your own laundry soap.

A lot of us simply enjoy making a homemade detergent because it’s easier to know exactly what we’re adding to our dirty clothes – plus DIY activities and mom hacks is our fort here at Kids Activities Blog {giggles}

Well, whatever reason has brought you here, we’re ready to share with you our favorite 21 DIY laundry detergent recipe tutorials! Most of these recipes require just a few ingredients and are much less expensive than buying the regular premixed solutions.

1. Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

Homemade Laundry detergent in a detergent bin- pink with blue flakes with a cup
Plus, it smells a-mazing!

This homemade laundry detergent recipe from Divas Can Cook also includes some tips that you can apply to other recipes, so make sure to read them thoroughly! This recipe is fairly easy and only takes 30 minutes to make, and will last you for a loooong time before you need to make another batch.

2. How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

how to make your own laundry soap and store it in a plastic bin labeled detergent with a spoon with a basket of laundry behind it on a wood table
Let us know what you think of this recipe.

The Spruce shared a laundry detergent recipe that is very quick and easy to put together, and most importantly, it cleans just as efficiently as store brands. This detergent is safe for HE (high efficiency) and standard machines.

3. Homemade Laundry Detergent: The Original and Best DIY Natural Recipe

original and best natural DIY natural detergent recipe with white and yellow flakes a metal scoop in a glass jar labeled laundry on a wood background
This recipe makes safer detergent than commercial soaps.

Looking for a more natural detergent? Save money and avoid toxic chemicals with this DIY laundry detergent. Only takes 10 minutes to make! From DIY Natural.

4. Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe- REQUESTED!

The best and most requested laundry detergent recipe in a jar filled with white and a scoop on a wood disc with folded laundry behind it and wood background
You won’t believe how much money you can save up with this recipe.

This homemade laundry detergent recipe from The Home and Homestead is suitable for a front load washer and high-efficiency machines too, and is more natural than most store brands. It will also most definitely help you save up a lot of money in the long run.

5. Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder Recipe

Homemade lavender powdered laundry detergent with a metal scoop, shaved soap, laundry pins, brushes, a jar, and lavender flowers on a wood background
This mix will keep your clothes fresh and clean!

This quick and easy homemade laundry detergent recipe from Rocky Hedge Farm makes a half gallon of powdered laundry detergent and uses simple ingredients that can be used in top loading and front loading washing machines.

6. How to Make Laundry Soap (Liquid or Powder Recipe)

Liquid and powered diy laundry detergent in glass jars on a wood counter
You can make a homemade liquid laundry soap too.

This natural laundry soap recipe is a great way to save money on laundry detergent and is incredibly easy to make. It uses ingredients that are known for keeping clothes clean for long periods of time, such as washing soda, borax, and regular bar soaps. From Wellness Mama.

7. How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent that Actually Works

diy laundry detergent that  actually works with shaved soap, grater, scoop and bowl of detergent on wood background
This DIY detergent actually works very well.

If you have essential oils and baking soda, you already have the most important ingredients to make this homemade laundry detergent! Simply combine the 5 ingredients and store it in an airtight container, and it’s all ready to be used. From Family Handyman.

8. DIY Laundry Detergent That Brightens and Deodorizes Clothes

Deodorize and brighten clothes with diy laundry detergent with blue scoop in glass jar on dark wood counter
We’re sure you’ll love this recipe as much as we did.

We love that this recipe is more than just an inexpensive and easy detergent, it’s also spot treatment, whitener, brightener, deodorizer, and fabric softener all in one. Plus, one batch makes a LOT of detergent, so it will last you a long time. From Andrea Dekker.

9. Make Your Own Laundry Soap Using 3 Items

3 item diy laundry detergent with powder, grated soap, and spoon on a rock background
The perfect recipe for those who prefer safer cleaning products.

This homemade wash powder only uses 3 basic household ingredients, it’s chemical-free, and cleans clothing very well. And you can be sure this homemade laundry soap is better for your health. From Farm Girl in the Making.

10. Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

homemade diy liquid detergent with yellow grated soap in a green bowl and a grater on a wood background
We can’t believe how cheap this recipe is.

You can make 5 gallons of DIY laundry detergent for less than $2 – you can’t beat that! This recipe uses Fels Naptha soap, borax, and washing soda – that’s literally it. Get the free recipe from Homemaker.

11. DIY natural laundry detergent (without bar soap!)

Natural DIY laundry detergent without bar soap in a glass jar and a copper tablespoon on a washing machine with a white blanket
Looking for an environmentally-friendly recipe? We have so many here!

Learn how to make an all-natural, environmentally friendly laundry detergent that is easy to use. It is super simple, free of toxic chemicals, and only requires four ingredients! From Boots & Hooves Homestead.

12. The Best Laundry Detergent Recipes: 3 Different Options

best diy laundry detergents in a big glass jar and lid next to clothes pins and a vase with a flower, a copper spoon and brown and white polka dotted folded towels on a wood counter with white tile behind
Save ltos of money with this recipe.

You’ll love this recipe from One Good Thing By Jillee – it’s got an amazing smell, works fabulously, and it’s cheap to make. Of course, it gets clothes super clean too. It uses Purex Crystals which are our go-to fragrance boosters.

13. Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder Recipe! {Small or Large Batch}

Small or big batch diy laundry detergent in a plastic bin with an overflowing plastic spoon
You’ll need just 4 ingredients for this recipe.

Cut the cost of doing laundry when you use this easy homemade laundry detergent powder recipe! Just follow the tutorial to make a soap mixture – you can choose between a small batch and a large batch until you’re sure this is the recipe for you. From The Frugal Girls.

14. Make Your Own Powdered Laundry Detergent

Bucket on wood porch of diy laundry detergent, white pink and blue shavings of soap
Doesn’t this soap look kind of cute too?

With some basic ingredients and a cheese grater, you’ll be able to make your own powdered laundry detergent that works really well and smells just as good too. From Six Clever Sisters.

15. Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

Pink and white diy laundry detergent in a glass jar with lid and glass scoop held by a woman in a white shirt and blue skirt
It smells amazing, too!

It’s time we shared a pretty recipe too! Here’s a beautiful, fun, and simple DIY homemade laundry detergent recipe. With just 3 ingredients, you can make lots of laundry soap and save a lot of money in the process! From Smart School House.

16. Borax-Free Homemade Laundry Detergent

Jug of borax free diy laundry detergent
Add some essential oil drops if you want it to have a certain smell.

Not everyone is a big fan of borax, and that’s OK! That’s why we’re sharing this borax-free homemade laundry detergent recipe. It works as well as other recipes, gets the stains out, and some people might love that it doesn’t leave any scents – it smells like nothing. However, you can add a scent booster drops of your favorite essential oil. From Live Simply.

17. Homemade DIY Laundry Detergent – Cheaper and Better

Cheaper and better diy laundry detergent pink and red in bottles with purple caps
We love how pretty this recipe is, too.

This recipe from How Does She uses simple ingredients – Hammer super washing soda, borax, baking soda… and is fairly easy to make. The hardest part is grating the bar of soap, although you could try a food processor if you have one.

18. The Best Homemade Laundry Detergent – HE Washer Safe

Washer Safe DIY homemade laundry detergent white and yellow in glass jar with white scoop
It only takes 10 mins to make!

This homemade laundry detergent is so easy to make, it’s very affordable, and works better than detergents bought in your local grocery store. It won’t damage your HE washing machine either. Get 6 loads of laundry for the price of 1! From A Few Shortcuts.

19. How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder

Powdered laundry detergent diy with pink white and pink dots in a large glass jar and metal scoop
We can’t get over how well it smells.

It’s really easy to make your own detergent powder, and this recipe from Crystal & Co will last you for so many loads. Simply follow the easy instructions and store your new DIY laundry detergent!

20. How To Make Natural Laundry Detergent (Borax-Free)

No Borax and natural diy laundry detergent in large glass jar with glass lid, white, and a metal scoop
If you prefer slightly more natural ingredients, this recipe is for you.

This recipe for homemade laundry soap uses the most natural ingredients possible that still get the job done (and better than “just done”). It uses Castile Soap which is pretty much a must-have for these recipes, and other clean ingredients. From Mommypotamus.

21. DIY Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent

Non Toxic DIY detergent in a blue plastic bottle with white lid on wood table with folded white, yellow, green, and blue towels
We should try our hardest to take care of Planet Earth.

Try this non-toxic laundry detergent. It will not only save you money, but it is environmentally friendly and better on your skin as it doesn’t have toxic chemicals and overwhelming scents. From Small Footprint Family.

Want More Useful DIY for Parents? Here Are Our Favorites From Kids Activities Blog:

What was your favorite way to make homemade laundry detergent?



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