Homemade laundry detergent: it worked, we just couldn't keep it up

For a few months, we made our own liquid laundry detergent. It did the job. It just turned laundry into a project.

What we did

We carved and shredded bar soap (brands like Dr. Bronner's) and mixed it with a small handful of other ingredients and a few drops of essential oils for a very light scent. We didn't stick to one recipe. We tried a few different ones we found online.

Whatever recipe we used, we doubled or tripled it, because we didn't want to have to do it again anytime soon. That meant boiling a huge batch, mixing it in big rectangular containers, and then refilling our smaller bottles from a very heavy tub.

Luckily, spilling soap never really caused a problem. We just had some very clean floors.

The scent: less is more

Our first batch was way too strong. We cut the essential oils back with every batch, and by the third one it was mostly scentless. If you try this, start with fewer drops than the recipe says. You can always add more next time.

How it worked

Honestly? It worked OK. The laundry came out clean, and the soap itself was nice.

The problem wasn't the results. It was the process: shredding soap, boiling, mixing a giant batch, and hauling a heavy tub around to refill bottles, every time we ran low.

A simple liquid laundry soap

This is a common version from around the web, not our exact recipe. We tried several and don't remember which one we used.

Ingredients

1 bar castile soap (about 5 oz), such as Dr. Bronner's, shredded
1 cup washing soda
½ cup borax
About 2 gallons of water
Essential oil, optional. Start with 5 to 10 drops.

Steps

Heat about 4 cups of water in a large pot and stir in the shredded soap until it melts.
Stir in the washing soda and borax until they dissolve.
Pour the mixture into a large bucket or tub and stir in the rest of the water (hot is easiest).
Let it sit overnight. It will thicken and may turn gel-like. Stir or shake before using.
Add essential oil if you want a scent, then fill smaller bottles from the tub.

To use

About ½ cup per load. Keep borax and washing soda stored away from kids and pets, and check your washer's manual before using homemade soap in a high-efficiency machine.

Our verdict

Too much to keep up. After 3 batches, we went back to Seventh Generation.

If you enjoy a kitchen project and have room for a big tub, homemade detergent does the job. If you're looking for one less chore, buying it is fine. Seventh Generation is what we use now.