diy laundry detergent in mason jar with essential oil. folded towels in background

This DIY laundry soap recipe is a natural and effective way to clean your clothes without using harsh chemicals  like those found in commercial detergents..

Are you tired of spending a fortune on laundry detergent every month? Do you want a more natural and eco-friendly option for cleaning your clothes?

Look no further than this DIY laundry soap recipe!

Making your own laundry detergent is easy, affordable, and customizable to your preferences.

Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what ingredients are going into your detergent. You’ll feel good known you aren’t washing your clothes in toxic chemicals unlike store-bought detergents.

In this blog post, we’ll provide you with step-by-step instructions for creating your own homemade laundry soap, as well as tips for making it even more effective.

Say goodbye to store-bought detergent and hello to a more sustainable laundry routine!

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diy natural laundry soap with lemon and lavender essential oils.

The baking soda and washing soda help to lift and remove stains and odors, while the citric acid helps to soften hard water and boost the cleaning power.

The Lemon and Lavender essential oils provide a fresh and natural scent to your laundry while working to remove stains.

Lemon essential oil is also a powerful stain remover.

Simple, Natural, Non toxic ingredients make a much better option than commercial laundry detergent for your family’s clothes. You can even use this for cloth diapers!

Supplies and Ingredients for your Homemade Detergent

You only need a few basic ingredients to make your natural homemade laundry detergent. You’re going to ultimately save a lot of money by making your own so this is really worth it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Mason Jar or other glass airtight container to store your homemade laundry detergent.
  • Unscented Castile Soap
  • Baking Soda
  • Washing Soda
  • Citric Acid

baking soda

Easy to find at your local grocery store. Not much more needs to be said about this one. I buy this in the biggest quantity I can find because it use it for so many DIY cleaning recipes.

Liquid Castile Soap

You’ll want to make sure you are using an unscented Castile soap. Otherwise, the scent will potentially clash and overpower the essential oils you’re going to add.

I also like to use one that is organic using high quality ingredients.

Dr. Bronner’s unscented is what I use and you can buy it on Amazon in a variety of sizes:

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Washing Soda

Washing soda and baking soda are both types of sodium bicarbonate, but they have different chemical compositions and properties. Both are known as sodium carbonate.

Washing soda has a higher pH level, which means it is more alkaline than Baking Soda and has stronger cleaning properties. Baking Soda is milder and used mainly for baking and cooking.

You can buy washing soda pretty much anywhere. I usually order mine from Amazon because I order everything from there.

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Citric Acid

Citric Acid has a wide variety of uses and is frequently added cleaning products to help remove stains and soap residue buildup. You’ll also find it in beauty products like bath gels, bath bombs, and body washes.

I look for food grade citric acid. This is one I have frequently purchased:

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Glass Air Tight Storage Jar

You’ll want to make sure you have one big enough to hold your batch of detergent, which will be about 3 1/2 cups or roughly 28 oz.

I like to use these type of storage jars that have these clamps on the lid. Use whatever works for you. No reason to go out and buy something fancy or expensive. A standard mason jar works well, also!

You can leave your natural detergent jar in the laundry room for easy access and mix up a new batch of your own homemade laundry detergent when you are starting to run low.  Simply refill the same jar.

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Essential Oils for your homemade laundry detergent

Please make sure you are using a high quality essential oil and not an inexpensive fragrance oil. You won’t get the same cleaning power or effect with a fragrance oil, which is just perfume.

Contrary to popular belief, essential oils are not expensive. When you invest in a bottle, you have an initial expense, but that bottle is going to last you a long time. There are about 250 drops of essential oil in a full size 15ml bottle. Divide that by the cost of the bottle and you get the price per drop.

These essential oils for your laundry detergent are only pennies per drop which makes them a great choice for your natural homemade laundry soap.

Lemon is only $.0.05 cents per drop

Lavender is only $0.14 cents per drop

So you are most likely saving money when you compare the total cost to make your laundry detergent to the cost of an expensive store bought brand that is full of all kinds of synthetic chemicals, perfumes, dyes, and other toxic ingredients.

I use doTERRA brand oil and am a certified doTERRA shop.

If you need oils for this, you can pick up this inexpensive intro kit which contains Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint, and is enough to make at least 2 batches of Laundry detergent.

Or you can buy full size bottles of the lavender and lemon if you prefer.

How to Make DIY Laundry Detergent with Essential Oils

It’s simple to make your own laundry detergent. Follow this easy detergent recipe that contains only natural ingredients. It only takes a few minutes to make a batch of liquid laundry detergent that is safe for sensitive skin,  contains only simple ingredients and no harmful chemicals.

diy laundry detergent in mason jar with essential oil. folded towels in background

Homemade Natural Laundry Soap Detergent with Essential Oils

Author: Dawn Goehring
This DIY laundry soap recipe is a natural and effective way to clean your clothes without using harsh chemicals. The baking soda and washing soda help to lift and remove stains and odors, while the citric acid helps to soften hard water and boost the cleaning power. The Lemon and Lavender essential oils provide a fresh and natural scent to your laundry.
5 from 2 votes
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Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of washing soda, and 1/2 cup of citric acid.
  • Add 1 cup of castile soap to the mixture and stir well.
  • Add 20 drops of doTERRA Lemon essential oil and 20 drops of doTERRA Lavender essential oil to the mixture and stir again.
  • Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
  • To use, add 1-2 tablespoons of the DIY laundry soap to your washing machine.

Notes

  • This will make enough detergent for about 32 loads of laundry.
  • Follow with dryer balls in the dryer cycle instead of highly toxic fabric softener sheets.

 Making your own natural laundry detergent is a simple and effective way to reduce your exposure to harsh chemicals and save money.

With just a few ingredients, you can create a detergent that is gentle on your clothes and the environment. Plus, you can customize the scent and strength to your liking.

We hope this blog post has inspired you to try making your own laundry soap and has provided you with the information you need to get started.

Give it a try and see the difference it can make in your laundry routine!

Be sure to check out the other DIY Cleaning recipes below. I make almost all of our cleaning supplies these days.  I feel much better knowing we are using natural products in our home.

diy natural laundry soap with lemon and lavender essential oils.

More Cleaning DIY Recipes that use essential oils


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About The Author

Dawn Goehring Desert Naturals Essential Oils

Dawn Goehring

Owner / Founder of Desert Naturals

Dawn Goehring is the founder of Desert Naturals where she writes educational articles on essential oils, DIY's on natural beauty products, homemade cleaners, and provides related essential oil accessories like Planners, Journals, Trackers, tshirts, and custom made essential oil storage.

Dawn discovered essential oils about 10 years ago to support her then 4 year old son who was struggling to manage a respiratory condition. She then learned how to use essential oils for everyday natural remedies for her family, and has helped hundreds of women incorporate essential oils in their lives to live a healthier, more holistic lifestyle using natural products and essential oils.

Dawn has earned an aromatherapist degree and has earned a doTERRA essential oil specialist certification which is a fancy way of saying she has learned a lot about the chemistry of essential oils and how they work in the body.

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