DIY Laundry Soap Liquid (or Gel) from Homemade Laundry Bar Soap

What a discovery! I am absolutely delighted with this simple laundry liquid formula that I've been making from my homemade cold and hot processed laundry bar soap recipes.

This formula was inspired by the dry laundry powder I’ve been making for years (same ingredients, just add water!).

The full written recipe, along with helpful tips and relevant links, are below.

UPDATE May 2023:

Hello everyone! I just want to let you know that this formula turned into a nice liquid soap given the bar soap base I used (link below) and the temperature of my environment here in Brisbane at the time I made it, but since the weather has cooled down a lot more, my liquid has turned to gel! No big deal though, it still works really well.

Some people have also reported that their product turned to a gel, even in warmer weather! In these cases 100% coconut oil, tallow and/or palm oil were used in the bar soap recipe, so be prepared for variations depending on the type of soap you use in this recipe.

If your laundry gel turns VERY solid, as it may well do in cold weather, especially if you used mostly saturated fats in your bar soap recipe, just use a scoop instead of pouring it the mixture into your washer. You may want to gently warm the mixture and pour into another container for this purpose. You can even add a bit more water to make a softer gel if yours has become too firm.

With my laundry bar soap recipe (50% coconut oil and 50% unsaturated fats/liquid plant oils) my laundry mixture became a soft gel in winter time. Even in the coldest part of the year here in Brisbane (minimums around 10°C) it was soft enough to scoop out of a small bucket. It works wonderfully!

If you are new to soap making, please ensure you visit this page and view my soap making safety essentials video for all the information you need to start making soap yourself at home.

I also highly recommend learning to calculate your own soap recipes (and check others’ recipes before you use them - read my disclaimer).

These videos/articles will get you started with the basics of soap recipe formulation and calculation:

• How to Calculate Your Own Soap Recipes

• Choosing Oils for Soap Making - Oil types and fatty acids, balancing recipes and Soapcalc explained 

• Calculating Water in Soap Recipes and Clarifying 'Lye Concentration'

• Superfat Explained - Understanding 'Superfat' and 'Lye Discounting' in Handmade Soap Making

• How to Use Citric Acid in Soap Making

DIY Laundry Soap Liquid (or Gel)

Please watch the full video for complete instructions and discussion about this formula.

IMPORTANT POINTS

• This recipe is best made with a homemade bar soap formulated for cleaning, not bathing. Ideally, your bar soap will be made with a high portion of coconut oil (for it’s strong cleansing properties) and zero superfat. You do not want excess, unsaponified fats in your laundry detergent!

• This recipe is not intended as a general purpose liquid soap - it is too harsh for skin! - ONLY USE IT FOR LAUNDRY

• I recommend either of these bar soap recipes for this formula:

  • Eucalyptus Laundry Soap with Coconut and Rice Bran Oils (no citric acid)

  • Laundry soap made with coconut and a range of other oils (with citric acid)

• This post details how to add citric acid to your soap recipe formulas if you would like to use your own recipe. Some important adjustments are required!

LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP INGREDIENTS

• 2 bars/240g grated homemade laundry bar soap

• 1 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate)

• 8 cups/2 litres water (filtered tap/drinking water is fine)

METHOD FOR LIQUID VERSION

1. Grate bar soap and add to medium-large saucepan.

2. Add washing soda and water to grated soap.

3. Heat mixture gently on the stove, stirring frequently over low-medium heat until the soap is completely dissolved.

4. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to cool slowly, over a full day or overnight (covering slows down cooling but prevents a skin from forming on top of your soap).

5. When completely cooled, decant the liquid into clean storage bottles. Recycled vinegar or old detergent bottles are ideal.

6. Add essential oils if desired, 20ml (4 teaspoons) per 2 litre batch. I used 3 parts lemon and 1 part basil for my video batch, it’s so lovely and fresh!

METHOD FOR GEL VERSION

1. Grate soap and add to small-medium saucepan with only 2 cups of water.

2. Heat mixture gently on the stove, stirring frequently over low-medium heat until the soap is completely dissolved.

3. In a small bucket or other open container (2 litre capacity minimum), add remaining 6 cups of room temperature water and 1 cup of washing soda. Stir for a minute or two to dissolve (the mixture will warm up slightly due to exothermic reaction).

4. Once the soap has completely dissolved (use a whisk if it’s stubborn), remove from heat and cool for 5-10 minutes.

5. Add soap mixture to bucket with water and washing soda, and stir thoroughly to combine.

6. Add essential oils if desired, 20ml (4 teaspoons) per 2 litre batch.

7. Cover the container with a lid and allow the mixture to cool and set into a nice, smooth gel (leave it undisturbed for a day or overnight).

8. When set, this gel mixture can be scooped into your washing machine detergent compartment or added directly to the washing chamber of your machine.

HOW MUCH TO USE?

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load, depending on your machine (even more for large top loaders!)

• Large, top loading washing machines will require more soap. Smaller, front loading washers will require less (they use less water and more agitation - more concentrated and efficient use of soap product)

• It also depends on type of laundry - towels, linen and greasy clothes will need more, delicates and lightly soiled fabrics less.

• Hard water area? You may need more soap in your wash. I would also highly suggest using a laundry bar soap recipe with citric acid.

USE A VINEGAR RINSE INSTEAD OF FABRIC SOFTENER

• Fabric softener is not recommended to be used with homemade laundry soap formulas. It clogs up fabrics and causes problems over the long term.

• I’ve never had a problem using homemade laundry soap, even with moderately hard Brisbane municipal water, which I put down to my strict avoidance of fabric softener! My towels still absorb water perfectly and our laundry plumbing is nice and clean.

• To soften fabrics and keep your washing machine clean and sparkling, use a 50-50 mixture of vinegar and water in your fabric softener dispenser instead. Trust me, your clothes won’t smell like vinegar once they are dry! Note that some people use undiluted vinegar, I prefer the 50-50 mix.

Thanks for your support, have fun making your laundry soap! 💚

Please leave any comments and questions in the section below.

Elly 🌸

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