Mix up a batch of this homemade laundry detergent with just a few simple, frugal ingredients to keep your clothes clean and bright. Using goat milk soap makes this the perfect homemade laundry detergent for sensitive skin, and you get to choose the scent by mixing in your favorite essential oils.
Think for a moment about ALL the soaps that touch your skin on a daily basis:
- face wash
- body wash
- shampoo
- hand soap
- dish soap
- laundry soap
If you have dry, itchy skin, your first instinct might be to blame it on your hand soap or body wash. But when you’ve switched to something healthier, whether it’s goat milk soap or something else, and you’re still itchy, you’ve got to go back to the drawing board.
What could be causing itchy legs, itchy arms, AND an itchy belly?
Your laundry soap.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Yes, the one thing you thought wouldn’t really affect your skin – because it doesn’t actually touch your skin – could be the cause of your skin irritations.
You don’t have to physically touch laundry detergent to react to the ingredients inside. You can wash, rinse, rinse again, and dry and STILL have skin irritations thanks to the tiny remnants left behind.
The only way to know for sure if you’re sensitive to commercial laundry detergent is to switch to a different kind for a short period and see if you notice a difference.
Here’s the catch though: sometimes it’s not the dyes that cause irritation. It might not even be the fragrances.
Often the real cause of irritation from laundry soap is the SOAP, which means using typical “free and clear” store-bought detergent from your local grocery store won’t solve the problem.
Fortunately, making your own laundry detergent for sensitive skin is very easy, and very affordable. With a few basic supplies and a bar of incredibly gentle goat milk soap (I recommend Bend Soap Company), you can make a batch in less than 15 minutes.
GOAT MILK SOAP FOR HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
I’ve been using goat milk soap for several years now in several of my home and skincare DIY products and let me tell you – my experience with goat milk soap has been life-changing.
- It’s cleared up my acne-prone skin, both on my face and on the rest of my body. (Read more about that here.)
- It’s improved the texture of my skin, making it softer and smoother.
- It moisturized my skin all over, removing the need to use additional lotion every day (which means fewer chemicals!).
And since your skin is the biggest organ you have, using less chemicals on it is a good thing!
DIY LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You only need a few ingredients for this DIY laundry detergent recipe:
- 1 bar goat milk soap (I recommend Bend Soap Company)
- baking soda
- borax
- super washing soda (I like Arm & Hammer super washing soda)
- essential oils (optional, but recommended if you like your clothes to have a certain scent other than clean)
ESSENTIAL OILS IN HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
I prefer to add essential oils to my homemade laundry detergent recipe because I like my clothes to have an actual scent after washing. The 20 drops called for in the recipe will leave a very, very light scent – so light, that you might not notice it unless you knew it was there. Feel free to add up to 40 drops of essential oil for a stronger scent.
One fun part of making homemade laundry detergent recipes is that you can create any scent you want. I’ve been using lavender soap shreds with lavender essential oil, but any of these scent combinations would be lovely as well:
- tea tree + lemon
- lemon/orange/grapefruit + peppermint/wintergreen/spearmint/eucalyptus
- tea tree + peppermint
- orange + thieves/cloves/cinnamon bard
- tea tree + rosemary
Note: Plant Therapy is my favorite company for essential oils. You can find their shop here.
HOW TO MAKE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Step 1. Using a cheese grater, grate your goat milk soap until you have 1 cup of soap shreds. To save time, grate the entire bar and store excess shreds in a container with a lid.
Note: For those who are REALLY short on time or don’t want to mess with shredding soap bars but still want to make laundry detergent, Bend Soap Company now offers pre-shredded goat milk soap HERE. This also comes in handy if you’re making homemade facial cleansers.
Optional: In a food processor or blender, combine grated goat milk soap and baking soda. Pulse until the bar soap is in very small pieces, only slightly bigger than the baking soda granules. Add essential oils (if using) and pulse a few more times.
Step 2. In an airtight container, combine all ingredients. Seal well and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are well combined. Be careful when opening the container as small dust-like particles of the ingredients will become airborne. You could also stir the ingredients together if you don’t have a tight sealing lid.
For this homemade detergent, use one tablespoon for a small load, and two tablespoons for a large load. This recipe makes enough for 40 tablespoons, which lasts my family of four approximately one month.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN MAKING HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Although safe for external use, Borax should not be inhaled. Therefore, it is best to use either a mask or some sort of protective barrier over your mouth and nose when handling it and opening the container for the first time.
I pull my shirt up and over my mouth and nose when measuring. Parents, if your children are helping you make laundry detergent, it’s best to handle the box of borax yourself. Also, as a precaution, use protective gloves if you have cuts or open wounds on your hands.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT
I’m using a lovely glass jar that I received as a Christmas gift for my homemade powdered laundry detergent mixture right now, but you can use any storage container that has a lid like this gallon jar. The lid helps to keep out excess moisture, which can ruin your DIY laundry detergent.
A 5-gallon bucket might be a little bit overkill for this particular laundry soap recipe, but if that’s what you have on hand, use it!
I’m also repurposing an old coffee scoop for measuring. In case you didn’t know, coffee scoops are equivalent to 1 tablespoon, and they tend to be made a bit stronger than most measuring spoons.
Bonus: Skip the fabric softener and dryer sheets by using wool dryer balls! Or you can save even more money by skipping the dryer and hang-drying your clothes, even indoors!
WANT A CLEANER LAUNDRY SOAP WITHOUT THE DIY?
Choosing to make laundry detergent is a great option for non-toxic laundry. But I get that DIY isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
There are a few brands of liquid laundry detergent out there that have non-toxic ingredients. One that I like is Truly Free. They have a variety of household cleaners, laundry soap, kitchen cleansers, and related products. All are made in America, free from toxins, and sold in reusable packaging!
When you’re shopping at Bend Soap Company, you can stock up for the year! Use these codes:
- SOAP35 saves 5% on orders that are $35 or more
- SOAP65 saves 10% on orders that are $65 or more
- SOAP100 saves 15% on orders that are $100 or more
- Orders that are $65 or more after discounts are also eligible for free shipping!
DIY LAUNDRY DETERGENT FAQS
Does DIY laundry detergent really clean clothes?
Absolutely! Since I started using this homemade laundry detergent my clothes have been cleaner and brighter!
How many loads does this homemade laundry soap make?
I haven’t counted how many loads of laundry, but this homemade laundry soap lasts my family (family of 4) approximately one month. For one load in the washing machine, use 1-2 Tablespoons.
Does this DIY laundry powder make suds and bubbles?
Not very many. Where commercial detergents and body washes have ingredients like sodium laureth sulfate to create that bubbly lather, this DIY laundry powder cleans without extra chemicals.
MORE DIY RECIPES FOR LAUNDRY
Now that you’ve made homemade laundry detergent, try one of these other DIYs in the laundry room and around the house!
- DIY Homemade Stain Remover
- All-Natural Homemade Bleach Alternative
- Epsom Salt Laundry Booster
- How to Get the Smell Out of Towels
- How to Make an Indoor Clothesline
- DIY Linen Spray with Essential Oils
- DIY Homemade Carpet Deodorizer
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Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!Homemade Laundry Detergent (for sensitive skin): DIY
Mix up a batch of this homemade laundry detergent with just a few simple, frugal ingredients to keep your clothes clean and bright. Using goat milk soap makes this the perfect homemade laundry detergent for sensitive skin, and you get to choose the scent by mixing in your favorite essential oils.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 40 Tbs 1x
- Category: DIY Household
- Method: No Cook
Ingredients
- 1 bar goat milk soap (I recommend Bend Soap Company), shredded for 1 cup of soap shreds
- ½ cup baking soda
- ½ cup borax
- ½ cup super washing soda
- 20 drops of essential oils (optional, but recommended if you like your clothes to have a certain scent other than clean)
Instructions
1. Using a grater, grate your goat milk soap until you have 1 cup of soap shreds. To save time, grate the entire bar and store excess shreds in a container with a lid.
2. In a container with a lid, combine all ingredients. Seal well and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are well combined. Be careful when opening the container as small dust-like particles of the ingredients will become airborne.
Notes
- Safety Precaution: Although safe for external use, Borax should not be inhaled. Therefore it is best to use either a mask or some sort of protective barrier over your mouth and nose when handling it and opening the container for the first time.
- Also, as a precaution, use protective gloves if you have cuts or open wounds on your hands.
- Use one tablespoon for light loads, and two tablespoons for heavy loads. This recipe makes enough for 40 tablespoons, which lasts my family approximately one month.
- For essential oils, my favorite company is Plant Therapy. You can find their shop here.
My facial skin has been tricky to care for since high school. It tends to be oily but if I fail to apply a moisturizer (either I ran out or I just forget) for a day or two and it will quickly dry up, leaving unsightly white patches on my face. Given that, it’s been quite complicated to get the right product. It had to be strong enough to fight the oil but gentle enough to not cause it to dry up. I’ve always craved for some kind of balance. I sought skincare products that had simple ingredients (that I could recognize much less pronounce). I chose all natural, organic brands that promised nourishing my skin without harsh chemicals. Some of the worked but were mostly broke the bank. Too expensive to maintain. Then I reached a point where I started to make my own. I googled recipes for herbal remedies and concoctions using ingredients from my own kitchen. Blah, blah, blah, there came Matcha Skin (www.matchaskin.com). I have always been in love with green tea and when I stumbled upon an article on Matcha, I was hooked. It’s like green tea on steroids. I love its absolutely potent anti-oxidant qualities and how it balances my skin. It fights the oil but never dries up my skin. Though it’s super natural, it’s not as expensive as the other more popular (but not so effective) brands. Because of its price, I didn’t hesitate to give it a try and I am so thankful I did. I have found it. No more trial and error looking for the perfect skincare line that works for me.
Can you make this into a liquid instead of a powder?
I’ve only tried the powdered version Sandy – sorry I can’t help!
Just wondering if you knew if this recipe was safe for septic tanks? I had heard not to use powdered laundry detergent if you had a septic tank. Thanks!
I couldn’t tell you Sarah – I don’t have any experience with septic tanks!
Hi Tiffany! I just made my first Bend order to try as a shampoo bar. I’m interested in trying out this detergent recipe but when I have tried other varieties of this in the past, my clothes have wound up with chunks of powder stuck to them after the wash. Usually I start the water on warm and add the powder to dissolve, then switch to cold water and start to add clothes. Can you offer any suggestions?
So strange Brit – I do the same method as you and haven’t ever had clumps of anything stuck to my clothes. Do you mean you tried Bend Soap and it clumped? Or other soaps and it clumped?
Other soap bars, specifically Dr. Bronner’s and Ivory. It happened when I used vinegar as a softener and also now that I have switched to Epsom salt. Maybe I’m just filling it too full at times because it’s not a consistent event…
I’ll definitely give this a try!
We got hooked on Bends goat milk soap after reading your reviews several months ago – great stuff! Thanks!! Question: if you make the laundry soap without the essential oils will the clothes still have a fresh clean scent? Have you tried it both ways?
I have Lawanna, and w/o the oils they smell like “clean clothes”, just no specific scent. If you want an actual scent to them (like most traditional detergents have), you’ll need the EO. 🙂 So glad you’re enjoying the soap!!
Hey there,
This recipe looks great! Im just a bit confused on how the goats milk soap breaks down to $1.20 for one cup (8oz) when one bar of soap (4.5oz) from the website suggested is around $5. I may be having a blonde moment.. please explain! Thanks (:
Hi Bethany! The one cup measurement is volume of soap shreds, where the bar is the actual weight of the bar. I hope that helps!!
Ah! Thanks Tiffany (:
I love trying new DIY recipes. Does this laundry detergent dissolve well in cold water? I would love the space saving advantage of powdered over liquid but have trouble sometimes with soaps dissolving (at least castile soap) in cold water.
Except for whites, we wash in cold and haven’t had any issues dissolving!
This stuff is great! I use it with our HE washer and it works wonderfully. My last batch, I used lemongrass EO…. Sort of smelled like a urinal tablet! Haha! Our clothes didn’t smell that way though, luckily! I went with lavender this month. Thanks for the recipe. Also, I made the face wash, and it has been amazing. Thanks for all of these great DIY recipes!
I read the recipe for homemade laundry detergent and wondered what the Borax does? I am very allergic to most detergents and soaps. Goat milk soap only one i have been able to use.
The borax helps with the cleaning power Anne-Marie. I’ve tried it without, and it did okay, but I preferred it with. You’re welcome to omit, and maybe try adding equal parts super washing soda and baking soda to compensate. Or maybe an all-natural oxygen-based detergent?
We’ve been making our own laundry detergent for a while now. I may have to try to goat’s milk soap to see if that makes a difference (we use Ivory now). Just one quick question – what does the baking soda do? Our recipe is pretty much the same as yours, only ours doesn’t call for the baking soda. Just curious…thanks!
This is a great detergent! I made it today and am very happy with the results. I went with tea tree and citrus. It’s not over powering but adds a nice fragrance that doesn’t smell synthetic. Thanks! 🙂
You’re most welcome! I think I might borrow your tea tree and citrus blend on my next batch. 😉
Have you tried their soap for shampoo yet? It says on their website that you can, and I’m curious!
I have! I think I’m a novice at using it, lol, but I can see how over time it could be straight-up shampoo. I think the hardest part would be committing to the “transition period” where you hair is super greasy for anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. If I could make it through that relatively painless, then I’d be sold!! 😉
After reading this, I ordered their bulk soap in unscented and scented (for the husband). He loves the scents and the soap and I just love the soap. As someone with many allergies, I can’t say enough good things about this soap. I even use it on my hair and love the result!
Thanks for the amazing feedback Diana! I love that their scents are subtle, yet noticeable and not overbearing. Did you have to transition for your hair? I’ve washed here and there, but not consistently and I’m wondering how it holds up over the test of time!
So far, so good. I started on Saturday since I wasn’t sure if my hair would seem greasy. It has worked really well so far and I love the idea of just buying soap that does everything.
I have, and I DON’T recommend it. The natural oils come out of the soap, and the heat from the blade make the soap shred for a moment, then re-harden in a melted state, attached to the sides of the container. No bueno!
I grate my soap using the grate attachment on my Kitchen Aid mixer. It grates a bar of soap in no time. I usually use Dr. Bronner’s unscented soap, but I will have to try the goat’s milk soap too. I also use white vinegar in my rinse cycle. It gets rid of soap residue and makes my towels super fluffy. I have an HE machine and I just put it in the rinse compartment. Nothing smells like vinegar, I promise.
On another note, I make wool dryer balls. I gave some to my dad and he told me it cleared up the eczema he has had on his legs for over 30 years. They were using regular dryer sheets. I can’t get them to use natural detergent because they have really soft water and it takes for ever to get all the soap out.
When you process, alternate the soap with some borax and washing soda, layering it, then pulse. It won’t get gummy or sticky that way.
I have a love-hate relationship with DIY detergent. I LOVE the idea but have hated everything I’ve tried. I never felt very confident that it really cleaned our clothes (with four VERY active kids, this is not an area we can skimp on!) but I love the idea of the goat’s milk soap for sensitive skin, even more than the normal “free and clear” stuff.
Along with this, what do you use for static/fabric softening for sensitive skin types?
Thanks for all the great posts!
I like Sarah’s suggestion, but I’ve found that this soap doesn’t harden my clothes! It’s cold here right now, and static cling hasn’t been an issue either (except for one set of jammy pants). It’s strange, as I don’t know the science behind it, but I haven’t had to add anything else to the washer to clean my clothes. Stain though, as with any detergent, do need a pre-treat (which a DIY is coming soon!), but plain ol’ dirt and smell? Gone!
I looked up the goat milk. Unfortunately the prices don’t add up to your cost breakdown. It says 1.20 for 8ozs and on the website it is $8 for 16ozs????
Sorry about that Stephanie! That should be $1.20 for one cup of shreds, not 8oz. I’ll fix that now!
Can I use this soap in my High Efficiency Washing machine?
Hi Wendy! I have a standard washing machine, so I’m not sure. In commercial terms, do you know what the different between the types of detergent would be?
I have the same question as Wendy. I don’t see that she has replied, so I’m providing the information about what makes HE laundry detergent different. It’s designed to be “low-sudsing” and to hold soils and dyes in suspension in low-volume water so all that doesn’t redeposit on the clothes. Does that help at all? If not, I can do more research. Thanks for any insight you can offer!
Yes you should be able to use this with HE washing machines! Because it doesn’t have the “sudsing agent” it is HE safe. Add the detergent to the machine first and then your clothes! =)
Thank you Becca!!
I just purchased a container of goat milk laundry soap from a local goat farm at mega $’s….the ingredients on the label are borax, washing soda, goat’s milk, baking soda, lemon, lime, and orange essential oils…the same ingredients as this recipe….it does indicate that it is safe for HE washers
I’m so happy that you posted this because I remembered reading somewhere about the benefits of goat milk and skin problems. Lo and behold, it was on your site with the family owned Bend Company. My son has eczema and I really want to try this. I’ve made my laundry detergent with the bars of Fels Naptha, but never thought about the laundry detergent being one of the culprits for his skin issues. What have you ordered from them, the bar or the shredded? Thanks so much, Tiffany, for all your excellent money saving tips.
You’re most welcome Ruthie! I have both the bar and the shredded. The bulk buy is the best deal, but you’re not guaranteed a scent. So, unless you care, I’d go that route (you can always customize a scent when it arrives). Both the bar and shreds are the same price per pound, so you really can’t go wrong!
You’ve inspired me to try the goat’s milk soap as my daily facial wash. I literally have twice the amount of acne now than I ever had as a teenager. I’ve tried so many treatments, things I would not normally put on my skin. But the acne drives me crazy. Homemade laundry detergent is also on my list of homemade to-dos. So this recipe is great.
I think you’ll notice significant improvement Brittney. My skin was noticeably clearer in just 2-3 days, and felt so much better just after the first wash. Their eucalyptus scented bar is my favorite, with the oatmeal bar coming in second place (it’s GREAT for winter skin!). I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and if you use these tips, you’ll make one bar last a really long time!!
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/10/8-tips-for-stretching-a-bar-of-soap/
I’ve ordered all my ingredients and will be making my own laundry detergent as soon as they arrive. My daughter is itchy all over, all the time. Nothing has helped. I’m hoping this might offer some relief.
Thanks for the great ideas.
Good Luck!! I really hope it works for your family!