Homemade Lavender Laundry Detergent

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Last Updated on April 15, 2026 by Kiersten James

This homemade lavender laundry detergent is natural, cost-effective, and made in bulk with ingredients that actually get your clothes clean.

If you’ve been thinking about switching to homemade laundry detergent but feel a little overwhelmed by all of the opinions and recipes, I get it. That was me.

Years ago, I remember seeing all these tutorials that involved melting down bars of soap, huge buckets, a whole shelf of ingredients I didn’t have, and instructions that were more like a science experiment than homemaking. So I didn’t make it.

I eventually tested the waters with this powdered laundry detergent that we used for quite a while. It was simple and worked well for most of our needs.

As our laundry loads increased and our lifestyle shifted, I upgraded to a homemade liquid laundry detergent that worked even better for us.

This one blends much more easily in cold water, rinses cleaner, and gives me more flexibility when adjusting for different kinds of laundry.

Best of all, it takes less than 10 minutes to make and uses ingredients I now always keep on hand.

If you’ve already switched over to making your own DIY Dish Soap or tried my DIY Dishwasher Tablets That Don’t Clog, Clump, or Fail, this is the next step that completes the whole system.

So…if you’ve made it this far (!), this is the liquid laundry soap I use every single day in our home. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t smell like a synthetic lavender meadow, but our clothes come out clean, soft, and fresh.

Why You Should Make Your Own Liquid Laundry Detergent

Honestly, my main reason for switching was health. I’m not exaggerating when I say that commercial laundry soap was giving me rashes and headaches.

I didn’t want our kids wrapped in clothes that were coated in synthetic fragrances and harsh chemical residues – especially babies and toddlers who put everything in their mouths.

Homemade laundry soap gave me back some semblance of control. I knew what was in it, I could adjust it for our water, and I could keep the recipe simple.

It also saved us money.

We do a lot of laundry here.

Between gardening, raising chickens, kids, cooking, and homemaking, I can easily go through multiple loads of laundry a day. This detergent cuts our cost down to just a few cents per load.

A Few Notes Before You Start

This lavender laundry detergent uses a scented castile soap base with washing soda and baking soda added for natural boosting.

It works beautifully in both regular and high-efficiency (HE) machines. It does not suds heavily, which is actually a good thing.

I do not add essential oils because I have heard more than a few stories of clothing being stained from oil residue.

Instead, I buy the lavender Dr. Bronner’s bar of Castile soap from Wal-Mart for about $4.50. Half of a bar is strong enough to scent an entire 5-gallon batch of detergent.

There is also a peppermint-scented one if you don’t care much for floral scents.

Does Homemade Detergent Really Clean?

YES, but it’s not going to have the fake brighteners or masking agents that commercial detergents do.

That means your clothes might look a little more…natural. Not artificially white, not covered in chemical perfume. Just clean.

If our clothes are truly grimy, as in muddy kid pants, barn clothes, or work clothes, I DO soak them ahead of time in a bucket with a tablespoon of detergent added.

For regular everyday laundry, this laundry detergent works beautifully.

Also, if you’ve been using commercial detergents for years, your clothes might need a bit of a detox. There can be a build-up from softeners, brighteners, and residue.

A few loads with this homemade detergent will usually reset everything – I’m not a believer in laundry stripping.

Does This Work in Cold Water?

It does, but it helps to give the jar a good shake before pouring. The washing soda settles at the bottom if it sits for too long, especially in colder rooms and seasons.

If your machine is picky with cold water washes like mine is, mix the detergent in warm water in a small jar before adding it to the load.

I have a top-loading machine, so I start the wash on warm, add the detergent, pause the machine, then switch the cycle to cold and add the clothing.

Is This Safe for Cloth Diapers or Baby Clothes?

I wouldn’t use this on cloth diapers unless you have a really good wash routine and are confident your machine rinses thoroughly. Some moms do, some don’t. It depends on your diaper fabric, wash cycle, and water hardness.

For baby clothes, toddler clothes, and anything worn close to the skin – yes, absolutely. It’s what I have been using for years.

Start with a small batch. See how your laundry feels. Adjust it if you need to. The beauty of making your own home products is that everything is flexible.

How to Make Homemade Lavender Laundry Detergent

This recipe, as written, makes 5 gallons of liquid detergent that can be stored in a hardware bucket.

5 gallons will last us 4 to 5 months, sometimes longer. It’s simple, out of the way (I keep it in the garage or the back of a closet), and makes laundry one less thing I have to think about.

If you don’t have space for storage, you can make 1/4 of the recipe and store it in a gallon-sized jar with a pump dispenser.

Supplies:

• 1/2 box Borax
• 1/2 box Washing Soda
• 1/2 bar Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap (I use lavender)
• 1 gallon of water, plus more to fill the bucket
• 5-gallon hardware bucket with lid if making a large batch

Instructions:

Heat a gallon of water in a large pot. It doesn’t have to boil, but should be hot enough to produce some steam.

While that’s heating, grate 1/2 of the bar of Castile soap. I use a rotary grater, and it only takes a few seconds.

Add the grated soap to the pot of hot water, along with 1/2 box of Borax and 1/2 box of Washing Soda. Stir until everything dissolves.

Sometimes the Washing Soda is stubborn and will form small bricks in the box. Break up the pieces with a wooden spoon or ladle them out to crush and add back to the pot.

Once dissolved, add the hot soap mixture to a clean 5-gallon bucket that has a lid.

Fill the rest of the bucket with cold water, leaving about 8″ of headspace. If you pour the water along the sides of the bucket, it will help prevent suds from forming.

Put the lid on the bucket and let it rest for a day or two. Once it turns into a gel, it is ready to use.

For washing: use 1/4 to 1/2 cup liquid detergent per load of laundry.

To pretreat before washing: use a tablespoon or two in a large bowl with the garment or linen. Add a natural bleach alternative solution if whites need brightening.

More Natural Cleaning Solutions

DIY Dish Soap That Actually Cuts Grease

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DIY Reusable Natural Disinfectant Wipes

Homemade Toilet Cleaning Bombs

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