DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe (No Soap)
Learn how to make a DIY liquid laundry detergent without soap. This easy recipe works well in hard water, cleans effectively, and avoids heavy fragrances.
I used to make soap-based laundry “detergents,” and they can work… especially if you have soft water.
But over time, I realized they aren’t the best option for most people.
If you have hard water, soap can react with minerals like calcium and magnesium, leaving a residue on your clothes. That buildup can trap dirt, make fabrics feel stiff, and leave everything looking a bit dull over time.
That’s why I switched to making a simple surfactant-based detergent instead.
It cleans more effectively, works well in any water type, and is still inexpensive and easy to make at home.
If working with surfactants sounds intimidating, don’t worry. This is one of those recipes that’s actually very simple once you try it, and it gives you much more control over what goes into your laundry.
If you prefer to see the process, here’s the video:
The problem with soap-based laundry detergents
Soap doesn’t just clean. It also reacts with minerals in hard water.
When it comes into contact with calcium and magnesium, it forms a residue known as soap scum. Over time, that residue can build up on fabrics, trapping dirt and making clothes look dull or feel less clean.
This isn’t always noticeable right away, especially in soft water. But in areas with hard water, like where we live in Spain, the difference becomes much more obvious over time.
That’s one of the main reasons I moved away from soap-based laundry detergents and started using surfactant-based formulas instead.
Some people try “stripping” their clothes to remove buildup, but it’s usually easier to avoid the problem in the first place.
Why soap can be a problem in laundry
Soap reacts with minerals in hard water, forming a residue (soap scum). Over time, that buildup can trap dirt, make fabrics feel stiff, and leave clothes looking dull instead of clean.
But that doesn’t mean soap is completely off the table. There are still times when it can be useful.
What I use now (and when I still use soap)
I used to make and use soap-based laundry detergents, and they can work… especially if you have soft water.
Over time, though, I started noticing the downsides, especially in hard water. That’s why I switched to surfactant-based detergents for regular washing.
That said, I still make laundry soap and use it for specific things like stain removal or pre-treating heavily soiled areas.
Why make your own Laundry detergent?
One of the biggest advantages of making your own detergent is the cost. Most store-bought detergents, especially “natural” ones, are surprisingly expensive for what they are. They’re mostly water with a small amount of surfactants, which are relatively inexpensive when you buy them yourself.
Making your own also gives you full control over the ingredients. Many commercial detergents use strong synthetic fragrances that can be overwhelming or irritating. I’m quite sensitive to those scents, so I usually keep my detergent unscented.
If I do want to add fragrance, I prefer to scent my laundry separately using wool dryer balls or sachets. It gives a lighter, more natural scent without being overpowering.
Another benefit is that you can tailor the recipe to your needs, avoiding any ingredients that don’t work well for you or your family.
Ingredients
This detergent is made with a simple blend of surfactants, along with water, salt, and a preservative.
The main surfactants I use are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), coco betaine, and decyl glucoside. Together, they give a good balance of cleaning power and mildness.
Salt is used to thicken the mixture.
To keep the detergent stable over time, you can either add a preservative or adjust the pH. I’ll explain both options below so you can choose what works best for you.
About sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant that’s very effective at removing grease and dirt, which is exactly what we want in a laundry detergent.
It does have a bit of a negative reputation, especially in personal care products. It can be irritating on the skin for some people, which is why I don’t usually use it in things like shampoos or toothpaste.
You may have also seen claims that SLS is linked to cancer. From what I’ve found, there isn’t solid evidence supporting that. Reviews of the available research have not shown SLS to be carcinogenic, and much of the concern online seems to come from misunderstandings or misinterpretations of how it behaves. If you’re interested in looking into it further, you can read a published review on SLS safety and toxicity and also see how Lisa Bronner from Dr. Bronner’s addresses common concerns about SLS.
That said, laundry detergent is different from personal care products. It isn’t a leave-on product and gets rinsed out completely, so using a stronger surfactant here makes sense. In this context, SLS works very well and helps get clothes thoroughly clean.
While it isn’t the most “natural” ingredient, it is biodegradable and widely used in cleaning products. I tend to prioritize safety and effectiveness over whether something is completely natural.
If you prefer to avoid SLS, you can experiment with other surfactants. Just keep in mind that gentler surfactants usually need to be used in higher amounts or combined carefully to get similar cleaning power. If you’re new to working with surfactants, you can learn more about how they work and how to combine them in my guide to natural surfactants.
This recipe uses a blend of surfactants to balance cleaning power with mildness, making it effective without being overly harsh.
About “harsh” ingredients like SLS
SLS is often criticized in personal care products because it can be irritating on the skin for some people. In laundry detergent, though, it’s used differently. It helps remove grease and dirt effectively and gets rinsed out completely, so it doesn’t stay on fabrics.
How to make a DIY liquid laundry detergent
Making this detergent is actually very simple once you have your ingredients ready.
Add the surfactants to your container. The easiest way to do this is to place the container on your scale, tare it, and add each ingredient one at a time, resetting the scale between additions.
Once the surfactants are in, add most of the distilled water and gently stir or swirl to combine everything, trying not to create too much foam.
In a separate small container, dissolve the salt in a portion of the remaining water. Once fully dissolved, add it to the detergent mixture and stir gently. As it incorporates, the mixture will begin to thicken.
Salt is often used to thicken liquid detergents, but it doesn’t just affect the texture. It also changes how the surfactants behave.
A small amount can help improve structure and cleaning, but adding too much can actually reduce both thickness and effectiveness. That’s why it’s best to add salt slowly, mixing well between additions, and stop once you reach the consistency you like.
If you’ve ever had a detergent suddenly thin out again after adding more salt, this is why.
At this point, you can choose how you want to preserve your detergent. You can either add a broad-spectrum preservative or raise the pH of the mixture using a small amount of lye solution. See the notes below for more details on both options.
Do you need a preservative?
Because this recipe contains water, you do need a way to keep it from growing bacteria or mold over time. There are two main ways to do that, and I’ve used both.
Option 1: Use a preservative
You can add a broad-spectrum preservative that works within the pH range of your detergent. This is the simplest option, especially if you prefer not to work with lye. When I first started making my own laundry detergent, this was the method I used!
That said, laundry detergent is usually made in fairly large batches, so using a preservative can get expensive depending on what you choose and where you buy it.
When I first started making this detergent, I used Sharomix 705 because I was able to buy it in large quantities fairly inexpensively here in Europe. It worked well for this type of formula.
One important thing to keep in mind is pH. Before adjusting the pH, this detergent usually falls around a slightly acidic range (mine was around pH 5, but that can vary depending on your ingredients and suppliers). You’ll want to make sure that whatever preservative you choose is effective within the pH range of your final product.
Option 2: Raise the pH
Another option is to raise the pH of the detergent to make it less hospitable to microbial growth.
I actually started doing this after looking at an older bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds. At the time, the ingredient list included potassium hydroxide. It made me wonder if they were using it to help preserve their detergent, and since I already had it at home from making soap, I decided to give it a try in my recipe.
By raising the pH (generally above around 9), you create an environment where many microbes can’t grow. This is why traditional liquid soaps don’t usually need a preservative.
This is the method I’ve been using for years now. It’s simple, cost-effective, and works well, especially if you already make soap and have lye on hand.
If you choose this method, be sure to handle lye carefully and follow basic safety precautions.
Here’s what that process looks like:
Which option should you choose?
- If you’re not comfortable working with lye, using a preservative is the easier and more straightforward option.
- If you are familiar with working with lye, raising the pH can be a very practical and inexpensive alternative.
Customizing your homemade laundry detergent
This recipe is pretty flexible, but changing the ingredients can affect how it turns out.
The blend of surfactants I use gives a good balance of cleaning power and mildness. You can experiment with other combinations, but keep in mind that not all surfactants behave the same way. Some clean more gently, while others are stronger and more effective at removing oils and dirt.
If you want to avoid SLS, you’ll probably need to use more surfactants or combine a few different ones to get similar results.
Thickening
You can also adjust the thickness of the detergent. I use salt to thicken it, which works well with this blend of surfactants.
As you add salt, the mixture will usually get thicker at first, but only up to a point. After that, adding more can actually start to thin it out again, so it’s best to add it gradually and stop once you reach the consistency you like.
While small amounts of salt can affect how the surfactants behave, in this recipe it’s mainly being used to adjust thickness rather than improve cleaning.
It also doesn’t need to be very thick to work well. A more liquid version will clean just as effectively, so thickness is mostly about how it feels and dispenses.
If you change the surfactants, keep in mind that not all combinations will thicken with salt, so you may need a different thickener or simply leave it more liquid.
Fragrance
You can leave the detergent unscented or add a small amount of fragrance if you prefer. I usually leave mine unscented and add scent separately, like a couple of drops of essential oil on wool dryer balls or using sachets in the closet. It gives a lighter, more natural scent without being overpowering.
If you do add essential oils or fragrance oils to the detergent, it’s best to use small amounts.
FAQs
Yes. This detergent is low-sudsing compared to traditional soap-based recipes, so it works well in HE machines. Just avoid using too much.
I usually use about 2–3 tablespoons per load, depending on how dirty the clothes are.
If your detergent is more liquid, you may need a little more, but try not to overdo it. More isn’t necessarily better.
Yes, you can, but the final result may be a bit different.
SLES is generally milder and may not clean quite as strongly, so you may need to adjust the amounts or combine it with other surfactants to get similar results.
You can, but you’ll need to dissolve it well before using it. Powdered versions can be a bit trickier to work with and may take more time to fully incorporate.
Technically, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Using a blend of surfactants helps balance cleaning and makes the detergent easier to work with. On its own, SLS can be a bit harsh and less well-rounded.
You do need some way to keep the detergent from growing bacteria or mold over time.
You can either:
use a preservative
or raise the pH (what I usually do now)
If you don’t want to work with lye, a preservative is the easier option.
Possibly, but you’ll need to make sure it works within the pH range of your detergent.
Some common options like sodium benzoate or natural extracts (like rosemary extract) aren’t always effective on their own in this type of formula, so you’ll want to research carefully before substituting.
Not all surfactant combinations thicken with salt.
If you’ve changed the surfactants, the salt may not work the same way. In that case, you can either leave it more liquid or try a different thickener.
Yes, but you’ll need to experiment.
You’ll likely need to use more surfactants or combine different ones to get it to clean as well. Gentler surfactants usually need a bit more help to be effective.
Yes, that’s one of the main advantages of this type of detergent.
Unlike soap-based detergents, it won’t form buildup with minerals in hard water.
You can, but you may want to reduce the amount slightly or experiment with a milder surfactant blend if you’re washing very delicate fabrics.
It depends on where you live, but many of these can be found from cosmetic ingredient suppliers or online shops that sell soapmaking or DIY cosmetic ingredients.
DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent (Non-Soap Recipe)
Materials
- 740 g distilled water
- 150 g sodium lauryl sulfate
- 50 g coco betaine
- 30 g decyl glucoside
- 20 g salt
- preservative or lye solution
Instructions
- Add the surfactants to your container, weighing each one directly into it and taring the scale between additions.
- Add most of the distilled water and gently stir or swirl to combine, trying not to create too much foam.
- In a separate container, dissolve the salt in a portion of the remaining water. Once fully dissolved, add it to the detergent and stir gently. The mixture will begin to thicken as it incorporates.
- At this point, choose how you want to preserve your detergent. You can either add a broad-spectrum preservative or raise the pH using a small amount of lye solution. (See notes below for more details.)
Option 1: Use a preservative
- Add a broad-spectrum preservative that works within the pH range of your detergent. This recipe is usually around pH 5 before any adjustments (though that can vary), so choose a preservative that works in that range and use it at the recommended rate, typically around 0.5–1% (about 5–10 g for this batch). Mix well, and your detergent is ready to use.
Option 2: Raise the pH (no preservative)
- Instead of using a preservative, you can raise the pH of the detergent to help prevent microbial growth. Add a small amount of lye solution (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide), mixing well and checking the pH as you go, until you reach a pH above around 9. You don’t need much, so it’s best to add it slowly and adjust as needed. Once you’ve reached the desired pH, your detergent is ready to use.
- Once everything is fully combined, your detergent is ready to use.
- Use around 2–3 tablespoons per load, adjusting as needed.
Notes
Now that you’ve made your own laundry detergent, why not make your own natural fabric softener and wool dryer balls too?
Originally published November 29, 2018. Updated April 2026 with clearer explanations, additional details, and a full video tutorial.
Thank you for your very informative and insightful post. Do you think I can use sodium benzoate as preservative?
Hi Sheila,
Sodium benzoate is not a broad spectrum preservative. It’s normally combined with other preservatives or at least used in a highly acidic range. (You can read more about it here.)
If you don’t want to use a preservative, you can consider raising the pH to above 9 using a lye solution instead.
I’ve done it, and I believe that’s how Dr. Bronner’s does it with their Sal Suds.
hi! I was wondering if i could just use straight sls only to wash my clothes. couldnt i just add some sls to my washing machine as its filling up with hot water? If that’s a thing, how much do you think i should use per large load of laundry?
Hi Elibella,
Well, theoretically, yes, I guess.
I actually just answered somebody else with the same question. Here is the reply I gave him…
Ha! That’s a good question!
The reason for adding a lot of water is because the surfactants are very concentrated on their own, even if they may seem quite liquidy.
The salt helps thicken the mixture so it doesn’t look like water and seem like a less concentrated solution. Doing these things psychologically have us using much less of the product.
I guess that yes, theoretically (I’ve never tried it) you should be able to wash with just SLS. I just don’t know how much you’d add to each wash load. It would be a very, very tiny amount, I’d think.
The reason for the other surfactants is to help make the detergent a bit milder and in many cases, they work synergistically, but I can’t really say for sure how exactly.
While I did take a course in natural surfactants, it didn’t really give me enough information to be able to understand the relationships and things as well as I’d like.
It did give me ideas for base recipes, combinations of surfactants that work well together, etc., but other than that, I need to do a lot of experimentation and trial and error.
This recipe is giving me hope! I have extremely hard water (well water!) and haven’t been able to find a safe laundry wash, DIY or not, that actually produces clean clothes. So many loads of laundry have come out stinking on the other side in the name of health. Right now I’m using a cheap store brand because it does at least work! So I have no problem with SLS in a recipe like this and I’m excited to try it. Thank you for sharing!
I have one question – I have a bunch of laundry powder from a natural company that doesn’t work well, and I’ve heard that adding baking soda can help it work better in hard water. Do you think that’s true? How much would I use? You seem to understand all this stuff so well. ? I’m more interested in making my own, but I’d like to salvage what I bought if I can. Thank you!
Hi Allison,
I’m happy to help! I hope this one works well for you. 🙂
As for your powder… Do you know what’s in it?
Adding something like baking soda or, even better, washing soda can help boost cleaning ability of some cleaners somewhat. Baking soda can at least help neutralize odors and help with some staining. It’s boosting ability would probably depend a lot on what’s in the powder you have, though. If it has anything acidic (like citric acid), you’d probably end up neutralizing it and making it clean less. 😉
I wonder if rosemary extract would work as a preservative? I’ve seen it used in Castile soaps, and they have a high ph. I’ve ordered some surfactants from my favorite supplier and plan to make a batch of my own laundry detergent soon.
Hi Sarah,
Rosemary extract isn’t a true preservative.
Castile soap doesn’t need a preservative, which is why nobody has issues using it as a preservative with soaps. 😉
The high pH of soap makes it self-preserving. There is no need for a preservative there.
The last time I made this, I added a bit of lye to raise the pH above 9 to make it self preserving. I have had the same batch for over a month without any obvious issues. I do think that’s how Dr. Bronner’s preserves their Sal Suds. They use KOH, but you could just as easily use NaOH, which is easier to find. You just have to be careful when making and using a lye solution. If you don’t want to use a preservative, that’s what I’d try. You don’t need to add very much at all- just a touch to bring the solution into a range that isn’t hospitable to most microbes. 😉
Can’t wait until my diy laundry soap runs out. In the meantime, getting my supplies together. Not able to find Sharomix 705 in the US. Do you know where it can be ordered? Or, have you found any other preservatives that work well?
Thank you,
Looking forward to clean clothes,
Grace
Hi Grace,
I’ve actually been wanting to check the pH and update this post…
While I’ve never had issues with this, I’ve been hearing that a lot of the more natural preservatives aren’t as effective at higher pH’s- and I think that Sal Suds, with similar ingredients to this recipe, actually uses KOH (potassium hydroxide) to bring the pH even higher so that it doesn’t actually need a preservative. (Products with extreme pH’s don’t need it as they are self-preserving.)
I had someone check on the pH of Sal Suds for me as it’s not something I can easily buy in Spain, but I have to look to find her answer.
I’m starting to think that it may be the best option for preservation- and I want to make a new post for a Sal Suds copycat- and update this post with my findings there.
So, you may not need a preservative- and may prefer to increase the pH with KOH instead.
KOH is also awesome for making liquid soap– so- win-win. 😉
Hello Tracy,
I have made some coconut soap using your recipie and it is lovely. I would like to progress to making other things, such as this laundry detergent. All the links for Amazon are to the US site. Could you tell me where you source your products in Spain. I live in France but often go through Spain en route to Portugal. A Spanish link would be fine as Amazon Spain delivers to Portugal and sometime soon to France.
Thank you for the great recipes.
Louise
Hi Louise,
The SLS I bought from a place called Gran Velada (it has candle making and other soap supplies, etc.) You can find it here: https://www.granvelada.com/es/tensioactivos/2519-lauril-eter-sulfato-sodico.html
The coco betaine and most of my other stuff, I buy through another place because they tend to have more things that are all natural. Gran Velada may have many or all of them, though, if you prefer to buy your products all together from the same place. The other place I buy from sells on Amazon but also have their own store off Amazon. You can find the link to the coco betaine here: https://amzn.to/2DQuSNw (An affiliate link- I get a commission on sales through that link) and see their other products on Amazon by clicking on their store name.
Or- you can also find things directly at their store cremascaseras.es .
Will this work in HE washers? Thx!
Hi Lisa,
I’m really not that familiar with the HE washers, although I’m pretty sure my mom got one at her new house back in the US. Here in Spain, they aren’t really a thing. All of the washers are front loading and all pretty similar.
I did find this information online…
https://www.hunker.com/13410602/can-you-use-regular-detergent-in-he-washers
It says to use less or use a less foaming type detergent. So, my best guess is that you could either dilute the detergent more or use less and you should be fine. You could also reduce the amount of SLS. That’s the surfactant that gives the most foam and the highest cleaning power in the recipe. The other surfactants are very, very mild.
I hope that helps somewhat!
Hi, any advice on where to source the ingredients? Preferably ethical, fair trade, eco-friendly sources. I’m in the UK.
Many thanks,
Anna.
Hi Anna,
Well, I buy most of my ingredients here in Spain.
Most things I buy from cremascaseras.es. They focus on natural and do have most of their ingredients palm friendly certified, etc.
They don’t sell SLS, so I bought from Gran Velada. I bought a really large container and it has lasted me quite a while now.
I know the first sells internationally. I’m not sure about the latter.
I’d guess that you would have good suppliers there in the UK too, which could save you on shipping.
such a nice article I agree when you make your own laundry detergent you have more control over the ingredient people are buying commercial detergent containing harsh chemicals which have various side effects your article is a great way of helping people.
Hi Tracy,
Thanks so much for this great recipe. I would like to ask if you would allow me to translate it to Bahasa Indonesia and repost it in my blog. I will provide the link to your actual post. Our beloved Jakarta Governor Mr. Baswedan posted on FB his concern about the contamination in our seas and rivers caused by detergent. I commented on the idea for mums to make their own laundry detergents and receive many feedbacks. Unfortunately language is a bit of barrier so I thought I can help translating your recipe for them and post it on my blog for easy reference.
Awating for your reply Tracy.
Thank you…
Iin
Also can I use powdered SLES instead of the liquid version? Thanks
Hi Lin,
I guess that an Indonesian version isn’t going to be in direct competition with me, so that’s OK with me, as long as you link back to me as the original source. 🙂
As for the powdered surfactants. I haven’t used them, so I’m not sure how much you would need to add. I can see if I can find information for the dilution rate of the liquid SLS I bought to give you a guideline if you’d like to experiment with it.
Also, I’m using SLS and not SLES. I’m not sure if the consistency would be different. I prefer SLS as it’s supposed to be less harsh than SLES, but it’s probably a non-issue as I don’t use either for skin care products. 😉
Thanks Tracy for the reply and for the permission. I only have a chance to get all the materials today. I found them all here Alhamdulillah. By the time I am writing this the liquid is getting dissolved and getting thicker. I am so happy. I will post them on my blog and link back to you.
Thanks again so much…
Tracy,
I have posted the recipe on my blog in Bahasa Indonesia with the link to your original recipe.
https://crochet-republic.com/liquid-laundry-detergent-diy/
Thanks
I look further on SLS and I found an article about the difference between SLS and SLES here. It says SLES is much milder to skin than SLS though. Your opinion is very much appreciated.
Take care
I think when I first started researching, I saw the same as you. SLS is supposed to be harsher on the skin. On the other hand, SLES is normally classified as having a higher potential for concern in safety databases such as the EWG Skin Deep database. I can’t remember the reasoning. I think it is often contaminated with chemicals that can be hurtful to us and the environment.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a huge difference, and I think there is a debate on it.
I wouldn’t worry too much about it either way. I prefer not to use either for skin care products anyway, so it’s really not a huge deal. I do prefer to use something as biodegradable and unharmful to the environment as possible.
This explains it better: https://www.bewell.com/blog/sodium-lauryl-sulfate-from-coconut-is-it-safer/
I’ve been working on DIY laundry recipes for a while now, thank you for the clear explanations and the ‘why’ behind your choices. Looking forward to more articles like this in 2019!
Hi Casey,
Thanks so much for your comment! I’m happy to have helped you! 🙂
Can I substitute with SLSA?
That should be fine.