Make your own fully customized laundry soap bar. Use this cold process soap recipe to make 5 gallons of liquid laundry soap. Made with natural ingredients perfect for sensitive skin, kids and babies.
I have been making my own laundry soap for years and I absolutely love it. The soap works perfectly and it is so cheap to make, like under $2 for 5 gallons cheap.
I make liquid laundry soap and powder laundry soap, both of which are made with a shredded soap bar. I have always bought a soap bar in the laundry section at my local store, but recently, with my newfound love for cold process soap making, I decided to go ahead and make my own.
Making your own laundry bar is easy. And by doing so, you will know exactly what ingredients are in it.
DIY LAUNDRY SOAP BAR
When making a laundry soap bar, the goal is to make a hard bar; this is why I am using coconut oil as my fat. Coconut oil itself is very moisturizing, but it will become very dry when mixed with sodium hydroxide or lye.
This 100% coconut oil soap bar is not recommended for use directly on the body, but it does make a great laundry bar, stain remover, or cleaning bar. When coconut oil is mixed with lye, it becomes very cleansing.
COCONUT OIL COLD-PROCESS SOAP BAR
For this soap bar, we are only using coconut oil, water, and lye. It is important to use distilled water when working with lye as the minerals found in tap water can react with the lye.
The best coconut oil to use to make soap is unrefined, 100% pure, and with no added chemicals. Coconut oil has a high melting point making it a good fat for soap making.
TOOLS NEEDED TO MAKE A LAUNDRY BAR
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- Soap mold
- Immersion Blender
- Digital scale
- Glass bowl or other heat resistant container
- Gloves
- Eye protection, full covering goggles are best
LAUNDRY SOAP BAR RECIPE
I used a soap calculator to get these exact measurements. If you want to change up the recipe at all, you will need to get new measurements as it is imperative to use the exact amounts.
When working with lye, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear safety goggles and rubber gloves. If lye gets on the skin or in the eyes, it can be very harmful.
INGREDIENTS
- 16 ounces coconut oil
- 2.71 ounces lye
- 6.05 ounces water
- 15-20 drops essential oils, optional
Makes 6 soap bars.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a digital scale, measure out your water and pour it into a heat-resistant glass or thick plastic pitcher.
- Measure out the lye and add it to the water. Stir the lye into the water slowly until it dissolves. Note, the chemical reaction will cause it to heat up quickly.
- Using the digital scale, measure out the coconut oil. Pour into a saucepan and melt over medium heat.
- Once the coconut oil is melted, remove it from the heat.
- When the oil cools to 100°F, it is time to mix the lye water with the oils. Slowly add the lye and water to the oil, mix with an immersion blender. This will take a couple of minutes. You will know it is the right consistency when the soap from the blender drips and pools up on top of the soap in the saucepan. This is known as the trace.
- If using essential oils, add those in now. Mix with an immersion blender.
- Pour the soap into a soap mold. If using silicone soap molds, you don’t have to do anything to them before pouring the soap in. Other molds may require parchment paper.
- Allow the soap to harden and sit in the molds for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
- Remove the soap from the molds and allow bars to cure for 3-4 weeks before using.
HOW TO USE A LAUNDRY SOAP BAR
You can use your laundry soap bar to make your own laundry detergent. Both of my laundry soap recipes call for 5 ounces of a shredded soap bar.
To use your coconut oil laundry bar to make laundry soap, you will need to shred it using a cheese grater. For a powder laundry soap, you will add the shredded soap bar to the other powder ingredients.
For liquid laundry soap, you will need to melt the soap bar in a saucepan with a little water over medium heat. Once melted, you will add it to the other ingredients.
This soap bar can be used to make homemade dish soap.
ESSENTIAL OIL LAUNDRY SOAP BARS
You have the option of adding in essential oils to your laundry soap bar. The essential oils can add more scent to your laundry and give off a relaxing aroma.
Some of my favorite essential oils for laundry are wild orange, lavender, chamomile, Siberian fir, and tea tree. You can make a blend of oils or use a single oil. Floral and citrus oils make a beautiful aroma. Tea tree can be used to remove odor and leave clothes smelling fresh and clean.
ESSENTIAL OIL BLENDS TO TRY
- 5 drops wild orange
- 5 drops grapefruit
- 5 drops lime
- 10 drops lemon
- 5 drops rosemary
- 10 drops Siberian fir
- 5 drops tea tree
- 5 drops lavender
- 5 drops chamomile
- 5 drops jasmine
LAUNDRY SOAP BAR FOR STAIN REMOVAL
This coconut oil cold-process soap bar can be used to remove stains. Wet the end of the bar and rub it onto the stain. Rub the fabric together to work it into the stain and then wash it in a regular load.
You can also use this bar to clean and remove stains from upholstery, car seats, rugs, and carper. As always, I suggest testing a small area before doing a large area.
For tougher stains, try this DIY Stain Remover.
More Soap Bar and Laundry Recipes
- Shampoo Bar (Cold Process)
- Goat Milk Soap Bar
- Moisturizing Soap Bars (Cold Process)
- Tallow Soap Bars (Cold Process)
- Natural Fabric Softener
- Natural Dryer Sheets
- Soap Nut Powder Laundry Detergent
How to Make a Laundry Soap Bar
Made with all-natural ingredients, this laundry bar will be perfect for sensitive skin, kids, and babies.
Materials
- 16 ounces coconut oil
- 2.71 ounces lye
- 6.05 ounces water
Tools
- Soap mold
- Immersion Blender
- Digital scale
- Glass bowl or other heat resistant container
- Gloves
- Eye protection, full covering goggles are best
Instructions
- Using a digital scale, measure out your water and pour it into a heat-resistant glass or thick plastic pitcher.
- Measure out the lye and add it to the water. Stir the lye into the water slowly until it dissolves. Note, the chemical reaction will cause it to heat up quickly.
Using the digital scale, measure out the coconut oil. Pour into a saucepan and melt over medium heat. - Once the coconut oil is melted, remove it from the heat.
- Allow the oil to cool to 100°F. Slowly add the lye and water to the oil, mix with an immersion blender. This will take a couple of minutes. You will know it is the right consistency when the soap from the blender drips and pools up on top of the soap in the saucepan. This is known as the trace.
- If using essential oils, add those in now. Mix with an immersion blender.
- Pour the soap into a soap mold. If using silicone soap molds, you don’t have to prep before pouring it in. Other molds may require parchment paper.
- Allow the soap to harden and sit in the molds for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
Remove the soap from the molds and allow the bars to cure for 3-4 weeks before using.
Monika says
I was waiting for this receipe. Thank you!!
Yvonne Holmes says
Laura: When do you cut the slab of soap into bars? Is it after 12 hours or will the slab be too hard to cut? I have used olive oil and other oils to make my soaps but not used coconut oil. Also wanting to make your dish soap bars as I am tired of paying out the big bucks for bottles of it and then having to recycle the empties.
Thank you for all your time spent preparing –testing and then printing up your columns for us, I really do appreciate it.
Yvonne
Laura says
I cut them after 24 hours.
Monique Ashanti Gumbs says
I have a few questions:
1) Do I need to use oil?
2) Would the oil make the liquid form oily?
3) can I use other oil besides coconut oil?
4) What do I use for scent?
Laura says
The essential oils are for scent. I have not tried this recipe without coconut oil so I can’t say for sure.
Savannah France says
Should you put essential oils in this recipe if you plan to add some in for the powder/liquid detergent recipes?
I’m thinking it makes sense to make these bars with no scent and add in scent when I make the powder/liquid detergent, but I don’t want to have an under or overpowering scent.
Laura says
You don’t have to add oils to the bar, it is a matter of preference.
julie says
Does the lye water need to cool before adding the 100 degree coconut oil? Thanks
Laura says
Yes, I let them both cool to about 120 degrees.
Kibs says
If I want to start a small business making a bar soap can u teach me online and I make quality
Laura says
I have a course that you may like! The free masterclass is linked in the top part of the blog. Or email me for more details! laura@ouroilyhouse.com
Nancy says
I just found the actual recipe on your post. Now the entire thing makes sense. Thank you so much for sharing your information.
Laura says
You’re welcome!
Joanah kirungi says
Iam a Ugandan single mum with 4children & unemployed i would like to start a small business at home with small capital of making a laundry bar soap for dishes & basic use expecially those ones like me the soap we use to wash & mopping is the same we use in bathing too.
Marie says
Hi I love your recipes but really struggling to find lye. Is it lye water? I’m from the UK please could you get back to me. Many thanks xx
Laura says
It is not water, it is a powder. You can try searching “lye for soap making.”
Sarah says
Would this laundry bar soap work for hand washing laundry in the sink when traveling? Bar soap is easier to travel with and looking for a solution to wash laundry when no washing machines are available. Wondering if it would be cleaning enough for cloths that have been sweated in all day being a tourist 🙂 Would also be washing kids clothes.
Laura says
Yes, that is a great idea! I have used it for stains and soaking lots of times.
Sarah says
Thank you for your response! That’s great to hear 🙂 I just thought of one more question, do you think this would be safe to use to wash water bottles and cups while traveling as well? What if I put essential oils in the soap, would it still be safe?
David says
Send me the standardized formulation for laundry bar soap making
Nalujja Hadijjah says
Thank you for the wonderful activity and sharing with us dear
Jody says
Do you have to let the laundry bar cure for 4 weeks before shredding to make the liquid laundry soap? Or can you shred it after 24 hours?
Laura says
It needs to cure for 4 weeks before shredding. You can remove it from the mold after hardening, usually about 24 hours.
Jody says
Thanks
Festus Emovon says
Am from Nigeria, mine recipe is not same with yours. You didn’t mention caustic soda, soda Ash, sodium sulfate, sodium silicate, Borat , kaolin etc. Please state your recipe and how you use coconut oil to make bar soap. Hard bar soap.
Thanks.
Festus
Persis says
Hi,
For laundry, which type of borax is best as their chemical names are different like in UK , it’s sodium tetraborate decahydrate ? And percentage is not 100%?Â
What are the differences between sodium tetraborate vs sodium tetraborate decahydrate and how they react in soap making?
Regards