HOMEMADE LIQUID LANDRY DETERGENT
September 19, 2026
This homemade liquid laundry detergent is the base of my laundry routine. I use it in every load alongside my homemade laundry booster powder, which gives me a simple two-part system instead of trying to pack every cleaning ingredient into one bottle.
The liquid detergent has one main job: actually lift oils, dirt, and everyday grime from our clothes. I keep the formula intentionally simple with coco glucoside as the surfactant, sodium citrate to help with minerals in the wash water, and water to dilute everything to an easy-to-use concentration.
For normal laundry, I use the liquid detergent and booster together. If a load is particularly dirty, I can simply increase the amount I use rather than needing an entirely different detergent.
WHAT DO THE INGREDIENTS DO
COCO GLUCOSIDE
Coco glucoside is the surfactant in this recipe and does the main cleaning work. Surfactants help loosen oils and soils from fabric and keep them suspended in the wash water so they can be rinsed away.
I like using one straightforward surfactant as the base of my detergent and letting my separate laundry booster handle the additional jobs.
SODIUM CITRATE
Sodium citrate helps deal with minerals such as calcium and magnesium in hard water.
Those minerals can interfere with surfactants and make a detergent work harder. Sodium citrate acts as a builder and chelating ingredient, helping tie up those minerals so the detergent can do its job more effectively.
WATER
Water dilutes the concentrated coco glucoside into a practical liquid detergent.
A SIMPLE FORMULA
Commercial liquid laundry detergents are usually much more complex. Depending on the formula, they may contain multiple surfactants, enzymes, optical brighteners, fragrances, dyes, preservatives, anti-redeposition agents, and other ingredients designed for specific stains, shelf life, appearance, or performance.
I don’t expect my three-ingredient detergent to duplicate every feature of a commercial formula. I like it because I know exactly what is in it, the formula stays simple, and I can pair it with my homemade laundry booster powder when I want the additional cleaning support.
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HOW TO USE
I use this liquid detergent alongside my homemade laundry booster powder in most loads.
For a normal load, I use 2 tablespoons liquid laundry detergent. For a heavily soiled load, I use 4 tablespoons liquid laundry detergent.
Add the detergent according to the directions for your washing machine, then add the appropriate amount of laundry booster directly to the drum.
The detergent provides the surfactant that handles the everyday washing, while the booster adds washing soda, baking soda, oxygen bleach, and sodium citrate for extra support with odors, stains, dinginess, and hard water.
HOW TO STORE IT
Store the detergent tightly closed at room temperature and away from excessive heat or direct sunlight.
Because this is a water-based homemade formula and I am not adding a dedicated broad-spectrum preservative, I make one bottle at a time rather than preparing a large supply for long-term storage.
Use clean equipment and a clean bottle when making each batch, avoid introducing dirty measuring tools into the container, and replace the detergent if you notice an unusual change in smell, appearance, or texture.
MACHINES BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY
Washing machines can vary quite a bit in how much water they use, how long they wash, and how thoroughly they rinse. Water hardness, load size, and how dirty the laundry is can also affect how much detergent works best.
I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons for a normal load and adjusting from there if needed. If you notice residue or too many suds, try using a little less rather than automatically adding more.
FAQs
Is This a Complete Laundry Detergent?
The coco glucoside provides the surfactant needed for washing, so this is the liquid detergent portion of my laundry routine.
I personally use it alongside my homemade laundry booster powder because the booster adds ingredients that serve different purposes, including oxygen bleach, additional alkalinity, and hard-water support.
What Is Coco Glucoside?
Coco glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant made from glucose and fatty alcohols typically sourced from coconut or other vegetable oils. It helps lift oils and dirt from fabric so they can rinse away, making it the main cleaning ingredient in this detergent.
Why Not Just Use Castile Soap?
I prefer using a true detergent surfactant for this recipe rather than building my laundry detergent around soap.
Coco glucoside behaves differently from traditional soap, especially in hard water. My goal with this formula is to keep the liquid portion focused on surfactant cleaning while sodium citrate helps with water minerals.
Why dissolve the sodium citrate first?
I add the sodium citrate to the water before adding the coco glucoside.
This gives the powder a chance to dissolve without having to aggressively stir the detergent later and create a bottle full of foam.
