At a time when every action counts, when we are looking for more meaning in our daily lives and more gentleness in our products, making your own laundry detergent is the obvious choice. It is a committed, personal and planet-friendly choice… all with just two ingredients.
Ready to turn your laundry routine into a truly sensory and responsible ritual? We will guide you step by step.
Why is making your own laundry detergent a good idea?
By choosing a homemade liquid laundry detergent, you know exactly what goes into your products, cut down on plastic waste by opting for reusable containers and avoid the harsh substances often found in conventional formulas.
With simple ingredients such as the Marseille soap in our concentrated base, you can make a laundry detergent that is effective, gentle on the skin and can be personalised to suit your scent preferences by adding the laundry fragrance of your choice.
Regular fragrance vs laundry fragrance: what you really need to know
As mentioned in our previous article, fragrancing your homemade laundry detergent calls for a few precautions. Not all fragrances are suitable for this use: it is essential to tell regular fragrances apart from those specially designed to be incorporated into a water-based formula.
Here is a simplified overview of the main fragrance families:
- Water-soluble fragrances: these dissolve completely in water. Ideal for mists, but not for your washing machine drum.
- Lipophilic fragrances: perfect for candles, wax melts or scented oils. They blend with oil-based formulas but shy away from water.
- Hydrophilic fragrances: the stars of homemade laundry detergent. They are not afraid of water and release their scent into it with no trouble at all. These are the fragrances you should use.
Key takeaway: always choose hydrophilic fragrances to scent your laundry detergent.
Important: never use a regular fragrance in your laundry detergent base. It may not mix in, may leave a deposit or may spoil the texture.
Homemade laundry detergent: the benefits of a committed choice
You choose!
Imagine slipping into sheets or clothes that smell exactly the way you decided. Making your own laundry detergent also means choosing the scent of your laundry. A personal, intimate touch.
We have selected exceptional fragrances, carefully created in Grasse, France, the world capital of perfume. Discover laundry fragrances such as Jasmine passion, Cashmere flower, Breath of freshness and many more in our laundry fragrances category. Each note has been designed to offer a long-lasting scent on textiles, without compromising the gentleness or naturalness of your laundry detergent.
An eco-friendly alternative
Many industrial laundry detergents rely on synthetic surfactants derived from petrochemicals. Our laundry detergent base makes a different choice: it contains no synthetic surfactants and is made up of more than 95% ingredients of natural origin.
Made the old-fashioned way using the traditional Marseille method, from coconut and olive oils, it is gentle, effective and clean… in every sense of the word.
It is produced with sustainability in mind: little water used, moderate heating during the soap “cooking” stage and no discharge into the environment. Our manufacturer has also committed to the “Engagement Carbone Responsable®” standard, which provides for regular monitoring of its emissions and is validated by external experts.
A concentrated laundry detergent… for real savings
Major manufacturers of industrial laundry detergents generally recommend doses of between 80 ml and 115 ml per wash.
The result? Bottles that empty quickly, a machine that gets clogged up… and a budget that swells just as fast.
With our concentrated laundry detergent, a dose of 20 ml to 60 ml is enough, depending on the hardness of your water and how dirty your laundry is. What is more, you avoid the residues that too much detergent can leave behind.
| Per litre | Industrial laundry detergent | Terre de Bougies homemade laundry detergent |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €8.16 | €10.05Laundry base €5.90 + 30 ml fragrance €4.15 |
| Dose per wash | 80 to 115 ml | 20 to 60 ml |
| Number of washes | 9 to 13 | 17 to 50 |
| Cost per wash | €0.65 to €0.94 | €0.20 to €0.60 |
Smallest dose for soft water and lightly soiled laundry, maximum dose for hard water and heavily soiled laundry. Average prices observed in France in October 2026 for industrial laundry detergent.
The industrial laundry detergent prices shown are indicative prices taken from a selection of laundry detergents sold in France in 2026. They are given for information only and may vary depending on the brand, format and retailer. For our international customers, this comparison is based solely on prices in France and does not necessarily reflect those in their country.
Making your own liquid laundry detergent with our scented Marseille soap base costs you up to 3 times less than shop-bought options, while delicately scenting your textiles.
Make your own laundry detergent in just 2 minutes!
What you need:
- 1 empty container (recycled bottle or jerrycan)
- A neutral laundry detergent base
- A hydrophilic fragrance for laundry detergent (if desired)
- A funnel to make pouring easier (optional if you are good with your hands)
The magic recipe:
- Choose a clean, dry container that you can reuse (think of the planet).
- Pour in 95 to 97% laundry detergent base.
- Add 3 to 5% hydrophilic laundry fragrance.
- Shake gently… and it’s ready!
- Check our table below to find out how much laundry detergent suits your laundry and your water hardness.
To find out how hard your water is, visit the website of your local water supplier (such as Veolia, Suez, etc.) or your local council’s website. There you will find precise information, including hardness, pH, mineral content and more.
Please note: water hardness varies from one region to another. In some areas (particularly in the north and east of France and in limestone areas), the water is naturally harder.
| Water hardness | Lightly soiled laundry | Moderately soiled laundry | Heavily soiled laundry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft water< 15 °fH | 20 ml | 30 ml | 40 ml |
| Moderately hard water15 to 25 °fH | 30 ml | 40 ml | 50 ml |
| Hard water> 25 °fH | 40 ml | 50 ml | 60 ml |
How can you make the scent of your homemade laundry detergent last on your clothes or sheets?
You have found the ideal fragrance for your homemade laundry detergent, but you would like its scent to linger on your textiles for even longer? Discover our laundry fragrance boosters, specially designed to extend the pleasure of delicately scented laundry.
Microencapsulation: the secret to a long-lasting fragrance
Unlike a traditional fragrance that gradually fades, our boosters use microplastic-free microencapsulation technology.
How does it work? Part of the fragrance is trapped in tiny capsules that attach to textile fibres. With every movement, rub or touch of your clothes, these microcapsules burst and release fresh notes of fragrance.
So your laundry does not just smell good straight out of the machine: its scent reveals itself again and again throughout the day!
Pair your homemade laundry detergent with its fragrance booster
Homemade laundry detergent cleans your textiles while giving them your favourite fragrance. The booster complements it by intensifying and prolonging the scent experience, without replacing your laundry detergent or your fabric softener.
At Terre de Bougies, we have created 8 laundry fragrance boosters, each designed to pair with one of our laundry fragrances.
- Fresh & clean with Total clean
- Marine freshness with Black soap
- Summer neroli with Jasmine passion
- Spring garden with Flight of air
- Floral softness with Precious radiance
- Milk dream with Breath of freshness
- Creamy santal with Cashmere flower
- Oriental dream with Divine sweetness
Conclusion
Switching to homemade laundry detergent means choosing a product that is simple, healthy and adaptable. A few simple steps are all it takes to get an effective, responsible formula that is perfectly tailored to your preferences.
Laundry detergent is only the first step. Why not create an instant cleaner for your surfaces, or even make your own homemade dusting spray? With a few simple ingredients, you can turn your home into a healthy, fragrant… and completely personalised space.
