How to make Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent
This homemade powdered laundry soap is not only highly effective, but, costs pennies to make!
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Have you ever just stood in the laundry aisle at the store and thought, “why are there so many products?”, well, I have! And, to make matters worse, there are few natural options.
And, to make matters worse, most of those products are made of mostly water! Not to mention all the other ingredients that aren’t really needed to wash clothes.
Also, can we all agree that commercial laundry detergent is crazy expensive these days???
My husband and I use a wringer washer and love how effective it is at cleaning our laundry.
In times past, we would just buy the unscented laundry soap at the store, but, to be honest, I just didn’t think it worked that well.
So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make the my own laundry detergent recipe at home. This laundry powder is actually quite effective!
This is with only 2 ingredients! Essential oils are optional. Having an option that is free from harsh chemicals and gentle on the skin makes all the difference. Plus, it’s effective!
Looking for more money saving products you can make at home? Try my HOMEMADE POWDERED COFFEE CREAMER!
Why I love this DIY Laundry Detergent Recipe
All you need to start making your own detergent at home is Super Washing Soda and a bar of Castile soap!
Making your own homemade laundry detergent is a way to not only remove tons of unneeded chemicals from your laundry soap, but to also save a bunch of money!
Super washing soda has been used for many many years as a laundry aid and Castile soap has been used as well for many applications where soap is needed.
You can make up a batch of this laundry soap and it will last for quite a while! I only buy the ingredients every 4-6 months.
Things you will need to make your own laundry powder recipe
Making your own laundry soap is super easy and you only need 2 ingredients!
- Castile soap Bars – Fels Naptha soap also works great for this detergent. I prefer the castile soap bars because they have a fragrance free option.
- Super washing soap – This comes in a box that looks similar to baking soda and can be found in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store. You could also substitute with Borax if that is what you have on hand.
- Essential oil (optional) – I prefer to use citrus oils, lavendar, or eucalyptus.
How to make homemade powdered laundry detergent
To make the soap add 2 cups of washing soda to a large bowl.
Grate the bar of soap on the fine side of a cheese grater. (You can also grate this into a food processor bowl using the grater attachment)
Add the grated soap into the bowl of washing soda.
Optionally, add 15-20 drops of essential oil and mix well. My personal preference is sweet orange, eucalyptus, and lavendar.
But, you can play around with different combinations, use only one, or not use it at all for an unscented soap.
How to store this laundry detergent
Store in a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid.
How to use homemade powdered laundry detergent
To use the laundry soap, add 2 tablespoons to each load of laundry. If using cold water to wash your clothes, dissolve the soap in a little hot water before adding to the wash.
That’s it, an effective and penny pinching homemade laundry soap.
How to convert this detergent to a liquid detergent
To make this a liquid laundry soap, simply add the above recipe to a 5 GALLON BUCKET and fill with warm water.
Use a long paint stirrer to mix the soap and add the lid.
To use, simply add 1/4 cup of the liquid soap to each load of laundry.
I prefer to add this liquid detergent to an automatic dispenser and keep it refilled.
Yes, you can use this in an he washer. Just be sure to only use the recommended amount to keep it from over sudding in washer.
Absolutely, you can substitute Borax for the washing soda if you have that on hand. I prefer the washing soda for the stain fighting properties.
I personally have sensitive skin and have had reactions to certain store bought detergents and this homemade detergent has never bothered me or caused a skin irritation.
Depending on usage, you should get expect to get 24-36 loads of laundry from the powdered detergent. If using it as a liquid laundry detergent, it would be exponentially higher! I’ve never counted how many loads, but for reference, a bucket lasted us a year!
If we are using our dryer, we use wool balls. If we are line drying, we add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water and it works like a charm with no vinegar smell whatsoever!
