Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent
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My recipe for liquid laundry detergent is the best thing that’s happened to my laundry routine, so when I finally ran out of my first batch, I was more than excited to make some more!
However, with my now 7 month baby hanging on my every limb 
I knew I didn’t want to be handling boiling water around him. So I went on a search, made some tweaks, and came up with this great powdered detergent recipe!
It’s much easier and quicker to make than the liquid version, but I still prefer the liquid version just because I’ve never been a big fan of powdered detergent. Plus the liquid one just lasts for so much longer! But if you’re in a hurry and don’t have the time to whip up a batch of liquid detergent, this recipe for the powdered stuff will work just as well!
What you need:
The very short ingredients list.
- 1 bar of castile soap (or Fels Naptha or Ivory), finely grated
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
- 3-5 drops of essential oils (optional)
What to do:
- After finely grating the bar of soap, add it to a bowl along with the borax and washing soda.
I used the smallest side of the grater to get it really fine.
- Whisk together very well to make sure it is all evenly distributed. Then, add the essential oils (if using) and mix very well to distribute the oil throughout.
All mixed together.
- Put in an air-tight container to prevent clumping.
The batch fit perfectly into a yogurt tub - hello, reusability!
That’s it! Three ingredients and three easy steps will get you a quick batch of laundry detergent!
I use about 2-3 tablespoons of powder for a load in cold water, depending on the size; but you should experiment to find what works for you. Don’t forget to read up on how to naturally freshen your laundry!
Again, I still prefer the liquid version but that’s just a personal preference. I could see this powdered version coming in handy if we’re traveling or visiting family and don’t want to lug around a jug of detergent with us
NOTE: For HE/Front-loading washers - Since this detergent is low-suds, it’s PERFECT for HE/front-loading washers, but you just want to use less detergent (about 1 tablespoon).
Where can you buy washing soda? Here are some tips on where to find washing soda (which is NOT the same as baking soda!)
- in the laundry aisle
- in the pool cleaner aisle at Walmart, brand name is AquaChem. Just make sure the only ingredient listed is sodium carbonate!
- call this phone number 1-800-524-1328 and have the UPC code 33200-03020. The service will ask for your zip code and then tell you places in your area that sell the item.
- you can make your own by cooking baking soda in the oven until it becomes washing soda!
| HOW TO: Make Powdered Laundry Detergent |
- 1 bar of castile soap (or Fels Naptha or Ivory), finely grated
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
- 3-5 drops essential oils
- After finely grating the bar of soap, add it to a bowl along with the borax and washing soda.
- Whisk together very well to make sure it is all evenly distributed.
- Add the essential oils (if using) and mix very well to distribute the oil throughout.
- Put in an air-tight container to prevent clumping.
- Use 2-3 tablespoons per load.
[tssig]
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Im soo making this.
Please do Vicky! It’s way too easy not to try it
Im also making this…lol…but I have to ask how many loads do you get out of it?….:)
Hi Karimah, This is the first time I’ve tried this recipe so I can’t tell you yet, but for reference, it filled up a yogurt container and I only use a few tablespoons for each load, so it should last a good while
I cant seem to find the washing soda anywhere =(
Oh no! Well, if you can’t find it in the laundry aisle at your grocery store, I’ve known some people to call the Arm-n-Hammer company for help.
Call this phone number 1-800-524-1328 and have the UPC code 33200-03020. The service will ask for your zip code and then tell you places in your area that sell the item.
Let me know if this works!
Sweet! I’ll let you know. Thank you =)
I’ve been making this for awhile…I also add Oxi-Clean and baking soda for added cleaning “oomph”.
Great ideas, Traci! I also add baking soda to the wash cycle (as well as vinegar to help soften clothes).
Love your soap receipe! Where do you find essential oils?
Thank you Sally
Also how do you make liqued detergent?
Thanks Sally! You can usually find essential oils at your local natural health food store, or you can find them online also. Check out my Nature Shop page for my favorite online retailer: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/nature-shop/
The liquid detergent recipe is linked at the beginning of this post, but here’s the direct link: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2011/05/30/how-to-make-laundry-detergent/
Hope that helps!
Thank you for a great recipe of dry laundry soap. Just had washed my first load of towels. Everything is clean and no soap residue left on my towels. For a soap bar I used cheapest soap what I could find in a supermarket. Added vinegar for a last washing circle and everything is very soft.
Ladies and gentlemen, who are in Canada and cannot find washing soda, you can look at the website well.ca or in your local natural organic stores.
One more time: thank you for great ideas and recipes.
Thanks for coming back and commenting, Mrs. Martinez! I’m so glad it worked for you
You know what’s funny? I just received my first order from well.ca in the mail today, with a box of borax and box of washing soda!
how well does this work in keeping your whites white and not fading your colors?
Hey Jessica, I use this in conjunction with some baking soda and vinegar in the wash and rinse cycles, and it works beautifully! You can check out my post on that here: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2011/06/01/how-to-naturally-freshen-your-laundry/
Also, peroxide is a great natural whitener. You can pour some right into the detergent dispenser (never directly on the clothes themselves) and run a quick cycle to help brighten up your whites.
Also, I have 2 great giveaways going on right now to help you green your laundry routine!
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/11/28/smartklean-detergent-ball-review-giveaway/
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/11/28/naturally-soft-laundry-with-woolzies-dryer-balls-review-giveaway/
I make this for the second time, love it….but I was wondering how to add bubbles into this?
Thanks
By its nature, this detergent does not lather much. Bubbles are not what wash clothes, so don’t be afraid of no bubbles.
Hello,
I decided to try this out for the first time and since I’m a college student the powdered detergent works best because I don’t have a place to cook the liquid detergent. However, the soap I used is the Mexican soap Zote, and its not solid like the soaps you suggested which can be finely grated. Instead I got some fine strings of soap. But I hope all works fine. Should I try to use your suggested soap instead or can any laundry soap, whether soft or solid, work equally fine? I did have some trouble mixing them equally, since the powdered ingredients kept falling through the soap to the bottom of the container.
Hi Juan, I’ve seen many people use Zote soap without a problem. Sometimes they grate it on the small holes of a cheese grater, and others have also chopped it up into small pieces and then threw them into the food processor to get really small bits. If you have a food processor, I would put all the ingredients in there to try to grind it down to a fine powder. That way, they will combine together much better.
I have been wanting to try this for some time. I have all the ingredients now, after much searching, two markets and one hardware store. I really like that this is as close to natural as one can get. I currently use Seventh Generation laundry detergent and need to get away from it due to the cost, so this should help greatly.
For those having trouble finding the ingredients I suggest you ask your local hardware store about them. My local Ace carries all of them, so helpful. I just wish I had know it from the start. You can also get the items sent to your home if need be, by ordering online.
I will continue to use baking soda during the wash and white vinegar for the rinse. I only line dry as dryers really do ruin clothes. Just look at the lint trap that is you clothes falling apart.
Thank you for this recipe. It does look to be the same as keeper of the home ‘s the main difference being they use a blender to mix it to a fine powder.
Hmmm, thoughts on adding an oxi product to the mix? Does it need it?
It doesn’t need it, but I have seen it done in other recipes as an extra booster. So it’s totally fine if you want some extra power!