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Home | Living | Homemade Powder Laundry Soap

Homemade Powder Laundry Soap

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Learn how to make simple powder laundry soap with only 3 ingredients.

Making your own laundry soap is a great way to save money and make the switch to natural products.  This homemade powder laundry soap only requires 3 ingredients, and it works great!

Homemade powder laundry soap in mason jar with ingredients in background.

When I first started my blog, my homemade laundry soap was one of the first things I shared. I have been using that exact recipe for over 7 years, and I love that I can make 5 gallons for less than $2.  Talk about a money saver! After multiple requests, I now have a homemade powder laundry soap recipe.  

This recipe uses similar ingredients to the liquid soap, making it very cost-effective too! 

It is sensitive enough to be used with baby clothes, delicates, and even cloth diapers!  You only need a couple of tablespoons per load.  

Looking for more natural cleaning swaps?  Take my 3-day email course for FREE for more recipes and tips!

HOMEMADE POWDER LAUNDRY SOAP All-natural powder laundry soap with flowers in background.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure HERE.

HOW TO MAKE POWDER LAUNDRY SOAP

INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 bar castile soap (or Fels Naptha soap bar)
  • 2 cups washing soda 
  • 2 cups baking soda 
  • 30 drops lavender essential oil (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Finely grate the soap bar using a cheese grater. 
  2. Add the shredded soap bar, washing soda, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. 
  3. Stir until well combined 
  4. Add in essential oils. 
  5. Store in an airtight container. 

Use 2 tablespoons per load. This soap is safe to use in high-efficiency washers. 

I store mine in a half-gallon glass mason jar, and I keep a tablespoon measuring spoon in the container to make it easy to measure. 

A LITTLE ON THE INGREDIENTS Healthy DIY powder laundry soap on wooden table.

CASTILE SOAP BAR

If you have been around my blog long, you know my obsession with castile soap. I use it in my foaming hand soap, baby wash, shampoo, and cleaning products.  

Castile soap is a very concentrated, vegetable-based soap.  It is typically made out of olive oil or coconut oil. It has natural antibacterial properties that can help kill infections and germs. 

Castile soap is a gentle soap making it safe on sensitive skin and babies.  You can buy scented or unscented castile soap, I prefer unscented, so I can scent it how I want with my essential oils.

You can also use a Homemade Laundry Soap Bar, Fels Naptha soap bar or any other natural soap bar. Castile soap bar and essential oil bottles on wooden table.

WASHING SODA 

Washing soda is sodium carbonate that is dissolved in water for washing and cleaning.  It is a natural cleaner and can be used to soften water. Washing soda is also neutralizing and eliminates odors. 

Adding washing soda to your laundry can help remove stains and brighten clothes. 

BAKING SODA 

Baking soda has been used in laundry for many, many years.  Adding it into your soap will help to soften and bring clothes out whiter and brighter. 

Baking soda is also very effective at eliminating odors. 

ESSENTIAL OILS 

Adding in essential oils is optional, but I highly recommend it. Essential oils in the powder laundry soap will have a scent that will linger in your laundry.  You can use a single oil or make a blend. 

I love adding in lavender or wild orange. 

I share some of my favorite blends for laundry HERE. DIY laundry soap, dryer balls, castile soap bar, and essential oil bottles on white table.

WHY SWITCH TO HOMEMADE NATURAL LAUNDRY SOAP? 

  • First off, it saves a whole bunch of money. We have a large family, and just to keep up, I do at least one load of laundry per day. That doesn’t include towels, sheets, blankets, or kids playing in mud puddles. 
  • When I was a nanny, I remember the parents bought special soap for the kids’ clothes. When it was on the list, and I had to pick some up from the store, I couldn’t believe how expensive it was. This laundry soap is made with ingredients safe enough for babies and those with sensitive skin. 
  • Leading brands’ laundry soaps contain harmful ingredients that can cause skin rashes and other issues when inhaled.  I love that this powder soap is made with all-natural ingredients. 

BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HOMEMADE POWDER LAUNDRY SOAP  

  1. LAVENDER- Lavender is a very calming, relaxing essential oil with a lovely floral smell. This one is my favorite for laundry soap.
  2. WILD ORANGE-  Invigorating, uplifting, and cleansing; wild orange is perfect for your laundry soap.  It adds a fresh scent to your clean clothes.
  3. MELALEUCA- Melaleuca is a purifying and cleansing essential oil.  If you ever forgot to put wet laundry straight in the dryer when it is done, add 2-3 drops to the wet clothes and add to the dryer.
  4. PEPPERMINT- If you like a fresh, minty smell, then this will be your oil.  Peppermint makes a wonderful scent for your homemade laundry soap.
  5. EUCALYPTUS- Eucalyptus is a great oil to add to your laundry soap during times of sickness.  The oil will freshen clothes and kill germs.
  6. LEMONGRASS- This citrus oil has an earthy smell and makes a great scent, especially for men.
  7. ROMAN CHAMOMILE-  Another calming essential oil and great for kids.  Roman chamomile adds a beautiful floral scent.
  8. CEDARWOOD- Another one for the men in your life.  Cedarwood has a woodsy scent that most men enjoy, and it has cleansing properties making it great for your soap.
  9. PATCHOULI-  Either you love it or hate it.  I am a patchouli lover and am obsessed with the scent.  This is another favorite of mine for laundry.
  10. JASMINE-  If you want to smell like a bed of flowers all day, then add jasmine to your laundry soap.  Jasmine is very calming and can help with stress and anxious feelings.

Get your essential oils HERE.

MORE NATURAL DIY LAUNDRY POSTS 

DIY Dryer Sheets 

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap 

Natural Fabric Softener

Making homemade laundry products is a great way to cut down on the toxins in your home and save money.  Using these products is better for your skin, clothes, and they work great! Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this homemade powder laundry soap with essential oils recipe. 

Have you ever made your own soap? Did you add in essential oils?  Tell me your favorite blends you use! 

PIN IT FOR LATER 

Homemade dryer sheets with essential oils.

How to Make Natural Dryer Sheets

Homemade laundry soap bars on wooden board.

How to Make a Laundry Soap Bar

laundry scent boosters in a small mason jar.

DIY Laundry Scent Boosters

Homemade Fabric Softener

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Comments

  1. Beverly says

    May 10, 2019 at 9:10 AM

    Can’t wait to try this ! I am new to essential oils and I am in awe at all the ways you can use them. Thank you for sharing your creativity and knowledge.

    Reply
    • lauraascher says

      May 12, 2019 at 8:31 PM

      You’re welcome! I am glad you are starting to use essential oils and natural products. I am happy to share!

      Reply
    • Christine says

      February 12, 2021 at 11:05 PM

      Hi! I was using 1/2 cup per load, and knew somehow i missed something so went back and reread. Oopth! Hard to believe only a couple TBSP ! Thank you

      Reply
  2. Tammy says

    May 23, 2019 at 6:04 AM

    Hi! Your videos are great! Short, sweet and to the point:) ~ recipes are the same way…thanks for sharing them! I *do* have one question about the powder laundry soap: does it ever solidify on you? I’ve made similar powder recipes (for toilet bowl cleaning and dishwasher too) and they end up becoming a slid brick! It got to the point where I just tossed them because I couldn’t get it out of the jar! So how does this one compare? Any problems? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • lauraascher says

      May 23, 2019 at 1:46 PM

      Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying my content and videos. So far I have not had any issues with my powder soap. Maybe it has something to do with weather change or the temperature in your home?

      Reply
      • Tammy says

        May 24, 2019 at 5:43 AM

        Thanks for responding Laura! Maybe it does…I live in New England the recipes I tried were all during this past winter, so I’m not sure. I could certainly see it happening now, in spring, or when it gets humid. I’ll try your recipe and see what happens! Thanks again!

        Reply
        • lauraascher says

          May 24, 2019 at 4:45 PM

          You’re welcome!! I hope it works for you! I have mine sitting in my laundry room and my house gets pretty hot during the day, 80-ish. It is still powdery.

          Reply
  3. Debra says

    June 22, 2019 at 10:21 AM

    Hi! I love your blog, videos and DIY recipes. I always look into any product I am not familiar with. I looked up Fels Napa soap bar. The articles I read said it contains titanium Dioxide which is a carcinogen. Obviously, we don’t want to use that on our bodies but it also is known to contaminate the ocean and lakes and harm wildlife. I am just surprised you would use and recommend it. Just thought I would bring it up in case you were not aware since you use it for the kiddos. Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/176905-information-on-fels-naptha-soap

    Reply
    • lauraascher says

      June 27, 2019 at 1:19 PM

      I have researched the product and found it to be safe. Thank you for the article! I will look into it further. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Beverly says

    July 3, 2019 at 1:39 PM

    I bought my ingredients yesterday and can’t wait to make my own laundry detergent ! I follow your page and am enjoying learning about all the benefits of essential oils. I even used your body mist recipe and had the children at church make small bottles for the mom’s on mother’s day. Thank you for sharing with us.

    Reply
    • lauraascher says

      July 3, 2019 at 2:00 PM

      Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I am so glad you are enjoying my content! Making those for Mother’s day was a fabulous idea.

      Reply
  5. Sandra R says

    August 8, 2019 at 10:23 PM

    I just love your channel, website, blog etc. You never fail to impress me with your simple recipes and knowledge of oils. About the laundry powder is it ok to add borax or is it totally not necessary. I think I’m brainwashed ftom the old timey recipes😊😊

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 9, 2019 at 8:50 AM

      Awww thank you so much! I don’t and it works great! I do use borax in my liquid soap. I like both!

      Reply
  6. Margaret says

    October 31, 2019 at 8:40 PM

    Hi! I have a high efficiency washer. Is your soap recipe ok for HE washers? Thank you

    Reply
    • Laura says

      October 31, 2019 at 9:56 PM

      Yes!

      Reply
  7. Cortny says

    November 16, 2019 at 4:30 PM

    I am about the worst person on the planet at math. I am trying to figure out what the powdered detergent breaks down to cost wise… I paid the same price you did for all 3 ingredients.

    Reply
  8. Alison says

    November 26, 2019 at 9:43 AM

    Hello! I’m curious, which recipe do you personally prefer to use, liquid soap or powder soap? I’m anxious to make my own but I usually use liquid detergent. However, the powder recipe seems easier to do for a beginner πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Laura says

      November 26, 2019 at 6:12 PM

      Honestly, I use the liquid one most often and love it! It works really well!

      Reply
  9. Tina Huggins says

    March 2, 2020 at 1:44 PM

    First off, I love all your post. How does this laundry powder work with cold washes? Does is devolve well?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 2, 2020 at 2:32 PM

      Thank you so much! Yes it works fine for cold or hot cycles. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Aggy says

    August 3, 2020 at 11:47 AM

    Hi, are soap flakes a good substitute for the castile soap?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 3, 2020 at 1:29 PM

      You can use either one.

      Reply
  11. Annna says

    September 7, 2020 at 10:39 AM

    How many ounces does this recipe make?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 7, 2020 at 8:07 PM

      I am not really sure. I always measure it in cups.

      Reply
  12. Eeee says

    September 10, 2020 at 6:03 PM

    Hi there!

    Is it safe for black clothes? Or the colour would fade out?

    Thanks! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 10, 2020 at 10:03 PM

      I use it on all my clothing and have never had any issues with that. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  13. Megan Kirkpatrick says

    January 22, 2021 at 1:11 PM

    Trying your laundry soap recipe out today. Can’t wait to see how it works. Tried homemade laundry detergent in the past and never seemed to love the result. loving how I can incorporate essential oils into every area of life.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 25, 2021 at 7:54 AM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  14. Diane says

    January 31, 2021 at 5:56 PM

    I have found that if I take the fels naphtha bar and put it in the microwave it will “grow” until it is a soft crumbly foam. Then I just crumble it in my hands to make the detergent. MUCH easier than grating the bar. It’s been awhile since I made mine, so I don’t remember how long in the microwave, but I think it was only a minute or two.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      February 1, 2021 at 8:15 AM

      I never thought of that! Good idea!

      Reply
  15. ANGELA says

    September 23, 2021 at 4:24 PM

    Hi Laura , thank you for this recipe. you said Use 2 tablespoons per load. will that amount of detergent clean the clothes well for a large size load? Thank you

    regards
    Angela

    Reply
    • Laura says

      September 27, 2021 at 7:39 AM

      Yes, you only need a small amount!

      Reply
  16. Allie says

    December 29, 2021 at 3:53 PM

    I have a front load washing machine. Do I put the detergent directly on the clothes or in the dispenser?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 3, 2022 at 9:33 AM

      I sprinkle it directly on the clothes.

      Reply
  17. Lori says

    February 27, 2022 at 12:33 PM

    Wanting to make our own laundry detergent, hand soap and more.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 7, 2022 at 8:28 PM

      Awesome, I have recipes for all that on the blog!

      Reply
  18. Becky says

    May 2, 2022 at 5:32 AM

    Do you find the powder laundry soap or the liquid to work better with dirty clothes? My husband is a contractor and we have a bigger property to take care of so the kids get dirty!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      May 2, 2022 at 1:51 PM

      I personally use the liquid soap most often.

      Reply
  19. Kay says

    May 7, 2022 at 9:15 AM

    Would love to try your laundry detergent recipe but cannot read it because of the ads covering it!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      May 13, 2022 at 8:09 AM

      The recipe card is at the bottom of the post. πŸ™‚ Sorry about the ads but it is the way I can offer so much free content to my followers.

      Reply

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