Homemade Laundry Powder with Castile Bar Soap

Easy and effective, this homemade laundry powder cleans everything from dirty towels to work clothes to baby items. It’s made with simple, clean ingredients so you can ditch toxic detergents for good!

Low-Tox Detergent That’s Actually Affordable

Since using non-toxic products can be tricky on a budget, I make everything I can myself. This way, I know exactly what’s in everything, and it’s far more affordable than buying comparable clean products.

This laundry powder is one of my favorite clean living DIYs! It’s so quick to make and I’ve found it to be extremely effective to clean all of our laundry from musty towels, to my husband’s work clothes, to delicate baby items. It’s simple, effective, and small change that’s made a big difference in our transition to a lower-tox home.

What Makes this Laundry Detergent Special?

• Easy DIY that only takes a few minutes to make.
• Effective detergent for all types of laundry.
• Simple, clean ingredients you can use with confidence.

Ingredients

• Castile bar soap – Lifts grease and dirt off of laundry. You can use half of a large 8.8 ounce bar (what I do), or a whole regular-sized bar.
• Oxiclean Free – Made from the solid form of hydrogen peroxide. It lifts dirt and stains off of laundry.
• Borax – Softens the water to prevent mineral buildup and effective cleaner.
• Washing soda – Breaks down dirt, removes odors, and softens water. 
• Optional: Tea tree oil – Using it approximately doubles the cost of this laundry powder, however, I love its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: First, cut the bar soap into small chunks, and place it in your food processor or blender. Grind it until it becomes a very fine powder.

Step 2: Then place the powdered soap, borax, washing soda, Oxiclean Free, and tea tree oil (if you’re using) in a large bowl and stir until well mixed.

Step 3: Finally, scoop the laundry powder into a jar or container to store.

To wash laundry, use 2-3 tablespoons of powder per load, and wash as usual.

If want to wash cloth diapers, check out my cloth diaper detergent!

Tips for Success

Purchase ingredients in bulk – You’ll be able to save a lot more money than if you just buy enough for a batch or two.

Finely grind the soap – The smaller the soap particles, the easier it will dissolve in the wash.

Mix in a well-ventilated area – Even though these ingredients are considered “clean,” the powder can still irritate your lungs if inhaled.

How to Use

Place the laundry in your washing machine and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of powder (depending on the load size) on top and wash as usual. 

I have personally found that the soap particles dissolve even when washing in cold water. However, if you’re concerned, before running a load, you can mix the laundry powder with hot water in a small jar and shake to dissolve before pouring over your laundry.

How Much Money Does It Save?

The price of laundry powder ingredients and store-bought laundry detergents are always fluctuating, so it’s impossible to give an exact price comparison that will be relevant for you. 

At the time of writing this post, if you leave out the tea tree oil, this detergent costs almost the exact same price as standard detergent brands such as Tide or All. However, it’s made with much cleaner ingredients.

If you typically buy a more expensive, clean laundry detergent, this will save a significant amount of money.

FAQs

If you try this DIY, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome

Homemade Laundry Powder with Castile Bar Soap

Easy and effective, this homemade laundry powder is made with simple, clean ingredients and cleans everything from work clothes to baby items.

Print Rate

Course: Clean Living

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Author: Violet Parcha

Cost: $

Equipment

• 1/2 gallon mason jar (or other container to store it in)

Ingredients

• 1/2 large 8.8 ounce Castile bar soap or 1 smaller bar
• 2 cups Oxiclean Free
• 2 cups borax
• 2 cups washing soda
• 3 teaspoons tea tree oil optional

Instructions

• Cut the bar soap into small chunks, and grind it in a food processor or blender until it becomes a very fine powder.
  1/2 large 8.8 ounce Castile bar soap
• Place the powdered soap, borax, washing soda, Oxiclean Free, and tea tree oil (if you're using) in a large bowl and stir until well mixed.
  2 cups Oxiclean Free, 2 cups borax, 2 cups washing soda, 3 teaspoons tea tree oil
• Scoop the laundry powder into a jar or container to store.

Notes

How to Use:

• To wash laundry, use 2-3 tablespoons of powder per load, and wash as usual.
  I have personally found that the soap particles dissolve even when washing in cold water. However, if you’re concerned, before running a load, you can mix the laundry powder with hot water in a small jar and shake to dissolve before pouring over your laundry.

If you made this laundry powder, I’d love to hear how it worked for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.