Homemade Laundry Soap
A powerful powdered laundry detergent made with Fels Naptha, washing soda, and borax that costs approximately $0.03 per load.
Commercial laundry detergent is one of the most overpriced household products — you're largely paying for water, fragrance, and marketing. This homemade powder uses the same active cleaning ingredients found in premium detergents at a fraction of the cost — approximately three cents per load versus thirty to fifty cents for commercial brands.
Fels Naptha or Zote are old-fashioned laundry bar soaps that have been used for over a century. They contain surfactants that lift and suspend soil, and both are particularly effective on greasy stains. Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is an alkaline builder that boosts cleaning power and helps soften hard water. Baking soda deodorizes and softens water. Borax is a natural mineral that boosts the effectiveness of soap, inhibits mold growth, and softens water.
Processed in a blender or food processor, the bar soap is powdered so the whole mixture blends uniformly. The resulting powder is highly concentrated — only one to two tablespoons per load — and safe for both standard and high-efficiency washing machines.
Ingredients
- 1 bar Fels Naptha or Zote laundry bar (grated)
- 1 1/2 cups Washing Soda
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- 1 cup Borax
- Optional: essential oil for fragrance
How to Use
- 1Grate the laundry bar using a box grater, then process in a blender or food processor until finely powdered.
- 2Combine with washing soda, baking soda, and borax in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- 3Add essential oil if desired and stir to distribute.
- 4Store in a sealed container.
- 5Top loader: use 1/8 cup per load. Front loader (H.E.): use 1 tbsp in the powdered detergent tray.
- 6Makes approximately 120 loads at a cost of about $0.03 per load.