The Best Natural Powdered Laundry Soap

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Hi there, I am so happy you found this post to make your very own natural powdered laundry soap. I love to make this natural laundry soap because it works great, it doesn’t break the bank AND you get to make it smell however you want!

Over the last several years I have been on a journey to eliminate toxins in my home. My home is far from being non-toxic but I do what I can where I can. I found that this laundry soap was an easy swap for me to make. It is so simple and the price tag just makes sense for us.

The bonus is that I usually always have the ingredients already kicking around in my house. Let’s get started:

Tools

–mixing bowl

–spoon

–storage container for the powder soap

–tablespoon or scoop for the soap

Here is a breakdown of the ingredients and the benefits and purpose of each one:

Baking Soda – is one of the most versatile ingredients in natural laundry soap. It acts as a natural deodorizer, neutralizing unpleasant smells in fabrics. Its mild alkalinity helps balance the pH of the wash, making detergents more effective at lifting dirt and stains. Baking soda also softens water slightly, which boosts cleaning power, and it has a gentle brightening effect that helps keep whites looking fresh without harsh chemicals.

Washing Soda – is a stronger alkaline cleaner than baking soda and is highly effective at cutting through grease, oils, and tough stains. It softens water by binding to the minerals that cause hardness, which not only improves cleaning but also prevents dulling and stiffness in fabrics. Washing soda works as a detergent booster, amplifying the effectiveness of other cleaning agents and helping clothes come out cleaner and fresher.

Borax – is a classic laundry booster that has been used for generations. It works as a water softener, preventing minerals from interfering with soap’s cleaning ability, and it also helps neutralize odors in fabrics. Borax has mild antifungal and antibacterial properties, giving it a gentle disinfecting quality. It is especially useful for removing stains, particularly those from proteins like sweat, blood, or food, making it a powerful addition to homemade laundry formulas.

Epsom Salt – is sometimes added to natural laundry soaps as a fabric softener. It can help reduce static cling and, when combined with essential oils, gives laundry a subtle scent boost. While large amounts of Epsom salt may leave fabrics feeling a bit stiff, in small quantities it works well as a softening agent and can help absorb some odors during the wash cycle.

Sea Salt – provides several subtle but valuable benefits in natural laundry soap. It helps brighten fabrics and can prevent colors from fading, keeping clothes looking vibrant over time. Sea salt also contributes mild water-softening properties, which improve the overall effectiveness of the cleaning agents. In its granular form, it can even act as a gentle natural scrubber, aiding in the removal of stains during washing.

Essential Oils – add both fragrance and function to natural laundry soap. A few drops of oils like lavender, eucalyptus, lemon, or tea tree can leave laundry smelling fresh and clean without synthetic fragrances. Many essential oils also have natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, contributing to the overall freshness of clothes.

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Now let’s break down the cost:

A big part of why I choose to use homemade laundry soap—aside from eliminating toxins—is that I can make it at a very low cost. It’s typically much cheaper than most store-bought natural detergents. So, let’s break it down:

Baking Soda costs $1.99 per 500 gram carton. This is just from a regular grocery store. It can probably be found in bulk for an even better price. I usually buy a 6 pack at Costco to save a little more.

Washing Soda costs $8.79 for a 3 Kg box. I worked it out to a rough price of $0.60 per cup and this recipe requires 2 cups so that would be $1.20.

Epsom Salts cost $8 for a 4 kg package. I worked it out to a rough price of $0.40 per cup. This recipe only calls for 3/4 cup so that would be $0.30 per recipe.

Sea Salt varies in price depending on where you buy it. Let’s say that 500 grams costs $4.50. This works out to about $0.48 per recipe.

Borax costs $8.99 for a 1.84 Kg box. This works out to a rough price of $0.90 per cup. That would mean that this recipe would only require $0.45.

Essential Oils can be bought from almost anywhere meaning the price will vary drastically depending on which brand you choose to use. A favourite of mine has been the scent “Sweet Sheets” from the brand Saje. A 30 ml bottle costs $42. This is quite pricey but the bottle lasts a long time since only about 15 drops goes into each recipe. Let’s say there is about 600 drops per bottle. This would mean that it costs approximately $1.05 per recipe.

So the grand total of one recipe costs: $5.30.

So there you have it. An all natural powdered laundry soap that won’t break the bank! Take a look at the recipe below and let me know what you think!