Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder

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About a year ago, in preparation for moving out here to the farm, I started making my own homemade laundry detergent powder. I despise laundry. I really loathe doing the laundry. I am so grateful though to have clothes to wear and a means to get them clean. Beyond grateful. I don’t know why I’m so bad at the laundry really. It’s just not my favorite. I’d rather dust, vacuum, mop any day over laundry.

I do like making my own laundry detergent though. I like that my boys don’t have any sensitivities to the homemade laundry detergent powder, and they did to some other laundry detergents I’ve used. This was an easy first step in being self-sufficient and frugal. I can make a batch of this homemade laundry detergent for about $11 and it will last me about 6 months or more if I don’t do laundry everyday.

I make it in a big 2 gallon bucket with a tight-fitting lid. I just scoop it out of there now, but before we moved here and my laundry room was exposed to the public I had it in a pretty candy jar that I scooped it out for each load. This laundry detergent powder does not have a very strong scent. Depending on which laundry bar you use it may smell a little bit like oranges if anything .I would store the remainder in a container with a tight lid when not in use. I think it makes the scents stay longer and it is safer if you have little ones.

My big boy loves to help me with this. While I grate all the soap bars down he just stirs and stirs. I usually end up with bloody knuckles from all the grating, but those are just my well-earned battle scars for making homemade laundry detergent. My husband never gets them. I think he’s way more patient than me with the cheese grater.

Other than having to use an old-fashioned cheese grater, instead of my handy-dandy food processor, this laundry detergent powder is very easy to make. You can find all the ingredients in the laundry detergent aisle. You may have to search though. I usually find them on the very top shelf or the very bottom.

Here’s what you’ll need:

•1 container Oxyclean

•1 box Arm and Hammer washing soda

•1 box Borax 20 mule team

•2 bars Fels Naptha or Zote

•Purex Crystals