Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

http://thegustafsons.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-laundry-soap.html I got my recipe from this blog.

I have been wanting to try this recipe, but I have been so hesitant. I figured it just couldn't be as good as the Tide I've been using for years. I figured it would be too hard to make. I figured I really couldn't save that much money. However, I was sooooo wrong. This recipe was really easy and super inexpensive.

I started by saving my detergent containers. This recipe filled up 1 HUGE Tide container and 2 large Clorox 2 bottles. You will also need to round up a 5 gal bucket and a long wooden stirring stick (I used the end of a rake, but you could use a paint stir stick or something of the sort). Some folks use a 5 gal bucket with a lid to store the detergent, but I don't have that kind of room.

I got all my ingredients at the HEB since Wal-Mart didn't carry one of the items. You will need to buy a box of Borax, a box of WASHING Soda (not baking soda), bar of soap ( I used Ivory soap, but see the attached link for other types of soap you can use). Some folks add fragrance like lemon or lavender, but the faint Ivory scent is enough for me.

Here's what you do:

In a LARGE saucepan or stock pot, Add 6 cups of water and grated soap ( I used a plastic cheese grater). Heat on medium high, stirring until soap is dissolved.

In your 5 gal bucket, add 2 gals of cold water and 4 cups of cold water. Set aside.

Once soap is dissolved, add 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing soda. Stir quickly until it looks like foamy milk.

Pour soap mixture into your big bucket. Stir well with a wooden stick.

Use a gal jug or quart jar (this can be slippery, so I recommend using a gal jug if you have one) and funnel to fill your containers. As you are filling your containers, be sure to stir often or the mixture will settle at the bottom of the bucket.

When you use your laundry soap, it will be clumpy. I usually just give the container a couple of shakes before use, but it will still be clumpy.

I still like my bleach and fabric sheets, so I'm still using those when needed.

The Borax runs about $3 as well as the Washing soda. I got 3 bars of Ivory soap for $1. There are cups and cups of Borax and cups and cups of Washing soda. So, I'm figuring this recipe costs very little per mix. Cheap, cheap, cheap!

Does it work well? I think it works just as well or better than my Tide. I was paying $15-19 per large bottle of Tide. Now, I'm paying just pennies.

Other than being cheap, this recipe is supposed to be safe for babies. So, there won't be a need to use separate detergent for the baby.

Also, I have just a regular washing machine, so I'm using 2 capfuls for each load (about a cup). Some of you might be lucky enough to have a high efficiency washer. If so, one website said you could still use this mix but will only need about 1/4 cup.

Give it a try!