I've been making my own laundry detergent for several months now, but have changed recipes, and just today I figured up how much it costs me to make a batch. So now I'm ready to share it with you!
Here is a link to the first detergent I used. I really liked it, but it used several different ingredients, so I didn't feel like it was saving me money. Also, my youngest daughter has eczema, so I needed to find a fragrance-free version. Here is what I ended up with:
Laundry Detergent
1/2 bar soap (any kind; I use Dove Unscented bath soap)
2 cups water
1/4 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
Grate the 1/2 bar of soap.
Place grated soap in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Heat on medium-low until soap is dissolved. This doesn't take very long.
Add washing soda and borax; stir until mixed. Transfer to a gallon container, and fill with water. Let sit overnight. Mixture will be thick and gloopy. Shake before using.
Use roughly 1/2 cup per load.
*I have used this right away, without letting it sit overnight, and while it is more runny, it doesn't affect the cleaning power.
*I think this lasts me about a month.
Below is a price breakdown:
Soap: 50 cents
washing soda: 10 cents
Borax: 10 cents
water: basically free!
So, 70 cents for a gallon of laundry detergent! I can handle that. And it only takes a few minutes a month to make it!
Here is a link to the first detergent I used. I really liked it, but it used several different ingredients, so I didn't feel like it was saving me money. Also, my youngest daughter has eczema, so I needed to find a fragrance-free version. Here is what I ended up with:
Laundry Detergent
1/2 bar soap (any kind; I use Dove Unscented bath soap)
2 cups water
1/4 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
Grate the 1/2 bar of soap.
Place grated soap in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Heat on medium-low until soap is dissolved. This doesn't take very long.
Add washing soda and borax; stir until mixed. Transfer to a gallon container, and fill with water. Let sit overnight. Mixture will be thick and gloopy. Shake before using.
Use roughly 1/2 cup per load.
*I have used this right away, without letting it sit overnight, and while it is more runny, it doesn't affect the cleaning power.
*I think this lasts me about a month.
Below is a price breakdown:
Soap: 50 cents
washing soda: 10 cents
Borax: 10 cents
water: basically free!
So, 70 cents for a gallon of laundry detergent! I can handle that. And it only takes a few minutes a month to make it!
Does this work in the front loading HE washers? Sounds like it could be interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is a similar recipe (except it's dry) with comment on how it works in a front loading machine. One thing I saw in regards to front vs. top loader detergent was that a front loader detergent doesn't suds as much. My recipe does not suds at all, if that helps.
ReplyDeleteHere is a comment from another site:
Hello Everyone,
For the last year, I have been using the following Mix for my Sears Kenmore HE front loader:
3 bars Fels Naptha
3 cups Borax
3 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda.
Grate the Fels Naptha, then put in a food processor with a chopping blade and chop until fine.
Pour into a large bowl with the Borax and Washing Soda and stir until combined.
Use 1/4 cup in a HE front loader, use 1/2 cup in a top loader. In my HE front loader, it dissolves perfectly
I use Vinegar as the fabric softener and add Mrs. White’s Liquid Bluing for the Whites load. The whites come out wonderful, the colors are bright and clean., and best of all, it is better for the environment.