DIY: Laundry Soap

What I hate most about doing laundry is the detergent. Paying almost $20 for a bottle that claims it will last 96 washes - in my house I beg to differ. My husband works a construction job, I work with kids. I do laundry every days, sometimes multiple washes in a day. And it seems like commercial detergent packs up with all the missing socks and high-tails it out of our house. It can be frustrating.

My mom and a family friend started making their own laundry detergent several years ago and I recently started doing it as well. Let me tell you, it is worth the time it takes to make it! Our clothes are brighter, cleaner, smell fresher, and the homemade detergent is gentler on our clothes because it lacks a lot of the harsh chemicals found in other detergents.

One recipe for laundry detergent I use is fairly simple.

1. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - value box
2. 20 Mule Team Borax
3. Fels-Naptha
4. Ivory bar soap
5. *OPTIONAL* Arm & Hammer laundry detergent or another powdered laundry soap

(I say "one recipe" because it changes each time I make it. I like to experiment. But this is my recipe for my latest batch.)

This recipe makes A LOT of soap, so I suggest getting a large tub or even a 5 gallon bucket from your local hardware store for this. (Don't forget the lid! You don't want moisture to get into your dry soap!)

STEP 1

Empty all the powdered soaps into your container. I used an industrial sized food tray and that was almost too small.

STEP 2

Next, grab your cheese grater and someone with strong arms. Grate the Ivory and Fels-Naptha bar soaps into the powdered soap mixture. I find it easier to "bury" my cheese grater in the powder and grate the bars across it. This way the grater doesn't move as much and you don't have to worry about holding it in place, and the soap curls don't fly all over.

STEP 3

Mix it up! As I said, this is easier done in a 5 gallon bucket or a larger container/tub, but all I had was my metal tray and I got soap all over the table, floor, and myself.

When you're finished mixing the soap curls into the powder, store in a cool, dry place with an air-tight lid. I stored mine in four different Tupperware containers. This recipe makes about 12 pounds of laundry detergent and will last for several months. And what's better is the cost!

Arm & Hammer Powdered Laundry Detergent . . . . . $4.17

20 Mule Team Borax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.97

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Value Box . . . . . . . . . $2.24

Fels Naptha (2 bars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1.94

Ivory (2 bars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.66

Total with tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.89

For $14 and a little elbow grease, I'll have laundry soap to last us until Spring.

God bless, lovelies!