Make your own Laundry Detergent = Save some $$

Here is a recipe that my mom has been using to make her own laundry detergent. The cost per load comes out to $.03c ! That was enough to convince me! As soon as my current bottle is gone (it's almost there), I'm going to try my own as well. She says it works great and doesn't leave any suds in the washer, and also you can reduce or even eliminate using softeners as well.

The recipe she's been using is for liquid detergent, but I also have a powdered detergent recipe, but the dry recipe comes out to be $.15c per load, as opposed to the $.03c. I'll include both.

Liquid Laundry Detergent:

3 pints Water

1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated

1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer - NOT baking soda)

1/2 cup "20 Mule Team Borax"

2 Gallon bucket to mix it in

1 Quart hot water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened and remove from heat. Add 1 quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and mix well. Fill bucket completely with additional hot water and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours or until mixture thickens. You may add additional HOT water if the mixture becomes too thick. Mix well before each use (a dowel works well) Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Makes 64 loads.

Here's a pic of the finished product.

Powdered Laundry Detergent:

1 cup grated Fels Naptha soap

1/2 cup "20 mule team Borax"

1/2 cup Washing Soda

Mix together and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 TBSP. For normal loads, use 2 TBSP. For heavy loads, use 3 TBSP.

For larger batch: Grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha soap and then add 3 cups of washing soda, and 3 cups of "20 mule team Borax". Mix well and store in covered container.

Make sure you keep the detergent tightly sealed, and kept away from small children!