Frugal Home Series Part 1: Homemade Laundry Detergent

Frugal Home Series Part 1:  Homemade Laundry Detergent

I love me some laundry.  It reminds me of my mom.  She loves it, too, and growing up our house always smelled like clean laundry detergent and softener.  Our clothes were always perfectly cared for, folded when they were warm so that they wouldn't wrinkle.  She never taught us how to really do laundry until it was time to go to college.  I thought it used to be because she didn't want us to ruin our clothes (or hers), but I really think it was because she loved to do it.

{Side story- when we were living in Prague, my Mom and Dad had to fly to the states to go house hunting in Kansas.  I was a sophomore in high school and my brother was a freshman in college.  My sister was 13.  My parents left Danny me in charge for a few days while they were out of the country.  It was awesome- I cooked, cleaned, and did laundry (thanks to a cheat sheet my mom left for me!  This is where my love affair with laundry began). I made sure the doors were locked at night, that we made it to school every morning, that we had lunch money (which had to be rationed because the star of this story hoarded her lunch money for a week to pierce her belly button when she was 13.  Yeeep).  Mini-mom at work.  It went great, except for when my little sister decided to sneak out of the house, run downtown with one of her friends, and then go "missing" for a few hours until her friend's sister tracked them down.  O. M. G. what a brat.  You might be thinking, "WHAT were her parents thinking?!"  My brother was in college, so I don't think they were thinking anything except that we are great kids and I was born with the soul of a 30-year-old (so says my mom).  That Chrissy- always been a rat!  Gotta love her!}

Anyways,detergent.

In the fall, I made dry detergent with my students (they loved it, as did their parents) and used it until I ran out (I loved it, too).  Can I make a confession?  Even though it's not true, I feel like dry soap doesn't get things as clean as liquid does.  Lame, I know.  It's in my crazy head.

SO, I figured I'd try making the same detergent, but in liquid form.  Love it 10x more!

Ingredients:

I left the baking soda out this time, but if you want BRIGHT whites, add 1/2 cup to the whole mix.

•  1 Bar Fels Naptha Laundry Soap {not natural, but only $1!  If this irritates your skin, or your baby's, then my sis-in-law uses 2 bars Ivory and you can also use Castile.  I made some with Ivory as well and love it, too.  Don't use anything with a lot of oil- it's awful for your clothes (but great for your skin!)}

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Washing Soda
• 1 gallon + 1 pint water
• Optional- 1/2 cup baking soda

Directions

• Grate the bar of soap as explained in this post (cheese grater!).
• Bring a quart of water (4 cups) to a boil on the stove and slowly add the soap, stirring gently (not all at once.  Trust me).
• Reduce the heat and let it simmer gently until all of the pieces of soap are melted/dissolved.

• Add the borax and washing soda and stir until they are dissolved.
• Pour the soap/borax/soda mixture into a large container and slowly add a gallon of hot water to it.
• Stir until the mixture is well mixed.
• Let it sit overnight. It will "gel" together.
• Stir or shake the soap each time you use it.
• Use 1/4 cup for a front loading washer. Use 1/2 cup for a top loading washer. 

There are 16 cups in one gallon.  We made 1 gallon + 1 quart, which is 20 cups total.  One load is 1/2 cup, so this recipe will make 40 loads.  Total cost is:
Bar of soap:  $1
Water:  Free
Borax: $.34 (9 cups per box, $3 per box.  We use 1 cup)
Washing Soda:  $.40 (same reason as Borax)
=
$1.75 for 40 loads, or about a nickel per load.
Using Ivory soap is even a little cheaper.
Yes.

The dry detergent post I linked to will have a printable, or you can use this one!

Next- Cheap, amazing fabric softener.  You are going to hide in a cave in embarrassment after you see how much money you are wasting on Downy!

*Edit 3.25.12:
The first time I made this, it came out to be a nice, consistent thickness without any "glops".  I think it's because I was so anxious for it to cool and be ready for use that I kept shaking it.  Since then, I have made it countless time (I have been using this detergent for several months and love it more and more everyday!) and there are several "glops".  Now, once cool, I like to run it through a sieve so it's a nice, even consistency.  Works like a charm.
I have been making batching with Ivory soap to use on my gentle cycle in place of Woolite and it's great.  For a full batch, I use 2 bars of soap.
A recycled gallon-size vinegar container is the perfect storage!

Please read my laundry update here after using this product for a few months!