HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Back by request again is the homemade laundry detergent recipe. I was making a double batch this morning so I thought I would show you a picture!

It is VERY EASY to make and only costs about $.03 per load versus about $.21 for Tide. It gets my clothes very clean and they smell fresh like you hung them outside!

1/2 bar Fels Naptha Soap
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Grate soap into pot. I used a potato peeler or you could use a grater. Add 6 cups water and heat until soap melts. Remove pot from heat and add washing soda and borax. Lower heat to medium high and return pot to heat. Stir until dissolved and mixture is no longer real thick.

Put 4 cups of water into clean 2 gallon bucket (you can see the bucket I used). Add hot soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of cold water. Stir. Pour into empty laundry detergent bottles or whatever you have. Shake before using. Use 1 cap (1/2 cup) for regular loads. For extremely dirty loads, you can use 2 caps. (Wouldn't it be funny if someone thought the milk bottle filled with detergent was curdled milk!!)

After I make it I go back and shake/stir it every once in a while. I have made it and did not stir until 24 hours later. The mixture will be gel like. If you stir more often, it will resemble real laundry detergent! I made mine and stirred it occasionally for about 1 1/2 hours and it looks just like Tide without the color to it! And yes...it is good for HE front loading machines. It is a non-sudsing detergent. I have been using this for over a year now and I love it!

But that doesn't stop me from buying laundry detergent when I can get it for a good price. I have about 55 bottles of Tide and All in my garage that I paid about $1 each for! I guess you can say I am good on laundry detergent. That means I don't need to be buying it every so many weeks eating into my grocery budget!