for those of you that follow me, you might have read that i make my own laundry detergent...i've tried several different ones and after months of making it, i finally found one that i really like....everything that you read here is my own personal opinion and i'm not getting paid to write this...LOL
while searching on
Pinterest, you can also follow me here by clicking on the link, i found this recipe...it is from
Being Creative To Keep My Sanity , and you can click on the link to take you to her blog...so far i'm really liking this one...i almost gave up on doing the homemade thing...i think having the right ratio is key here....i have really hard water that leaves horrible deposits on my tubs and sinks...i read that plays a big part in getting the right mix...i wasn't happy with the previous ones because they just didn't seem to be cleaning...i knew that you could have a positive experience based on what others said...i did a sniff test on each load i did today and they don't have a stinch that the other detergent recipes seemed to leave...now, on to the recipe....
so what is in this recipe?
1- 4 lb box Borax
1- 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1- 4lb box Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
3 bars of Fels-naptha soap
2 small containers of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean
Use 1 to 2 Tablespoons per load
i did change one thing here...i used 2 bars of zote instead of the fels naptha...the zote soap bars are larger than the fels...i've never used fels naptha but i heard its basically the same type of soap and people have good results with it...they are both a mexican type laundry soap...
how do you make it?
the first thing you need to do is to shred your zote soap....a hand grater is great to shred the soap...you want it to look like grated cheese when you are done....after the soap is shredded, lay it out on a cookie sheet to dry out...i promise it makes it easier in the end....for those that can't find washing soda, i read that you can bake baking soda and it will have a chemical reaction and turn into washing soda....i did this...baked about 45 minutes on 450....it did feel different when i took it out....its safe to bake because it only gives off carbon dioxide which is ok since its not a large amount...i still ran my vent above the stove since i'm funny about stuff like that....it didn't kill me...LOL....also, i read that it can be put in microwave for 10 minutes...it made mine quit so i had to resort to the oven method...after the zote is good and dry you need to put it in a food processor...you might want to let this dry for a few days...don't wait til you run out of soap to start making this...people do, but like i said, its way easier if its dry....i have a ninja so it chops up super fine....for those that don't have a processor, its ok...just take your hands and mash it up...will be fine if its not too small...i've never had a problem with it melting and i hardly ever use hot water....now, just mix everything together...its easy and so worth trying....
the following things i'm listing are tips that are good to follow for those who never made this before:
*a few weeks before you shred your soap, open it and leave it sitting out...it helps the soap to dry out so its easier to work with....i chopped mine up with a knife and just left it in a bowl sitting on my dryer....everyday i stirred it up so it would dry evenly.....
*its a good idea to do all of your mixing outside...even putting it in the food processor...the zote soap produces a horrible dust when you put it in the processor...it made me sneeze alot...or at least wear some type of mask...
*the best way to mix this is in a bucket....i used an old chlorine bucket that i washed out...i would say it is about half the size of an orange home depot bucket....
*i use this to clean other things too...carpet, dirty shoes, soaking stained clothes in sink...
*i use 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons)seems like it would not be enough? read on your laundry containers of how much you are
actually supposed to use...alot of us are really over using in this department....i can bet my kids do when they wash
*i have a front loader HE washer and i add it into the wash before i start the load...i have used in in the soap dispenser but i think it works better by adding it first, directly in with the clothes...
how much does it cost to make?
this is about what it will cost to make:
prices are estimated based on which store you go to
borax- $3.79
washing soda- $3.59
baking soda- $2.21
zote- .89 to $1.19
oxyclean- $1.00 at dollar tree (i don't have a prb using off brand)
this makes about 15lbs of detergent...at 2 Tablespoons a load...thats a lot
how long will it last?
according to other sites, a family of 4 can use this for about 9 months...i'm not sure really...we have six people and i do ALOT of laundry....i surely will update when i'm near the end of the bucket....
does this leave residue on the clothes or cause fading?
alot of people have expressed concern over this...i wash about 99.9% of my clothes in cold water...i've never had anything left on the clothes....not even on black and we have a lot of black clothes...i've never noticed any fading...
does this detergent make whites dingy?
this is a hard question for me to answer....there have been reports of yes and no...i have hard water and over the years i've noticed that my towels are not as white....i only wash whites with whites and colors with colors....i have a well so i'm sure that plays a part on how detergents work...on the back of the borax box it says its for hard water....
how does this compare to brands like tide and gain?
i've never used tide...i just couldn't see myself paying that much since i'm so
cheap thrifty...i have to say that gain is my favorite detergent of all times...i also think its a little pricey, but it SMELLS so good!! the homemade detergent does not have the scent that pricey detergents have....so in my opinion, with the clothes that i wash, i think that it cleans as well as gain...also, you can buy gain scented essential oil online...the oil can be added into the baking soda....your out of pocket cost will increase....as much as i would like the awesome scent, i will stick to my frugalness and not use it...
is it safe for a HE machine?
totally safe....even the borax box says its HE safe...never had one issue with it...
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| my soap jar and fabric softner sheets...if someone will teach me how to use this silhouette machine, i can put some fancy smancy vinyl on it!!! |
thanks for taking the time to read about my adventures in making laundry detergent...its not for everybody...people rely on convenience...isn't it so much easier just to run in the grocery store and grab a jug of detergent??...for some of us, we rely on price...some of us enjoy making stuff too!!
Peace, Love, & Joy
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