Laundry Detergent 101

I've been a terrible blogger this year.  I know i have to apologize every time I come back to blog again.  Its been a busy year already.  However, I dug out some time to make something I have been meaning to get around to forever...my own laundry detergent.  It may seem silly to make your own, but I don't care how it seems.  I enjoyed it and it makes for a great money saver!  Always a bonus point for an activity.  

Once again Pinterest was my muse!  Isn't it always?!  There are about 100 different recipes for DIY laundry detergent; therefore some decisions must be made.  Liquid or Dry?  All natural or Semi-natural?  Etc.?  I decided on dry and all natural.   

My ingredients of choice:

Borax:  A natural laundry booster.  $2.98

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda:  A washing specific baking soda.  ~ $3.50, maybe less.

Bar of Fels Naptha Soap:  A laundry specific soap.  .97 cents

You can use any soap you wish.  Some sites I read while doing research used Dr. Bonners Lavender Bar Castile Soap from Target, Ivory, Dove.  Whatever you have lying around will work.  Don't consider the scent when making your choice.  It won't last past the rinse cycle anyway.

So all in all, ingredients less than $8.  The washing soda and borax are large boxes and will make a large number of batches.  So a single batch is a guesstimated less than $1.50.  Maybe even less.  A batch will complete approximately 40 loads according to the websites I read.  I haven't tested the theory yet as I haven't completely used my first batch. 

Next task after gathering your ingredients:  Grate the bar of soap.

I have an older grated from a garage sale I used.  This is a bit time consuming.  Like 30 minutes or so if you are going slow and watching Teen Mom like I was.  Be careful at the end when the bar of soap is small that you don't grate your finger like my husband did.  Not a pleasant experience.

After grating is complete, place the gratings in to the canister of your choosing.

Add 2 cups of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda.

Final addition is 2 cups of Borax.

Shake to mix.

Voila.  Your very own homemade laundry detergent.

I have loved it.  I place a tablespoon scoop into each load.  I use this old coffee scoop I had lying around.

As you can see, I didn't make a large batch.  I wanted to make sure I liked it before I spent anymore time on it.  Next time I would double or even triple the batch so I won't have to remake it for a months and months and months.  Although this single batch I made is going to last us a pretty long time.  We have been using it for a month and it barely looks used.  We don't make as much laundry as some of you, but between the 3 of us, we make our fair share.  Yes 3 of us.  Paisley, although she is a dog, creates her own laundry after baths and walks in the rain in particular.

I do however, love when my laundry smells yummy.  And that is not a possibility with this all natural recipe.  The clothes come out clean, but unscented.  So I add a tiny sprinkle of Downy UnStoppables!  Its merely a scent booster.  I sprinkle it on top after loading the clothes in and my clothes come out smelling super fresh!

UnStoppables are not necessary a cheap option, but I love them too much to care.  I always buy them when on sale and preferably on sale with a coupon.  I also only use about a 1/4 of what the bottle recommends.

I hope you get inspired to create your own reicpe.  There are so many possibilities.