8/19/2008

Homemade Laundry Detergent- It Works!

I FINALLY made the homemade laundry detergent. I have an HE washer, and it seems to work well. Of course, I was putting most all of the ingredients in there anyway! I saved three of the old laundry detergent (ultra liquid) containers, and filled all three PLUS I still had half a bucket full. I just kept it in there and scooped it out, although a milk jug would be good too. I use as much as recommended by my laundry machine manufacturer in the soap dispenser and did not add fabric softener. AND I hang my clothes to dry. They were still soft and CLEAN!

This is the recipe I used:

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

  • In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
  • In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
  • Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).
I chose this one because I wanted to see it gel (and it did!) and it did not seem to make an atrocious amount. I also added 10 drops of Phthalate Free Fragrance Oil in Clothesline Fresh from GoPlanetEarth.com. I probably should have added more, but there is a subtle scent.

Altogether, this had to of costs not more than $2.00 for all of it. And there is a lot! Let me know if you try it!



3 comments:

Deanna Caswell said...

ME!!! I've used it for months. LOVE IT. And if anyone tells you it doesn't work, it's probably their water. They just need to use a bit more. Whitest whites ever. And, you can use it to pretreat stains, scrub the bathroom floor, tub, and supposedly put it in the dishwasher.

www.littlehouseinthesuburbs.com

Kathleen K. said...

What kind of soap do you use?

Unknown said...

I have put it in the dishwasher in a pinch- and it did work- since it does not sud it is perfect.

I use Fels Naptha. I got it at my local grocery. I have also used Zope- which was pink- and had some fragrance. It was at Big Lots so it was real cheap!

 
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