2011 Goals - Share More/Spend Less: Share More Monday - Homemade Laundry Detergent

In an effort to focus on spending less as 1 of my goals for 2011, I began researching homemade laundry detergent online.  I found recipes for liquid detergent, as well as powder detergent.  I will be honest, I don't like powder detergent (at least the store-bought kind!).  I did not, however, have any desire to make up a batch of liquid detergent in a huge bucket to sit in my laundry room.  I am trying to declutter and adding anything else to my laundry room would be a step in the wrong direction. 

After lots of research, I formulated my own recipe for powdered laundry detergent that is based on all of the research I had done online.  I am sharing my recipe with you today in an effort to show you how to remove dangerous chemicals and toxins from your clothing (it touches you all day folks!) and also to save money by going back to basics

This recipe is super simple and may remind you of the smell of your grandmother's laundry room!

Ingredients:

1 Box of Borax

1 Large Box of BAKING Soda

1 Large Box of Super WASHING Soda

1 Bar of Fels-Naphtha

Other Needs:

Container(s) for Finished Detergent

1 cup Measuring Cup

Bowl

Cheese Shredder

Food Processor (optional)

Directions:

STEP 1:

In your empty container, add 1 cup of Borax...

..... and 1 cup of Washing Soda.

I am making 4 batches at the same time...

STEP 2:

Next, get your bowl, cheese shredder,

and 1 bar of Fels-Naptha...

Shred the Fels-Naphta.

Don't leave this sitting around in the bowl unattended!  

My kids thought it was cheese.... just sayin!!

STEP 3:

Add 1 cup of Baking Soda to the Fels-Naptha shreds.

STEP 4:

Add the mix of Baking Soda and Fels-Naptha to a food

processor.  I use a tiny one I bought for cheap!

You can hand-stir the mixture, but I have well water

and wanted to be SURE that the soap dissolves completely.

This is what it looks like after it has been processed:

STEP 5:

Add your chopped mixture to the container of

Borax and Washing Soda from earlier.

STEP 6:

Secure the lid on your container and shake, mix,

and tumble the mixture around until it is completely

mixed up.  Again, I have made 4 batches at once.

STEP 7:

Wash until your heart is content!  The beauty of this recipe is that

it only requires 1 TABLESPOON of mix per regular load of laundry!!

If you have heavily soiled laundry or if you feel that your water is too

hard to wash with the 1 tablespoon then 2 tablespoons may be used.

FAQ #1 - How Much Does it Make/Cost?

I purchased my products at Walmart, but they can certainly be found

elsewhere, including grocery stores. 

Borax = $3.36

Washing Soda = $2.77

Baking Soda = $2.16

Fels-Naptha =$0.97

I was able to make 5 batches from the powders listed above. 

You then have to add in the cost of 1 bar of Fels-Naptha per batch. 

This means you end up spending only $2.63 per batch!!

FAQ #2 - How Much Savings?

I generally wash at least 1 load of laundry every day. 

Using the recommended 1 tablespoon

of homemade detergent recipe,

it lasts me approximately a month!

Considering I was spending $9.97 for store-bought detergent

and another $4.97 for fabric softener

every 2 to 3 weeks, it is a HUGE savings!

FAQ #5 - How Does It Smell?

It smells wonderful!  The powders themselves do not really

have a smell, but the Fels-Naptha has a pleasant, fresh

smell.  You can add essential oils to the wash water if you

prefer a different smell, but I do not see any need to do so.

FAQ #4 - What About Fabric Softener?

I will be doing a separate post on fabric softener

next Monday, so be sure to check back! 

You will LOVE how simple it is

and it costs LITERALLY pennies! 

I hope you have enjoyed learning about homemade laundry detergent!

Comments make me smile!
I would love to hear your thoughts! 
Leave me a Comment below!

Have a Blessed Day!!

Katie Burke

Stampin' Up!® Independent Demonstrator

Pine Mountain / LaGrange, Georgia

http://www.bellabdesigns.com/

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