DIY: Laundry Soap

I know I've mentioned this before, but it's so great that it deserves its own blog post.

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Last summer I decided to try to make my own laundry detergent.  I hated (still hate) buying laundry detergent and all those other cleaners.  They cost too much, don't last long enough, and most of them are in gigantic plastic containers with weird/dangerous chemicals.

I first tried a Pinterest idea for a liquid/gel-y kind of detergent.  It was pretty easy to make, but after using it for about a month I realized that it was HORRIBLE.

Our clothes still STUNK after being washed.  At least the ones that stunk before.  Sure they got clean, but if we got even a little bit stinky that smell would not be gone.

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So I decided to try one more recipe for homemade detergent and then just give in to the nasty detergent up if it didn't work.


Well, it worked out wonderfully!  It's incredibly easy to make and most of what you buy for the first batch will last you throughout the next two batches.  YES!  I even added a little extra of my own things to make it even better.

Here's what you need:
     ▪  2 cups of Borax
     ▪  2 cups of washing soda
     ▪  1 bar of Fels-Naptha (grated - I just used my cheese grater)
     ▪  1 cup of Oxiclean
     ▪  10+ drops of any essential oil you desire (for scent. It doesn't add that much scent to it, but I think if you were to play with it you could add more to make it have more of a stronger scent)
     ▪  1/2 cup of baking soda  (because what CAN'T baking soda be used for?)


Put everything into a large bowl and mix well.  Store in any kind of container and viola!  You have homemade laundry detergent that will make your whites whiter and your brights brighter!  Okay, not really, but you get the idea.

I have a tablespoon measuring spoon in my container and I usually use about two tablespoons for large loads and just eyeball it from there for smaller loads.

It's not supposed to get all sudsy and bubbly, so don't freak out if it doesn't do that.

This lasted us about 5 months.  We usually do about 3-4 loads every two weeks.  That should give you an idea for how long it will last you.

Now, off to do laundry!