Have you seen the make-your-own-laundry detergent on the internets lately? I thought I'd give it a try. It's super easy and actually a fun activity to get the kids to do.
4 lb box Super Washing Soda
4 lb 12oz box 20 Mule Team Borax
3 lb tub of OxiClean (I used the Sun brand which is much cheaper)*
4 lb box Baking Soda
3 bars of Fels-Naptha (found in the soap aisle and the detergent aisle at Walmart)**
This makes a LOT, so use a big pot to mix.
Grate the soap into the mix. My kids wondered why I was grating cheese in the bonus room. ;) Then they wanted to join the fun!
I stored mine in a 12.7qt box (found at Walmart) and it was the perfect size!
This is what I like about it:
~ Cost effective. It was about $20 to make, and according to several other Pinteresters that have tried it, it lasts about 9 months!
~ Smells FRESH!
~ No fillers. Judging from the variety of sizes/loads the name brand bottles boast, there doesn't seem to be consistency on what I was getting for the price.
~ It works! Now that we are spending lots of {muddy} time at the farm, I put my detergent power to the test. No stains! Yay!
Don't be alarmed when you don't see suds. In fact, you can use this in a HE front load machine because there are no/low suds. No more buying that "special" expensive HE detergent. Just be sure to check your owner's manual, as some front load machines have a little liquid detergent drawer than will need to be removed. For more FAQ's, check out this great website.
*The OxiClean is optional. I couldn't find a 3lb tub, so I just bought the 6lb tub and used half of it.
**In place of the Fels Naptha (yellow), you can also use Ivory bar soap(white), or Zote (pink). I have heard that Home Depot carries the Zote. It's really just a preference of smell/color.
11 comments:
What a handy dandy friend you are! I will definitely have to try that.
Oh my goodness, I never expected you to try something like this, but I would trust it now that you have! I'll have to check the FAQ's for the front loading machine because mine does have that little drawer for the liquid. But if it looks okay to use, I'll be borrowing some "shredders" from you! Fun!
I'm giggling because I posted about the laundry soap today too :)!! I'm switching back to Gain though, my homemade stuff was not getting my whites white. I'm not sure if it's our water or the soap. I am sad it's not working on my stuff :( How long have you been using yours? Are you using 1 Tablespoon? I'm thinking if there is a way to make mine work better that'd be awesome.
when discussing allergies, one of our doctors suggested using baking soda instead of even the hypo-allergenic detergent. so that's all we do -- just 1 - 1.5 c. baking soda & you're good to go! (but yours probably smells better w/ that falls neuse stuff, or whatever it's called, LOL.) ;)
Gretchen, that is awesome!! I have always wanted to try this and now I just will :). Where can I find the recipe for the measurements for the mix? GREAT post!
If I can figure out the HE drawer thingy, then I'm good to go. I bet you feel so Little House on the Prairie. Which, of course, is awesome. :)
I've been doing this for a little bit but my recipe doesn't have the OxyClean or Baking Soda. I used a Dr. Brommer's lavendar soap I found at target. Mostly because I love the smell! I'll have to try this out. I usually just add some baking soda to my gym clothes load to help the smell!
Hi I just found your blog surfing around. I have been meaning to try this. I might just try it! I like how you put it in a box instead of trying to find one of those giant heavy pail things...Thanks for the tips!
Kelly K
believingin1.blogspot.com
A couple of my friends here in Durham have done this and also gotten great results! I haven't tried it yet, but honestly I don't get good results from my machine--maybe I'd have better luck with this detergent?!
I finally made this using Zote instead of Fels Naptha. I love the pink and it smells great. I only used one bar because it is almost a pound. I have only washed one load and I hope I love it. A friend made this after I first saw it on your blog. She let me try some of hers before I pulled the trigger on making my own. Do you use fabric softener? I heard there is also a recipe on pintrest (I'm not on pintrest) for making your own fabric softener using hair conditioner, water and vinegar or something like that.
Oh and Happy Moving!
I'm giving it a try - my recipe was slightly different, so I split the diff. and we'll see what happens!
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