Homemade Laundry Detergent

After several attempts at trying different recipes for homemade laundry soap, I finally found an awesome recipe that is much cheaper than commercial laundry detergents, easy to put together, easy to store and doesn't leave a white residue on my darks. I got this recipe from  How Does She? only I've slightly changed the recipe by using 4 Fels Naptha bars instead of 2 Zote bars (I like the smell of the Fels Naptha better) and I haven't tried putting the soap in the microwave - I just grate the bars and add them to the mix. I also gave this recipe a more appealing name J (in my humble opinion).

Although I have a top loader washing machine, this recipe works great for HE washers too because there are no suds. I know, because I've passed this on to a friend of mine who has been using it for a while now in her HE washer. 

Besides the satisfaction of that homesteading feeling that I made my own laundry detergent, the other and more beneficial reason I started making it was in effort to find a more cost efficient detergent as laundry soap was one of my biggest expenses.  I am still in the process of calculating exactly how much this all costs per load, but I do know that I spent less than $40 and it has lasted me months!

HOMESTEADER’S DRY LAUNDRY DETERGENT

  

1 box (4lb 12 oz) Borax

1 box Arm & Hammer Super WASHING Soda

1 box (4lb) Arm & Hammer BAKING Soda

1 Container (3lb) Oxy Clean

2 bars (14.1 oz) Fels Naptha or Zote or any other bar soap you wish finely grated

1 – 2 bottles (55oz) Purex Crystals Fabric Softener (depending on how strongly perfumed you want your clothes)

Using tall kitchen gloves, mix all ingredients thoroughly in a WELL VENTILATED area – like outside. Store detergent in a dry container – You can use the Purex Crystals and Oxy Clean containers as well.

TO USE: add 2 Tablespoons to your laundry water (DON’T be tempted to add more – that’s all you need!)

TIP FOR WHITER WHITES (for top loader washers only): Wash Whites hot water and add 2 Tablespoons of Dawn Original liquid dish soap in addition to the 2 Tablespoons of detergent.