Homemade Laundry Detergent

Time to make another batch of homemade laundry detergent. I thought I would share with all of you how easy it is to make this. 

The recipes are all over the internet. There are several variations. If you make a batch you need to find a measurement that works for you and your laundry. It all depends if you have hard water or soft water, if you have well water, lake water, etc. 

This is the mix that works best for me. I have been using this for over 9 months now and I will never go back!

Supplies:

1 Fels-Naptha bar,

1 Cup WASHING Soda, (not baking soda) 

1 Cup Borax, 

1/4 Cup Purex Crystals

Supplies: Fels-Naptha bar, Washing soda, Borax, & Purex Crystals

I prefer to use my KitchenAid grater attachment to shred the soap. You can easily use a hand grater to do the same thing but it takes longer. The KitchenAid shreds it so fast and it is really easy to clean up. I scrub off the soap with some hot water and then run it through the dishwasher to make sure its food ready for the next use. 

You can make this batch any size you want with the 1:1:1 ratio

I happened to quadruple it this time because my neighbor and I both use this soap so we alternate making it and share the batches every few months. 

Once your soap is shredded, add the Washing Soda, Borax, and Purex Crystals into a large bowl. Use a spoon and gently mix the ingredients. (This will toss a little bit of powder in the air so chose your mixing area carefully.)

Store your detergent in a glass or plastic container.

Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load of laundry. I usually toss in 1 for a small load and 2 for a large or really dirty load. I toss in the clothes and put the soap on top, start it, and walk away.

A batch this size will last for MONTHS! At pennies per load this is worth it. My clothes smell good, all the regular dirt comes out, any extra dirty stains I usually hit it with a spray of shout before washing. 

Best part, by using the homemade detergent and the vinegar in place of laundry softener, I don't get that funky build up of detergent or softener and my washer never smells funny! 

Have you used homemade laundry soap? Do you like it?