This is a post my friend Lori did on her blog Moms By Heart. She has a great blog out of Texas, make sure you check it out. She has great ideas, she even makes her own laundry soap. I have many friends that do this. They all swear it works great, and it is super Thrifty!
Homemade Laundry Soap
I found several recipes, and most sounded pretty messy. As much as I want to save, I have no interest in standing over a stove stirring big batches of soap. But finally I came across this recipe that sounded pretty easy and decided to give it a try. I’m happy to report that I’ve been using it now for 9 months, and I give it a two thumbs up!
Here’s what you need:
2 Cups finely shredded bar soap (about one 4.5 oz bar)
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 Cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Each batch makes 4 cups laundry detergent and costs approx $.95-$1.00 to make. I use 2 tablespoons per load – yielding me 32 loads per batch ($.03 per load). This is for a super capacity washing machine!!! I make about 8-10 batches at a time so I don’t need to bother with it very often.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
– Stock up on bar soap when it’s on sale. My favorite is the Walgreens Gentle Bar. This goes on sale occasionally for $.25. It shreds nicely and doesn’t have an overpowering scent. I have also used Ivory and Fels Naptha.
– The Washing Soda and Borax are usually found on the top or bottom shelf in the laundry aisle (never at eye level). In my area, Washing Soda is $2.99 for 55 ounces. Borax is $3.59 for 76 ounces. I find both at Wal Mart.
Wanna save even more? Recently I sent an email to Borax HEREcomplimenting them on their product and asking for coupons. They sent me 10 coupons for $1.00 off! Doesn’t hurt to ask!
My 6 year old was put to work today shredding soap! This is the most unpleasant part of the process because it can be a bit messy. It also produces a strong soap smell – don’t worry, your clothes won’t smell like this. Luckily this detergent lasts so long that I only need to make it every 3-4 months.
Find a plastic container with a tight-closing lid to store your detergent. This one use to hold my household file folders!
If you try this, I’d love to have your feedback! I don’t miss the store brands at all!
Although I must confess that I do miss the smell of Downy Liquid fabric softener. It’s one of the things I miss the most since revamping our budget. If anyone has a recipe for this, I’m happy to give it a try!