Homemade Laundry Detergent

Photo By: Chandra Brown
Ingredients for Dry Laundry Detergent
 

Who knew laundry detergent could be so cheap?

Borax                    64 oz. (approximately 9 cups)     $2.99
Ivory Soap            10 count   (3.1 oz.)                       $4.25
Washing Soda      55 oz. (approximately 7 Cups)     $7.35

*Baking Soda       64 oz. (approximately 9 Cups)     $4.67

Ingredients: Makes approximately 36 loads (1/4 cup per load)
3 cups Borax
3 cups finely grated soap  (1 bar) (Ivory, or other natural soap)
3 cups washing soda

Mix together, Voila!

I spent about $3.03 for 36 load homemade, allergy-free detergent. Compare that to All Free and Clear 36 load detergent for $7.25.

When I first started the ingredients seemed out of reach at local chain stores but with some gumption I was able to find everything needed.  Washing soda seems to be the hardest ingredient to find locally but there's a trade secret with a simple chemistry twist that makes this task simple as pie.

*How to Make Washing Soda:
Pour 3 cups Baking Soda into a large glass dish. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, stirring frequently until powder turns to crystal form. Three cups takes approximately 1 hour baking time. Store in a tightly sealed jar. Label it. Baking the soda changes the chemical composition; for explanation of how this change happens, click here.

Tips:
Many users of homemade detergent say they achieve best results with warm water.

You MUST finely grate the soap. Larger flakes tend to clump in the washer. Fine grating assures dissolution.

It is also recommended to start your washer, let it fill with some water then add detergent and give
the water a swirl before adding clothes, this helps the soap flakes dissolve better. Or for those with more modern machines that add the detergent in the cycle; do not overload the bin with clothes for best results.

If you have hard water, add more washing soda. This will help soften the water. (1/2- 1 cup extra washing soda, you may have to adjust amount higher or lower)

If you want to have a scent, you can add a few drops essential oils of your choice to the soap flakes before mixing with powders.

Make sure you click on the highlighted words throughout the post. They give you other uses for these ingredients as well as what the ingredients are made of. One of the uses I was drawn to and plan to try is the dishwashing detergent. The recipe is simple 50/50 of borax and baking soda. Can you imagine the savings on this product?

Let me know how you end up using Borax and Baking Soda. I think we'll be surprised at the simple brilliance of these natural products.

Happy wash day! I have never been so excited to do a load of wash.

If you want some inspiration and motivation for making household changes. Watch Chemerical, a documentary about your average families journey to rid toxic products from their house.