Homemade Laundry Detergent

Laundry. 

This comes to mind...

 I like to save money and in case you do to, this post is for you. I mean, laundry detergent is expensive! Sheesh! I spent about $20 on all of the ingredients and this batch lasts my family of FIVE about a year. 

I never thought that I would find myself asking my husband to make laundry detergent with me but, we enjoyed such a random challenge! Thank you Blake, you're so helpful!

Before I tell you all about this project, I have to tell you about a precious friend of mine. My sweet friend Tina Holton that I met while living in White House, TN, inspired me to make this detergent! She let me borrow some one day and it's been on my to-do list ever since. Almost two years later, and living in Florida, here we go! Tina is one of those hospitable, truth speaking, truth seeking, caring people that I was blessed to have in my life! She now lives in Colorado with her husband and two dogs...and they LOVE it. We are so happy for them!  

I remember those lazy afternoons waiting on baby Jude to arrive where she would come over, we'd make chocolate covered strawberries, sit in the sunroom discussing life, Florida, husbands, blessings, and burdens...over Zaxby's Zalads. Good ol' Megan, Jennifer, and Kelsey would also be there with us and we'd have some quality girl time! I remember having adventures on her boat, when she opened up her home to us for Thanksgiving when we couldn't travel two years ago, and that she loved and respected her husband. She always had the best bonfires in her backyard and always made me feel loved! Thank you for being my friend, for your nifty laundry detergent recipes, the countless coupons you would send my way, and for your encouraging cards that I get in the mail faithfully each holiday! You are one of a kind and I love you!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

One 4lb box of baking soda

One 4lb 12oz box of Borax

One box of 3lb 7ox Super Washing Soda

3 bars of Felz-Naptha soap (or a box of already shredded soap)

2 small containers of your favorite oxy-clean type cleaner

Scent crystals if you prefer to add them

I found all of these items on the laundry isle at Wal-Mart. 

I think I only spent like $20 on the whole project and this detergent is supposed to last 1-2 years! 

I don't have time to sit and do the math, I just know it makes sense! 

DIRECTIONS

1. First, get out few large dishes or pans because you'll need a lot of space to mix these ingredients. Also, get out a cutting board, knife, and blender, food processor, or grater. There are also bags of pre-shredded soap which I've been using. SO MUCH EASIER.  

(You may want some encouraging music on while you do this because grating that soap isn't easy haha!)

2. Mix all ingredients except the bars of soap at first

3. Cut the soap into small cubes/chunks about the size of a small marshmallow

4. Place a handfull of chunks into the blender and remove them 

5. Mix all ingredients together, add scented crystals if desired, and store in large container. 

I use 2-4 TBS (some people only use 2 TBS) per load and I like to add the detergent with the water before the clothes go in because I like to make sure it dissolves well. So far, we like this stuff and it seems to work best on medium-large loads. I used it on one of those loads where I crammed all the clothes in and hoped the lid would shut... and it didn't clean so well. (you know what I'm talking about... clothes never get clean that way haha) 

this is what it should look like :)

It makes A TON! Happy detergent making, friends!