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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Homemade Laundry detergent....for real!

If you hadn't guessed already, I'm a big fan of being
thrifty. I love it!! I think I feel empowered by being
a cheapskate. Is that weird?

Laundry detergent.

everybody uses it. But did you know that...I'm only
spending $.03 per load (not counting utilities of course)?
And the really great thing is that I can use it in my
he washer and my cloth diapers! Are you interested yet?
(I sound like a salesman...sorry)

Homemade Laundry detergent

1 bar Fels Naptha (it's in the laundry aisle)
6 Cups water
1 cup borax (also in the laundry aisle)
1 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda..trust me)
Grate your soap. I was able to use my food processor.
Combine soap flakes and water in a sauce pan.
heat on low just long enough for the soap to
dissolve.
Okay, when your soap is dissolved pour it into a
5 gallon bucket. You heard me right....5 gallons!
Add your borax and washing soda and whisk like
a mad woman. Now, with the pot you used earlier
add water to the bucket. Each time you add water
you need to whisk. It's important. When you get
within 3 inches from the top of the bucket, stop.
Pull on some rubber gloves and give that goop a
good whisking. Make sure to get down to the bottom
with that whisk.
Now, if you have any empty laundry soap containers
just use your trusty funnel and fill that puppy up with
your lovely homemade soap. Sometimes I add 10-15
drops of essential oil to the container after I've ladled
it in. Lemon grass is heavenly. I've also heard good things
about lavender and orange. If you do this, make sure it's
essential oils. I get mine at my neighborhood health food
store. Yea for Earth Fare!




4 comments:

  1. I make my own too! But right after I melt down the bar of soap I put the borax and washing soda in so the heat will desolve it and then I add it to the rest of the water. Just a helpful hint for next time :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I see this in my future.


    -Kellie
    http://sixtieshome.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have done this recipe 6 times so far and it is always awesome...but it gets a jelly consistency...why is that? I can break it up with gloves on, but at first it is one large bucket of congealed soap!

    ReplyDelete

I don't think I've ever told you this, but I like your comments best of all......shhh don't tell.