DIY Laundry Detergent

Did you know that you can make your own laundry detergent and its easy and sooooo cheap?

Well, ya can!!!

After trying a few different recipes, I have found the one that works best for me and my families clothes. I found every one of the ingredients at our local Walmart and made it in my kitchen in 10-15 minutes. Interested????

Now that I have established a quick and effective recipe, I couldn't be happier with the results. My detergent needs to be able to clean clothes involved in sports, lacquer, animal fun, and chocolate milk. This recipe surely cleans it all!

Ingredients: 

• Borax ($3.83)
• Washing Soda ($1.99)
• Fels-Naptha bar ($.99)
• Blue Dawn dish soap ($1.98) 

**all found in laundry department**

I keep and recycle any containers (preferably 1 gallon) that I feel are sturdy enough and easy to pour for my detergent. I had a few laundry containers, OJ containers, and milk containers that I used and work great.  Also, a FUNNEL definitely helps and only cost me $.99 in the auto department at Walmart.



The 1st step:

Take you Fels-Naptha and grate it down like cheese. (it really does look like cheese so don't leave it out ! ;)

*I store any left over for the next batch so I don't have to grate every time.

Step 2:

For every 2 containers, use 1/3 cup of the grated fels-naptha to 1/3 water in a saucepan on LOW until melted. 

 

 



                                                                             

Step 3:

Line up all your containers in assembly line style . Using the funnel, add  3tbsp of Borax,

                3tbsp Washing Soda, and 2tbsp Dawn to each container.

Step 4:
Add your 1/3 cup melted Fels-naptha and water mix into each container. Using a large glass measuring cup is best because its hot or just eye ball it and divide evenly into each container.

Step 5:
Add 4 cups hot tap water to each container and swirl to dissolve ingredients.



Step 6:

Fill each container with cold tap water. Bubbles will rise, so you can fill until you see bubbles then wait to fill again or just drain out some of the bubbles. Either way works.

That's it, Your done!!!! It will form a little bit of gel on top, so shake before you use. You can use as little or as much as you want really, but 1/2 Cup is plenty. Also, if you want stronger cleaning power, double the ingredients to each container. Play with it to fit your families needs. I started using the dawn in my recipe bc its a degreaser and works great on my husbands work clothes. If you want a more girly scent, add few drops of your favorite essential oil into in ;) Bc of the low suds, it works for HE washers too!!! yipppy!! Its So cheap and easy! I use some of the ingredients for my dish detergent, all purpose cleaner too (look for posts on how soon) that I make ,and I have yet to run out! These products are super cheap and last for a long time bc you don't need much. I'm not a math wiz, but found that it cost less then $.19 for each gallon of laundry detergent to make!!! You really can't beat that!!! For only pennies, its worth a try......and then you can thank me later ;) and maybe take me to coffee to celebrate all the $ your saving!

written by Brandi

Posted in: borax,cheap,dawn,detergent,fels-naptha,how to,laundry,make,saves money,washing soda