About three months ago, a friend offered me some of her homemade laundry detergent to try. I am using the word homemade loosely, because you do buy the laundry soaps to make the happiness that comes from the homemade detergent. As the headmaster of the laundry for a family of five, I know personally, how much money people spend on laundry detergent and how quickly it is used.
With high hopes, I was anxious to get home and try it out. Admittedly, I am a laundry detergent snob. My main criteria is the clothes come clean (and I mean two-year-old boy clean), they are soft, and they smell great. In addition, my husband works around coolant all day so getting the odor out is essential.
With a Gain fireworks container full of the DIY laundry detergent I was actually happy to wash clothes for the first time ever! The homemade laundry detergent delivered in all of the areas that were my “must haves.” Therefore, without further delay, you will want to make a trip to your local Wal-Mart. This was the only store that sold all of the supplies needed at the time.
• 3 bars of Zote or Fels Naptha soap, grated
• 3 cups of Borax
• 3 cups of Arm & Hammer super washing soda-make sure it says super washing soda
• 1 1/2 cups of Oxi Clean
• 1 cup of Gain Fireworks or Downy unstoppable
• Cheese grater
• Gloves, if desired
Using the cheese grater, grate all three bars of soap, and then mix with all of the remaining ingredients. While mixing all of the ingredients, you will notice the Zotes flakes apart in the mixing process. This is normal, so do not worry. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours. This will allow all the ingredients to soak together.
The homemade laundry detergent yields five pounds in weight with these measurements. For smaller loads, one tablespoon is needed, and for larger loads, two tablespoons will do the job. This seems to be the common measurement. One batch will yield 128 loads if using one tablespoon, or 72 loads if using two tablespoons. The laundry detergent is HE compatible as well.
The best part is you have enough ingredients for three five-pound batches. Therefore, for $20, give-or-take a few, you could possibly do around 384 loads of laundry! It is possible to tweak the recipe to your liking. A different laundry detergent in place of the Oxi Clean would work just as well. The price of Oxi Clean is great though, and this stuff is tough on stains.
The detergent supplies will cost anywhere from $7 to $22 depending on how many coupons and sales are being used. This is a very potent laundry detergent. It will take care of any stains or odor that the clothes could hold.
The overpriced laundry detergent lining the shelves of the grocery stores is history. One of the best DIY projects to save money, money, and more money lies in this recipe. Nothing but love is what you will feel after using this detergent. Loads of fragrant, clean clothes will fill your laundry baskets.
Happy laundry day!