Laundry Detergent Recipe
This recipe was recommended by the Duggers on their TV show. I just made a different powdered version to try it out, but i will be making this liquid from now on. It is considerably cheaper to take the extra time and make the extra space for the liquid. Also from what I have read it is safe for baby clothes and diapers
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Hot Tap Water
- 1 Fels-Naptha Bar
(this being a laundry bar, it is best, but you can also use Zote or Ivory...avoid heavily scented bars because it can cause itching and/or oil spots. Found in the Laundry Isle)
- 1 cup washing soda
(This not the same thing as baking soda...it contains different chemicals (Sodium Carbonate) and will not work in the same way. It is found in the Laundry isle)
- 1/2 c. Borax
(Also in the Laundry Isle. I have made this with 1 cup before.)
- 5 gallon bucket with a lid
- Paint stir stick or wooden dowel
Directions
- Grate Bar of Soap and add to saucepan with the 4 cups of hot water. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
- Fill the 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda, and Borax. Stir well with paint stick until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir again, cover, and let sit over night to thicken.
- Take a used, but clean laundry soap dispenser (or my personal favorite a gallon plastic pitcher with a nozzle in the bottom) and fill it halfway with homemade soap. Fill the rest of the way with water. Stir/Shake before each use. It will gel between uses.
Yields: 10 gallons (5 gallons concentrate + 5 gallons water)
Top Load Machine - 5/8 cup per load (Approx: 180 loads)
Front Load Machine - 1/4 cup per load (Approx: 640 loads)
Math: US average for Soap ($3.00), Soda (1/6 av. box which is $3 a box so for 1 c. around .50), Borax (1/16 box which is $3 so (.18 or about .20)
Total Cost of Ingredients around $3.70
Top Load Machine - 2 cents a load!
Front Load Machine - 1/2 cent a load!
On walmart.com Tide for regular washers is around $18 for 90 loads or....20 cents a load!
Over the course of 180 loads thats a savings of...$33
(180 loads = 2 $18 containers of tide Thats 2 x 18 = $36 worth of Laundry Detergent for $3.70
On walmart.com Tide for front load washers is around $12 for 60 loads or... 20 cents a load!
Over the course of 640 loads thats a savings of...$124
(640 loads = 10.67 $12 containers of tide Thats 10.67 x 12 = $128 worth of Laundry Detergent for $3.70
NOTE: Sometimes whites will become dingy after repeated washings with this detergent. That is because they are becoming "too clean" and actually washing away the ingredients added to whites to make them bright. This can easily be fixed by adding bluing. (I believe it too is found in the laundry isle)
Fabric Softener
Vinegar is one of the best household items! You can add it to your rinse cycle to work not only as a fabric softener but also as a color setter. Dark jeans hold their color longer when washed in vinegar.
Oh and it doesn't stink when it's finished washing! :)
Dryer Sheets
1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener (One time when you can't use vinegar)
4 Cheap Sponges
1 5 Gallon Bucket with Lid
Pour Entire container of softener into bucket. Then fill empty container with water 2 more times adding each filling to the bucket making the mixture 1 part softener to 2 parts water. Then toss the sponges into the mix.
Each time you need a dryer sheet squeeze extra mixture from a sponge and toss it in to the dryer with your wet clothes just like you would a dryer sheet. When done return to bucket for next use.
I have not completed a whole cycle of this yet, but when I do I'll post a comparison. I figure it will blow the raising cost of dryer sheets out of the water.
Dishwasher Detergent Recipe
This is a great recipe to make using the leftover ingredients from your laundry detergent.
1/2 c. Borax
1/2 c. Washing Soda
1/2 c. Citric Acid (Or you can use unsweetened Lemonade)
1/2 c. Kosher Salt
Combine ingredients and use 1-2 tbsp. in the dispenser.
For best results add vinegar either to the rinse cycle or in the "jet dry" dispenser. Way cheaper and actually more effective!
Got any great household recipes? Please Share :)
