Liquid Laundry Detergent...

Hey y'all!!! Here is my SUPER simple recipe for Home Made Liquid Laundry Detergent...I have been using if for about a year now and have had NO complaints from the husband. It combines two of my favorite things in the whole wide world...1. CHEAP and 2. EASY.

Once again...I must give credit where credit is due...This recipe came from the good folks over at The Family Homestead. I have changed it some to meet my needs but the recipe is basically the same.

Supplies/Recipe:
2/3 cup Borax

2/3 cup Washing Soda
2/3 of a bar of soap(grated)
Water
Large Pot

Spoon

Cheese Grater
Measuring cup
Essential oil
Large Bucket with measurements

Directions:
1. Grate soap. I use Fel-Naptha, which is a laundry soap. For sensitive skin, use Ivory soap. I have a friend who has to use fragrant free detergent and she LOVES this!! I would also recommend the Ivory soap version for washing baby clothes. When using Fels-Naptha, I cut about 1/3 of the bar off and put it in a Ziploc bag. I use a cheese grater to grate the rest of the bar and sit it to the side. When using Ivory soap, I use the whole bar.

2. Next I measure out my Laundry Soda and Borax, mix them together and set them to the side.

3. Next I get my large pot and fill it half full with water. I bring the water to a boil and then I turn the stove off and slowly stir in the soap.

PLEASE REMEMBER...You are mixing soap and water!!! If you pour soap flakes into a boiling pot of water...it WILL BUBBLE OVER!!! Cut the stove off before you add the soap flakes and add them slowly while you are constantly stirring. Once the flakes have dissolved (do not be alarmed if you find a few errant chunks of soap floating around in the pot), add the borax and soda. Stir until it has all dissolved.

4. Pour the hot mixture in to your large bucket. I have 2 large buckets. One came from Lowes and the other came from Home Depot. They both cost about $7.00 for the bucket and lid and they have graduated measurements on the side. These are paint buckets so look for them in the paint department. Add enough water to make two gallons. If you want to use essential oils for fragrance, add them now. Stir and continue to add them until you get your desired fragrance. The detergent will already have a clean and slightly citrus scent from the Fels-Naptha. Stir the mixture well and cover it (you can use it now). Set it to the side until the next day.


When you open it the next day and stir it, it is going to look like really bad egg drop soup. That is how it is supposed to look and it is ready to use!! I use 1/2 cup per load for regular loads, 1/4 cup for smaller loads and 3/4 cup for larger/stinker loads. Use it like you would any other liquid laundry detergent. I also use it with bleach (not mixed together)for my white clothes.

5. This step is 100% optional but I will include it...I also mix 1-2 quarts of other liquid detergent into my large bucket and stir well. I do this for the added fragrance ONLY! This detergent WILL get your clothes clean without it. I have noticed that it also emulsifies the detergent. Once I stir it and let it set overnight...it has a silky creamy texture more like traditional liquid detergents.

Although it normally takes 24 hours for this to occur, you do not have to wait that long to use your detergent. You can start using it as soon as you put it in the bucket and add enough water to make two gallons.

Cost Analysis:

It costs about $2.00 to make 2 gallons of this detergent if you do not use the additional liquid detergent and if you do not add essential oils. This figure is based on the following (VERY high) estimates:

1 box borax $4.00--$.05/ounce--2/3c=7.5oz--7.5oz x .05=$.38
1 box laundry soda $4.00--$.07/ounce--2/3c=7oz--7oz x .07=$.49
1 bar of soap $1.50/3=$.50/third of a bar--2 x $.50=$1.00

Which makes the total...$1.87/two gallons (as previously stated...these estimates are HIGH, it is actually cheaper to make it).

Tips:

*I ALWAYS add a capful of bleach mixed into 4oz of water into the bleach dispenser of my washing machine when I am washing a load of towels. If I forget to get them out immediately, this helps eliminate the moldy smell.

* If my towels/laundry do get moldy, I wash them again and add 2 capfuls of bleach mixed with 6oz of water into my bleach dispenser. Normally this eliminates the smell.

This is a LOW to NO SUDS liquid laundry detergent!! You will see little to no suds as your clothes wash. The suds are not what clean your clothes. This detergent is ideal for front load machines.

I highly recommend this detergent...so give it a try and let me know what you think...

~Quita