Day 38: DIY laundry soap

I am always looking for ways to save money or at least cut down on the price of certain items.  Cutting coupons is always a good way to save money...but lets be honest sometimes I barely have time to do anything extra (this blog is about as much extra I can handle).  I don't always have time to get a paper, cut coupons, look through ads & go around to different stores to get the best deal.  So I decided that making my own laundry detergent was a good way to "cut" back.  It only cost me around $30 & is "suppose" to last a year if you do 2-3 loads a week.

The original idea/recipe can be found at howdoesshe.com

Ingredients:

1 3lb 7oz Box of Borax

1 3lbs Container of OxyClean

2 14.1oz Bars of Zote Soap or Fels Naptha

1 4lb Box of Arm & Hammer Baking soda

1-2 55oz Bottle of Purex Crystals (any scent you like)

Other items you will need:

cheese grater or food processor

5 gallon bucket

containers to put soap in

Step 1:  I used a cheese grater to "shred" my soap...I would recommend using the fine side of the grater.  This is the hardest part of all!!  After the grating is done with gets easy.

Step 2:  Using the 5 gallon bucket start layer all the the ingredients.  Doing this makes it easier to get every thing mixed equally.

Step 3:  Put detergent mixture in what ever containers you have chosen.  I removed the label from the Purex Crystals bottle & filled it with the detergent.  I am keeping the rest of the detergent in the 5 gallon bucket so I can fill the bottle as needed.

Step 4:  Start the laundry....add 2 tablespoons of the detergent to the washer and run washer as usual.  It won't suds like the "normal" laundry soap.  

 I am rating this one a 4....I have been using it for a few weeks and have found a few helpful hints for people who might be giving this a try.

#1:  Make sure to use the fine side of the grater....I didn't use that side right a way & sometimes the chunks of soap don't fulling dissolve.

#2:  DO NOT wash your clothes inside out....any thing that is on them will stay on them...or at least you'll have some stuff still left on your clothes.

#3:  Mix in a well ventilated area...or at least not a small room...your house will smell like laundry soap for a LONG time..since most of the ingredients are powder you'll get a little powder residue around.

#4:  If you are like me and have a potty training 3 yr old having a back up super strength laundry detergent is a most!!!  What messes we did have got cleaned out of clothes better than this....so I do half and half.

Hopefully you give this a try...I like it a lot plus mixing it myself saves money & if you are ever in a pinch for laundry detergent you can wipe up a batch...especially if you live in our area & get snowed in for 2 1/2 days :)