Sunday, February 19, 2012

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Do you ever see something so many times in so many different places that you eventually have to try it for yourself? Homemade laundry detergent seems to be all the rage these days so I thought I would give it a try. I have seen this done on many blogs and all over Pinterest. The recipe is simple and costs about $12 to make. I found all the ingredients all in the same spot at Wal-Mart. I bought a 1 gallon cracker jar to put it in. Here is the recipe that I used:
*6 cups of Borax
*4 cups of Washing Soda
*4 cups of Baking Soda
*4 cups of Fels-Naptha (almost 2 bars)
Measure the first 3 ingredients into a bowl. You might want to use a bowl that has a pour spout. Grate the Fels-Naptha with a cheese grater. If you have a Kitchen-Aid with a grating attachment-use it! Other wise do it by hand like I did! Then mix it all together with a wooden spoon and pour it into an air tight container. Doesn't it look like cheddar cheese?
It has a very nice clean smell to it. From what I have read, it is safe to use in High Efficiency washers. But don't take my word for it!
To use, add 2 tablespoons to your load of laundry, just like you would a regular powdered laundry detergent. I tied a pretty bow on my jar and used a silver tablespoon to measure it out. The recipe said "almost 2 bars"...so I used almost 2 bars and the left over square inch of bar I saved. The label of the soap says that it is a great stain remover. I put it on a little pink plate so that I could use it as a stain remover when needed.
Normally when I have stains to treat, I use Murphy's Oil Soap. No kidding! Just put a little on the stain and use your fingers to really rub it into the stain. Let it sit overnight and then launder as usual. It is an amazing stain remover! But since I didn't have any, I used the Fels-Naptha to treat my stains. I just got it wet and rubbed it on the stain and washed it with my new laundry detergent. Here is a before and after so you can see how it worked. Not bad!
There are so many other homemade cleaners out there, I am definitely going to try my hand at making more. I have found recipes for homemade soap scum remover, dishwashing detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, everything you can imagine! So far I really like my new laundry detergent and plan to keep using it. I hope you give it a try too!
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6 comments:

Char said...

I have been using this recipe for over a year now and love it. Saves money too.
I will have to try the Murphys Oil, that sounds great also,
Char

Maison Mutt said...

Isn't this the greatest stuff? Made a batch for me & my mom & we are in LOVE with it. Whites are sooo white & everything smells super! I just made some dishwasher detergent too. It's working wonders. Let me know if you want the recipe...super easy. Your newest "Linky" follower (buh bye Google).
Wags, Niki

Jenny's Heart said...

I have been making my own for about 2 years and LOVE it! I have found that I don't have to use as much fabric softner as I used to either.
:)

Red Rose Alley said...

That is so interesting. I use a detergent that is free of inks, dyes, and perfumes. It seems that baking soda is good for so many things. Have a good week.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

Lori said...

Fantastic idea, especially for those with allergies to harsh chemicals...like my daughter. Glad I found you on the Linky hop...I'm following with GFC and LF. I would love if you stopped by and followed back, so we can stay connected. Lori

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

I've really been wanting to try this, too! I'm glad to hear you like it!