I have a secret to share with you. I enjoy doing laundry......always have. I'm a bit sick that way. Dusting and washing dishes are the bane of my existence, but I like laundry. I even make my own laundry detergent - I have been for over two years. Now, I know that a lot of you reading this have already heard of this recipe, but I thought I would share it anyway.
You will need:
1/3 of a bar of Fels Naptha soap or Zote soap
1/2 cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Borax
A big bucket (a 2 gallon size works nice)
Grate the soap and mix it with 6 cups of water in a sauce pan. Heat it until the soap melts. Add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until it has dissolved. Remove from heat. Now pour 4 cups of HOT water into the clean bucket. Add the soap mixture to the bucket. Give it a good stir. Now add 22 cups of HOT water into the bucket and stir the daylights out of it. You could get help for this part like I did:
You will need:
1/3 of a bar of Fels Naptha soap or Zote soap
1/2 cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Borax
A big bucket (a 2 gallon size works nice)
Grate the soap and mix it with 6 cups of water in a sauce pan. Heat it until the soap melts. Add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until it has dissolved. Remove from heat. Now pour 4 cups of HOT water into the clean bucket. Add the soap mixture to the bucket. Give it a good stir. Now add 22 cups of HOT water into the bucket and stir the daylights out of it. You could get help for this part like I did:
Now let the mixture sit for about a day and it will turn into a funky gel-like substance. I use about 1/2 cup per load.
This stuff cleans our clothes just as good as anything I have bought in the store. I've also used it to pre-treat stains and it works great. The thing I like best about it is that it doesn't leave that nasty chemical/fragrance smell on clothes like so many store-bought brands do. Oh, and did I mention that it's insanely cheap? It costs me around $24 a year. Nice.
9 comments:
Hmmm... interesting. I used Felznapa (sp?) for treating stains and love it. So how often do you mix up a bucket of this stuff? Sounds like work, but I guess it's no different than the wet wipes that we used to make!
That's my problem. I'm lazy. There are alot of things i could do to save money, but I don't. LOL. And so do you just store it in a bucket? I'm afraid of my son getting into it?! I wish I was more Suzie homemaker...instead I just buy things to make my life easier. The older my kids get though, the more I try to be creative. It's cool you do that though. And that is really cheap!
It only takes me about 5 or 6 minutes to make it.....and it's super easy to do. I make a batch once every couple of months.
Michelle, I keep it in the laundry sink right next to the washing machine. That way Isabel can't reach it. A lid would keep toddlers out. I've heard of people putting it in those laundry detergent containers with the drain spout thingy, too.
Oh my, this is a great idea! Unfortunately, cannot get these things here in CR, but can stock up in the US. It is always a delight to see your little ones, it seems like just yesterday they all were playing in the snow together in Wisconsin!
Blessings my friend,
Sarah Dawn
Thanks for the idea! Okay, I am going to try it.
~ Christy
I hate laundry!! I like your idea about making my own soap though, always looking for another way to save money!
Well, my nutritionist said I need to go fragrance free so I'm gonna try this. Ugghh! Another thing to do! Oh well, I'm into saving dollars. Thanks for the recipe, Tanya. Paula
You have a little lame Christmas present coming your way....
You should post this on your frugal blog!
Post a Comment