Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Laundry Day by Kay Lamb Shannon
Laundry Day

Have you seen the price of laundry detergent lately? My goodness, everything seems to be rising in prices. Here is an article I found on Tipnut on making your own laundry detergent.

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

  • Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
  • Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
  • Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
  • Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar

  • Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
  • Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
  • Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

  • In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
  • In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
  • Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #4

Picture of Cup Of Powdered Laundry Detergent - Tipnut.com2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated - you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

  • Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
  • Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe #5

Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap - grated
1 cup Washing Soda

  • In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
  • Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
  • Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)

Recipe #6

2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin

  • Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
  • In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
  • Use 1/2 cup per full load.

Recipe #7

2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 - 2.5 gallons hot water

  • Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
  • Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
  • Use 1 cup per full load.

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)

  • Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
  • In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
  • Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
  • Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #9

Picture of Cup Of Powdered Laundry Detergent - Tipnut.com12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)

  • Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
  • Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Recipe #10

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

  • Mix well and store in sealed container.

Note:

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).

Optional:

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil


Making your own laundry detergent is a discipline and it’s not for everyone. But it definitely saves money.

Tips:

For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.

Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.

Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.

Although several of the recipes have the same ingredients, the measurements are different–some contain a higher soap to water ratio. Test and see which works best for your laundry needs.

You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed–shake before use.

Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.



5 comments:

Katrina said...

Okay now this has got me thinking. Just wondering if you know if any of them are better suited to hard water areas? Am really wanting to look into doing this

Farmhouse Blessings said...

I just began making my own laundry soap not long ago. And I love it! We are saving money and I feel so much better using a more natural product. It even works on "smelly boy" clothes! LOL

http://farmhouseblessings.blogspot.com/search/label/Laundry%20Soap%20Recipe

The recipe I use is posted on my blog at the link above. Lots of ladies in our county are getting back to the basics and are enjoying making our own laundry soap.

Blessings,
Lea

Anonymous said...

Great post. Thanks for all these recipes. I make washing powder similar to yours and it works great.

Kate

Anonymous said...

i have been planning on making my own detergent but hadn't found any recipes i was crazy about. thanks so much for all of these to choose from! i'm gonna link to you on my blog to share with others :)

Sis. Julie said...

I use the recipe #3 for my laundry detergent. It is so much more cost efficient. And it works well too. I have saved so much money on laundry detergent making my own.