Are you tired of wasting your money on Laundry Detergent? Are you tired of having to waste so much plastic with each new tub you buy of it? Even though you recycle it, does it still feels like a gigantic waste of resources? You're feeling that way because it's true. It's a waste of resources and a waste of your money.
If you have $20 (initial investment- don't run away!), 15 minutes, and a little extra spare time the next day you can save big-time on your Laundry detergent by making it at home. A friend of mine got this from a lady at church and passed it on to me awhile back. I've found that most sites follow the same guidelines.
Here's what you
need: (With the cost I paid)
5 Gallon Pail - $2.60 (Menards)
Lid for Pail - $1.70 (Menards)
Potato Masher - $0.97 (Walmart)
Grater - $2.97 (Walmart)
Stir Spoon - $1.97 (Walmart)
FELS Naptha bar - $0.97 (Walmart)
Washing Soda - $3.24 (Walmart)
Borax - $3.38 (Walmart)
Funnel - $2.09 (Walmart)
--------------------------------------------------------
Total Investment:
$19.89
**You will also need
WATER, a large cooking pot, and some
rinsed detergent containers - or- rinsed milk gallons -or- any containers with
lids.**
(I used old
detergent containers, a 1/2 gallon milk jug, and a Tomato Soup jug, but you can
always leave in Pail and mix and scoop from it if needed.)
Now- Here are the
simple steps to this money saving DIY detergent:
Step 1: Gather your
Materials.
**The only item you have to purchase for each batch is the
FELS Naptha bar.**
2 Quarts Water
1 Bar FELS Naptha
Soap
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Cup Borax
2 Gallons Water
1 Gallon Water
Step 2: Start 2
quarts of water over the stove, and grate your bar of soap. **The finer
it is the quicker it will melt in the boiling water. You see I started with
the second finest grate, but moved to the larger one.** Yes, I grated it on the pail lid. Why dirty a dish?
Add to boiling
water and stir until dissolved.
Step 3: Add Washing
Soda and Borax. (Stir till smooth - Not that I would know anything about this
*hehe- don't look at the edge of my pot!*, but if it boils, it boils quickly- so watch closely and reduce the
heat.)
Step 4: Pour into 5 Gallon Pail, and ADD 2 Gallons of Water. (For quarts and gallons I used the pitcher that I make the Kool-Aid in. Otherwise: 1 quart = 4 cups. 1 gal. = 4 quarts or 16 cups)
Step 5: Take a break
and let the solution sit over night.
Step 6: Take your
potato masher and stir your solution till it is smooth. (I actually JUST
discovered a fun way to do this- pull on my super-long rubber scrubbing gloves
and dig in.)
Step 7: Add another
Gallon of water and funnel into containers.
Poof! You're done!
Now just give those containers a little shake before adding a 1/2 cup to your
machine.
You can add vinegar or oxyclean to the wash for heavy soiled laundry. (I.E. - Cloth Diapers)
Got a H/E Machine?
So do I. While not "recommended"- this is a LOW SUD soap, and my machine actually
looks and smells cleaner than it did when I was using commercial detergents. If
you'd like- Check out the links of information below.
Ingredient Information:
Borax - Wikipedia
Washing Soda - Wikipedia
Fels-Naptha - Wikipedia
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