Homemade Laundry Detergent

Does any one here make their own? I have been researching and looking at different websites with recipes etc, and after adding up all the cost, I can save a huge amount over a year. But, I am having a hard time finding washing soda. I am going to look at Krogers Thursday to see if they have it. If not, I will ask at my SWM if they will order it. I got the UPC off the Arm & Hammer site, and can order it from there, but I'm not sure what the shipping would be, and I would rather have somewhere that I can get it without a wait.
Anyway, my point to the post is, what are your results of using homemade as opposed to the store bought.
Cleaner clothes, the same? Have you figured your cost? How much do you save?
I make handmade soap, so I wouldn't have to buy the store soap (blech). I had a candle/soap business until this year, I didn't renew my business license. May start it up later on after I start back to work.

I have been making my own laundry soap for years. It is a bit of trouble to find washing soda, but I am able to find it. I have the best luck at small local chains in my area. Once you a find a box, it will last a very long time though. My recipe uses 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup borax, so it does last a very long time. I use Dove soap most of the time, but any kind is fine except deoderant soap. I also collect soaps anytime I go to a hotel lol. I have a bar of an old time laundry soap, Fels Naptha. I add a bit of that to each batch too because it is an extra cleaning booster. Each batch will look different depending on the soap you use. Mine usually comes out pearly white looking and pretty thick. If it is too thick, you can add more water. I think this soap cleans very well, but be warned that it will not suds up in your machine. That makes some people feel like it isn't working if they lift the lid and don't see the soap sudsing up. Trust me though, it does work. As for the cost, I have no clue. I get my bars of soap free or very cheap. Borax and is a few bucks and so is Washing Soda, but a box makes a ton of batches, so pennies a batch I guess. Good luck and let us know how you like it.

I use Fels naptha, or Zote soap, grated. I have also used Kirks's Castille, or plain old homemade Lye soap.
My recipe calls for 1 cup Washing soda, and 1 Cup Borax. I have used Baking Soda, and it worked great too. I have several recipes, and have used them all, but this one is my fave. Baking soda is cheaper than washing soda. I DO add 1 C borax to this recipe,

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

I guess I should have posted the recipe I use. Grate one bar soap. Cover soap with water and melt over low heat, stirring constantly, do not boil. Pour into 5 gal bucket. Add 1/2 cup each Borax and Washing Soda. Stir and fill bucket with 4.5 gal hot water. Let sit over night. I use about 1/2 cup per load.

I love Tide, but dang that stuff has soared in prices, and the .35 coupons they put out doesn't help much. That was one reason I decided to check into making my own. I have bought the borax already, and like I say I have my soap I make (it is lye soap). I guesstimated the price for the washing soda from the A&H site. After visiting different sites and finding out how much a batch would make, I figured my costs. It would only be about .02 to wash a load of clothes. If I washed a load of clothes everyday for a year (doesn't always happen, but some days I wash 3 or 4 loads, sheets, towels etc) that would only be $7.30 a year. Now if I bought my Tide at $7.95 ($8.43 with tax) for 25 loads (.34 a load) that is $124.10, so I would save $116.80 a year or not give that much to Tide. I did not figure in the cost of my soap, because when I make a batch and take it out of the mold, I always have two end pieces that I do not use, and just throw them in a bag. I have a ton of those saved up to use for ME.

I dont boil mine, I make a powdered soap. and its actually so cheap I cant come up with a price. LOL

I do:
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax
1 bar ivory soap

Then I use 1/8 cup per load.

I didnt like the gel that was made when I boiled it. This stores easier, and its easier to use. No stirring or anything.

Zote soap is good. you can find it sometimes in the sporting goods dept. its a great catfish bait. (yes its a real soap)

And yes, mine come out MUCH cleaner. I am VERY happy with it. and my husband works in the oil fields. he is FILTHY! we are talking BLACK oil.

and I have kids that are in mud ALL the time. They stay dirty. If I didnt know better I would think there was a mud puddle in their room. Cause I can dress them, then go and finish spraying my hair, come back and they look like they have been in a pig sty.

I also add a few drops od EO( essential oils), to make it smell good. It IS cheaper than tide, or my fave, gain.....but I am all about the smell, so I have to add stuff. I am currently adding lemon/lime/orange oil.....about 3-4 drops.

I'm going to try Chelle's recipe. 1/8 cup doesn't sound like much to use, though. If you say it gets out mud I'm willing to give it a try.

I might try the dry recipe as well, and then still look for the washing soda Thursday. I'll try both and see which I like better.

I've made my own for years too. Same basic recipe with both Borax and washing soda. The washing soda isn't hard to find here in Canada, thankfully. I used to use Ivory to grate for this recipe, but I also make my own soap so use it instead:)
We haven't bought soap, shampoo, shaving cream or laundry soap for about 7 years.

I am loving all of you right now. These are great recipes. This is sick but I love to do laundry (hate to iron, though) and experiment with different things to get sparkling whites. Sometime I even boil my socks, towels and dish towels. Can't wait to make up a batch!

Oh man, Pearly. You need to contact your local high school and volunteer to wash their band uniforms. Our band got WHITE pants when they bought new uniforms. Michigan in the fall = rain, rain, mud, wet grass, and more mud. Everything was ground into the hem of the pants because the kids would step all over them. And the mud splashed up to the knee almost. Yikes, it was awful. I got volunteered because apparently the people who lived in town would get rust stains or hard water stains or something on the pants when they tried to wash them.

Hey Lori... now if they fly me in during the summer months, we are on. But nobody wants a crybaby around complaining about how cold it is, lol.

I am going to give your recipe a try, Chelle. I trust these homemade soap recipes are better than store bought brands when it comes to septics. I have been told by folks out here - do not use bleach if you have a septic. Others have said, no problem use it! What's your take?

I have been told this is eco friendly. We have a lagoon, not a septic, and have been told to keep bleach use to a min.

Just about any soap, or such is bad for a septic.

Bleach is a killer, as are any cleaners.

Thats why the old grease trap and seperate septic tank were so much better. or at least a seperate grey water tank. (the grease trap acutally NEEDED the soap and such, where as your septic Doesnt! )

And eco friendly means it wont harm the bunnies. not that it wont kill your good bacteria in your septic.

This is why, at least once a month, I will dump buttermilk, cottage cheese , a packet of yeast or such down my toilets. This helps to build back up the bacteria.

But I do agree that this is more thank likely much better to be put in there than a bunch of chemicals.

I have never had anything except a septic. And to be honest, my grandmother had a septic tank and she used bleach on EVERYTHING. and in 30 years, she NEVER even had it drained.. it worked so well that there was NEVER a problem. BUT she also dumped bacteria down there every few weeks.

I do the same, but with a box of RidX.
Chelle, you might be needing some bleach......LMAO

Yeah... I sprayed lysol all over them.. LOL

chelle wrote:I dont boil mine, I make a powdered soap. and its actually so cheap I cant come up with a price. LOL

I do:
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax
1 bar ivory soap

Then I use 1/8 cup per load.

I didnt like the gel that was made when I boiled it. This stores easier, and its easier to use. No stirring or anything.

Ok, that I think I can do. I've avoided the whole process so far because I knew myself well enough to know that there was no way I'd find time to make it if there was actual work involved. But this sounds very easy. All I have to do is grate the soap.

I was also thinking of what Honey said about using shampoo instead of detergent. I know that works for delicates but I didn't know how well it would work on really dirty clothes. Maybe there's a way to use shampoo, borax, and baking soda?

i tried the dry mix as well and while it is cheap i hated it and ery quickly went back to gain i would rather know my clothes are clean then hae then come out dirty still.

mine havent ever came out dirty.. ?? I wonder why it didnt work? I am sorry it was so bad for you!

I will have to take a pic of my kids next time they come in muddy, then an after pic LOL

Rayley wears any and everything outside to play in the mud in. From Tafeta dresses, to white T shirts and suede boots!

I suspect is has to do with the hardness or softness of your water. My sister and I both use a variety of detergents and my clothes come clean easily for the most part while she has to use a lot of pre-treaters and much more detergent and it still doesn't come as clean.

It does depend on the hardness of the water, we have somewhat medium water, not real hard or soft, and clothes come out clean. My sister has hard water, and all their clothes are gray.

I have been using the homemade detergent on everything, and especially love it for Xman's cloth diapers, I use less than normal, and it works great.

I have looked at so many sites, I can't remember which one now. But someone had left a comment they washed baby clothes, after being stored for 29 years and yellowed, that came out looking almost new.
I can't wait to make and try the homemade version.

I the dry version seems to be a better fit for me, plus it has to be much easier to store. Thanks for the ideas!!