Save A Ton Of Money And Make Your Own Laundry Detergent!
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It works and it's cheap! I use a food processor but you can just use a regular grater for the soap. Shred 1 bar of cheap soap (I use Ivory) add 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of baking soda, and 1 cup of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda. Use 1 or 2 tablespoons depending on the size of the load you're washing.
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I use this for all of my family's laundry. To soak cloth diapers I dissolve a little bit in hot water and then add cold water to soak.
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I have a HE machine and use it consistently. There is no residue so I think it probably better. I use a tablespoon of dry powder per load. you do have to make sure the bar soap (we use fels napta - sp?) is grounded up very well. Hubby uses old food processor and works awesome.
SKINNYMINI2473/1/2011 11:30:00 PM
This sounds great, I can now save on Laundry.
SKETCHER3/1/2011 9:39:00 PM
Yes, you can add fagrance. You can buy essence of lavendar, or lemon, etc. You can find them in the organics stores. I sometimes make my laundry detergent too. with 1/2 naptha soap grated, A&H super washing detergent and borax and water, I cook it all together in a big pot and after it cools it gels. I found the secret is to take a blender to it to beat the gel so it is not globby. It really does clean the clothes.
KESTRYLL2/27/2011 10:37:00 AM
great idea, thanks for the recipe
MRSGROUCHO2/26/2011 2:07:00 PM
I have no idea about the HE machines, might want to check with the manufacturer on that one. There really isn't any scent in the clothing after it's washed.
CARTOON32/25/2011 5:21:00 PM
Does this work for the High efficiency washers also?
NASFKAB2/25/2011 12:41:00 PM
GReat idea
TWEAVER82/25/2011 12:01:00 PM
HOw is the scent? Can you add some sort of liquid scent I wonder? Also I have a front load washer and I am only supposed to use HE detergents - I wonder how this could effect my washing machine?
TWEAVER82/25/2011 11:58:00 AM
HOw is the scent? Can you add some sort of liquid scent I wonder?
Related Secrets
Laundry Detergent
I save a ton of money by making my own laundry detergent - plus, no dyes or scents (I'm sensitive to them).
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There are various "recipes" on line - the one I use calls for 1/2 cup washing soda, 1 cup soap flakes (I grate bars of Ivory on my grater), and 1/2 cup of borax.
Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load. This works in warm or cold water
Laundry detergent usually says "Fill cap to line 1," but it's impossible to see line 1, so we just fill up the cap, right? This uses 4x as much soap as you need! Take a permanent marker and mark line 1 inside the cap (you'll need a bright light to find it). Only fill to that line -- even for extra-large loads. Your clothes will get just as clean, and you'll save tons of money!
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For powdered detergents, mark the measuring scoop the same way -- or use an old 1/4 cup measure as a scoop.
For front-loading washers, use even less soap (about 2 T)!
Using the manufacturers recommended amount of shampoo, detergent or any other item in your home could save you money. How often do you fill the Laundry detergent cap to the wrong level? Do you use a quarter size amount of shampoo and conditioner? Are you washing excess toothpaste down the drain every morning? Face wash, lotions, cleaners all add up at the register. Read the labels, start measuring more carefully and save!
