Homemade Laundry Detergent!

One of my goals this year is to be kinder to my budget. I spend a lot of time trying to reduce our household costs as much as possible with sales, coupons, buying in bulk (usually leads to a smaller price and less gas), ect. The last time I bought laundry detergent was months ago. I was at the beginning of my coupon/sale training and had a deal to get a 54 load bottle for $2, and since we have an HE machine I use a whole lot less than the standard per load, so I got a lot of use out of those two bottles for $4. However, I know I can do better! 

So when I opened up the last bottle, I started researching for the next buy (I always like to have a back up at hand, as it prevents running out and paying full price for something just because you need it NOW! And the less you go to the store, the fewer impulse buys you make.) I also wanted to switch to something that was better for my HE machine and better for the environment, either through eliminating phosphates and nitrates or in having minimal packaging and reducing trips to the store to get more. I found that the cheapest solution is to make detergent myself. I knew that this could be done, but I didn't realize how much you really saved by making it yourself. The recipe I found makes 10 gallons of detergent, which is enough for 640 loads from a HE machine. If you do 6 loads of laundry a week, that amount will last you 2 years. We will get to the exact cost break down later, but if anything, the money saved from not having to price compare, shop for, and lug home detergent for two years is more than enough to convince me! So on to the detergent.

I got the recipe from the Duggar Family (yes, the ones on TLC with 12 bajillion kids. I actually like them and love that they live in a way that's true to them. And that they live debt free. With 20 people. It's pretty amazing). 

You will need:

• 1 Bar Fels-Naptha soap (found in the laundry aisle)
• 1/2 C Borax, also in the laundry aisle
• 1 C Washing Soda. This one is tough, and can be bought on the internet here. It is Sodium Carbonate (Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate). I substituted an oxygen based cleaner (like Oxyclean) because it contains mostly Sodium Carbonate.
• Water. Lots of water!

You will also need a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and something to stir it all with if you don't already. Directions as from the site are as follows:

 Grate or break up bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Mmmm Soap Soup

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Now, the cost break down. I didn't buy anything while on sale, but obviously prices vary by region and store.

Fels-Naptha - $.99

Oxywash - $1.96 for 30 oz, so $.52 per cup

Borax - $2.13 a box, $.11 per half cup

So for one batch that lasts 640 loads, minus the cost of water, you pay $1.62. Even if we round it up to $2 for water and the cost of the bucket I had to pay extrapolated into how long I'll keep it (which is practically forever) and a penny or two for essential oils, that is still $.003 per load. A third of a penny. You can't beat that price!