I've had ingredients to make my own laundry detergent for probably 2-3 years, but never came around doing it! After talking to a friend who had just made some and really liked it, I decided it was time to give it a try myself.
I started researching the different options of homemade detergent, and I really wanted to try a liquid kind, which I usually prefer over the powder kind. The only problem is that all the recipes made a TON of soap, and I just didn't have the space to store all of that. Then I came across this: Super Laundry Sauce for Dummies
It's very easy to make, little mess, and because it is a concentrated version it requires little space to store...win, win, win to me!!! :-)
Ingredients needed:
1 Entire 5.05oz Bar of Fels Naptha Soap
3 c. water
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax Powder
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
2 (1 qt) Mason Jars
On that link you'll find two methods of doing this, I chose method #2 the "lazy way"!
You can find detailed explanation >here<
I started researching the different options of homemade detergent, and I really wanted to try a liquid kind, which I usually prefer over the powder kind. The only problem is that all the recipes made a TON of soap, and I just didn't have the space to store all of that. Then I came across this: Super Laundry Sauce for Dummies
It's very easy to make, little mess, and because it is a concentrated version it requires little space to store...win, win, win to me!!! :-)
Ingredients needed:
1 Entire 5.05oz Bar of Fels Naptha Soap
3 c. water
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax Powder
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
2 (1 qt) Mason Jars
On that link you'll find two methods of doing this, I chose method #2 the "lazy way"!
You can find detailed explanation >here<
- But basically you put a whole bar of Fels Naptha soap cut up in pieces inside a ziploc bag with 2 cups of water. Then you set aside for 48 hours. But I let my kids play with the bag, so it was all crushed and mixed pretty fast!
- After a couple of days you get the bag and give it some squeezes to remove any clumps.
- In a bowl combine borax & washing soda powder, add 2 cups of boiling water (can microwave it!) and mix it well.
- Cut the edge of the ziploc bag and squeeze the soap paste into the bowl and mix it all up.
- Pour mixture into 2 (1 quart) mason jars, add a little extra water (can look here for details on this), and attach jar to the blender's botton and blade! I thought this was the coolest part...never knew a mason jar fits perfectly with your blender blade and bottom! Look photo below:
- I added 10 drops of Relaxation essential oil from Edens Garden, and blended it all.
It came out this super smooth texture below! Smelled wonderful and best of all, you only need 1TBSP per load!!! :-D
I've used this for the past months, and I can tell you it cleans the same as the all natural laundry detergent I used from Costco! I did not have any problems with it getting diluted into my machine, even though I have the worst machine, that uses VERY little water to wash.
The essential oil smell is not very noticible at all at the end of the wash :( but I blame that mostly on my machine! That was the case for previous soaps I used as well, including Dreft. So I have been using my comforter until I finish it, to give the clean smell I like, and plan on trying a recipe for a comforter in the future.
Best part is knowing all the ingredients you are exposing your family with, and that it is INCREDIBLY cheap to make!!! Never buying laundry detergent again!
The essential oil smell is not very noticible at all at the end of the wash :( but I blame that mostly on my machine! That was the case for previous soaps I used as well, including Dreft. So I have been using my comforter until I finish it, to give the clean smell I like, and plan on trying a recipe for a comforter in the future.
Best part is knowing all the ingredients you are exposing your family with, and that it is INCREDIBLY cheap to make!!! Never buying laundry detergent again!