Making your own laundry soap under $5 for years of detergent

[anisa]

very interesting!

i know there have been a few ladies who have shared 'recipes' like this over the years on SC, but i think this is the first time i've seen it!

i still have lots of $2 sunlight in the garage to go through! maybe when i'm done with that i'll try making my own

[ninna]

Fascinating stuff OP! Thanks for the post.

I'd like to try making my own. I suspect I'd be the brunt of some jokes from my DH who would probably think I was totally nuts for doing it, but I think it would be fun to try nonetheless.

For me, the real perk isn't how darned cheap it is to make (although that's definitely a bonus); rather, the idea that I know what's going in my laundry detergent and therefore know what will be touching my skin is the bonus. I kinda worry a little bit about the chemically laundry detergents and cleaners we expose ourselves to on a daily basis.

Seriously... I've had days when Ive been at work and some of my students come to class and their clothes have reeked so strongly of Snuggle fabric softener that it's almost knocked me over and I've had to open windows to get rid of the smell. Sometimes I can practically taste the smell of it--and my goodness, that's from someone who doesn't have any allergies or reactions to scents. I can only imagine how people with allergies to scented products must react. It always makes me ask myself...can all these chemicals be good for us?

So making one's own laundry detergent....definitely something that's on my "to do" list now

[tjthemanto]

Wow that's great ...its cheap and cleans just as well

[cheekysaver]

I am loving this stuff. I am going to get some more bottles and I will end up getting a 5 gallon bucket now that i know it works. I have decided to share with my disable neighbors that are on a limited budget. When i was couponing for detergent i felt like i had to hold on to it because i never knew when i would get a good deal again... This deal is endless so i can share the stuff and have no worries. It feels so good to be able to pass this on to others. If i can get enough empty laundry detergent containers together i will just fill them and keep them on hand.

[RSAS]

For me, the real perk isn't how darned cheap it is to make (although that's definitely a bonus); rather, the idea that I know what's going in my laundry detergent and therefore know what will be touching my skin is the bonus. I kinda worry a little bit about the chemically laundry detergents and cleaners we expose ourselves to on a daily basis.

Seriously... I've had days when Ive been at work and some of my students come to class and their clothes have reeked so strongly of Snuggle fabric softener that it's almost knocked me over and I've had to open windows to get rid of the smell. Sometimes I can practically taste the smell of it--and my goodness, that's from someone who doesn't have any allergies or reactions to scents. I can only imagine how people with allergies to scented products must react. It always makes me ask myself...can all these chemicals be good for us?

So making one's own laundry detergent....definitely something that's on my "to do" list now

I am quite highly allergic to snuggle...I break out into hives if I sit too close to someone who has the scent on their clothes.... Its pretty brutal. A lot of places, such as doctors offices, now have a "no scents" policy, so that saves me from gagging on perfumes, but people don't seem to consider their laundry detergents or shampoos as "scents"...I love people who "stink" aka, smell like actual people, not a bottle of chemicals!

I love the idea of making my own detergent. Must get up the actual ambition to do it!

[rockdweller]

I have been making this for years.Here's a little tip for mixing the gel and water together after sitting overnight , which can be a pain. Buy a paint stirring gizmo which attatches to an electric drill and voila, your detergent is mixed with very little effort.

[bluerose]

I will be making some laundry soap thanks for the information.Do you realy need to use vinegar in the rince cycle? I just made a whole batch of homemeade bar soap so good there.

[cheekysaver]

I will be making some laundry soap thanks for the information.Do you realy need to use vinegar in the rince cycle? I just made a whole batch of homemeade bar soap so good there.

That is personal preferance and it also depends on your water type. I did not use vinager i used downy... because i like it and i am not allergic to it... snuggle gives me rashes so i can't use it.

[cheekysaver]

I have been making this for years.Here's a little tip for mixing the gel and water together after sitting overnight , which can be a pain. Buy a paint stirring gizmo which attatches to an electric drill and voila, your detergent is mixed with very little effort.

Now that i have made it i will cheat forever more! lol... i add in the melted soap and washing soda and borox in the 1/2 a bucket of hot water... then i filled the rest with cold water to get it cooled off... and it worked and thickened right away... so it went right into the bottles.

[bluerose]

I was thinking about making the dry one ? got my borax at Walmart, now all I need is the washing soda ,looks like you can make your own also so if I cannot find it thats what I will do,also on some utube videos people ar usuing oxiclean ? but thats a whitening agent just like borax. Thanks for the tip cheekysaver.

[sweetproserpina]

I've made my own dry mix for years using the same stuff: grated soap (I use sunlight laundry bar soap), borax, washing soda, sometimes baking soda too. I've still got free purex to use up, but once that's gone I think I'll try the liquid recipe. I found sometimes that the dry mix didn't all dissolve correctly.. Now I have to remember to save my detergent containers Great idea!

[dreamcatcher1962]

I've made my own dry mix for years using the same stuff: grated soap (I use sunlight laundry bar soap), borax, washing soda, sometimes baking soda too. I've still got free purex to use up, but once that's gone I think I'll try the liquid recipe. I found sometimes that the dry mix didn't all dissolve correctly.. Now I have to remember to save my detergent containers Great idea!

Thanks for posting your experience with the dry mix. I was going to try it, but think I will instead try out the liquid.(After I am finished with all of the detergent I have on hand now.
It's a real pain when the soap doesn't dissolve correctly, because then you have to wash the clothes a second time to get the soap powder off of them.

I did try making my own fabric softener, which I haven't tried yet.
Really easy to make. I saw it on Pinterest.
If anyone wants to try it, here's what you need:

2 cups Hair Conditioner (I'm using Suave , one of the $1 Bottles from NF this week)
6 Cups hot water.
Mix these two together well.
Then add 3 Cups White Vinegar.

It makes 3/4 of a 4L milk jug.
Use 2 Tbsp in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. I am guessing to that you add more water to the fill line the same as you would for any other fabric softener.
I will post later today how I find it works.

[lesliesbookstore]

wow!!! i gotta do this. Thanks. Your post is providing info that will help alot of people.

[cheekysaver]

I did try a tiny batch of the dry mix and i found that the dry was not as cost effective. It did have the advantage of being able to add oxy into the mix but over all the price was much higher. I think it is because you require more because the soap does not desolve as well.

[cheekysaver]

Thanks for posting your experience with the dry mix. I was going to try it, but think I will instead try out the liquid.(After I am finished with all of the detergent I have on hand now.
It's a real pain when the soap doesn't dissolve correctly, because then you have to wash the clothes a second time to get the soap powder off of them.

I did try making my own fabric softener, which I haven't tried yet.
Really easy to make. I saw it on Pinterest.
If anyone wants to try it, here's what you need:

2 cups Hair Conditioner (I'm using Suave , one of the $1 Bottles from NF this week)
6 Cups hot water.
Mix these two together well.
Then add 3 Cups White Vinegar.

It makes 3/4 of a 4L milk jug.
Use 2 Tbsp in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine. I am guessing to that you add more water to the fill line the same as you would for any other fabric softener.
I will post later today how I find it works.

I really want to try this when i run out of downy! Thank you so much for sharing!!!