Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

For anyone who knows me, they know that I'm always coming up with ways to make some extra money.  I don't work anymore now. . . wait. . . let me rephrase that.  I don't work 'outside' the home anymore.  I work all day taking care of my little one.  And even though I would rather be paid in hugs and kiss and cuddle time, it is always nice to be able to make a little extra money on the side for savings or what not, which I have depleted thanks to a dead car battery.  

I am on a mission to make some extra money because I will be going to Italy soon.  We are taking a trip in 2014 to Europe to see Italy, Ireland, Spain, and many more places.  We are very blessed to have our transportation and lodging paid for, but we need money to be able to go out and eat at the little cafes and buy souvenirs and take tours.  I mean, this is a once in a lifetime adventure and I am more than happy to forgo my occasional candy bars that I sneak into the cart at checkout, or buying clothes for my wardrobe, to save some extra money.  I make cakes, cupcakes, and jam on the side.  I sell Thirty One on the side.  And if there's anything else I can possible make money from I'm all in it.  I'm even selling a crocheted baby blanket.  However, with a 4 month old I can't nor do I want to spend most of my time trying to make money.  I have more important things to do with my little one.  

I always here people say. . . If you need more money, then make more money.   Well . . . why not, if you need more money, then save more money?!?!?!  This is how I came across making my own laundry detergent.  Laundry detergent is expensive!  I'm sure I don't need to tell you that.  I buy the really big sizes from Sam's Club and whenever a few months have passed I know I'm going to have to go fork over $30 more dollars for more.  That $30 can be spent ordering authentic Italian Gelato on our trip!  And my family only consists of myself, my husband, and my son.  I can't imagine how other families do it.  

So in addition to saving money by making my own laundry detergent, I always feel 'country' like as I'm mixing my ingredients, making what I need by hand. . . even if I am doing it in heels.  :)

When people think of making their own laundry detergent, they are turned off by the time required to make it.  I am here to say that it does not take very long at all!  Depending on the soap you use (and we'll get into that later) it takes anywhere from 15 - 35 minutes.  So, If you think about it. . . you or your hubby work for, let's say, $8 an hour, and laundry detergent let's say costs $30, and you have to buy that laundry detergent 4 times a year, which will cost you $120 so in 15 hours or more of work (factoring in taxes and blah blah blah) you'll have finally bought your laundry detergent.  Now that's just based on a family of 3.  So, 35 minutes for 10 gallons of liquid laundry soap which will give you 320 loads of laundry for top-loading machines and 640 loads of laundry for an HE front-loading machine.  And since you've heard all the math already, I won't bore you with any more numbers.  But, it comes out to about $0.01 per load!  Ya, I'm sold.  

Another great benefit of homemade laundry soap is that the materials in the soap have no phosphates.  Borax and Washing Soda are naturally occurring compounds.  The laundry soup uses recycled dispensers, and for every 5 gallons you make, you save 10 plastic containers from going to the landfill.

And one last benefit you have to read through to get to the recipe, is that the laundry soap is completely customizable.  For every 2 gallons of laundry soap you can add 10 drops of essential oil.  Essential oils come in a variety of wonderful scents, so you can pick your own.  Don't go crazy though, any more than 10 and you'll start to see spots on your clothes.

Ok... you've hung in to the very end... you've earned the recipe.  :)

This is what you will need.  

Now you don't need the ivory soap, you can use either Ivory or the Fels-Naptha.  Some people prefer one over the other in smell but I go for the Fels-Naptha.  If you want to do Ivory instead you must make sure it is the 'plain' brand... no moisturizing, etc.

Plus a 5 gallon bucket.

Ingredients:  

4 Cups Hot Water

1 Fels-Naptha Soap Bar

1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1/2 cup Borax

I was able to find all of these ingredients in the laundry detergent isle at Walmart.

Directions:

1.  Heat up 4 cups of water in a saucepan.  Grate the Fels Naptha soap and add it to the saucepan.  Heat over low heat until the soap is melted.  Stir the melted soap and water to mix the solution.

2.  Fill the 5 gallon bucket 1/2 way with hot water.  Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing Soda.  Fill the bucket to the top with more hot tap water.  Then let it sit overnight to thicken.

3.  The next day stir the mixture and dispense into cleaned laundry soap dispensers (use your old dispensers or cleaned milk jugs will work as well), only adding enough to each bottle to fill it 1/2 way.  Then top the container off with water, and shake before use.  :)

There.  That's it.  Your first lesson in making your own laundry detergent.  Money saved.  Knowledge gained.  Now, what else can we make?