Laundry Detergent

I made the laundry detergent :) Did you guess it? I usually use Zote soap but found Fels Naptha this time, and I miss the pink, pink is my favorite color. I know soap is soap, but well, that's how it is.

I use the recipe of
1 1/2 cup Washing Soda
1 1/2 cup Borax
1 bar of soap
2 Tblsp Orange Oil (added to the liquid)
water

Grate the soap and measure out the dry ingredients. Add it to a blender and chop away.

on the stove put in about 2 cups hot water into a saucepan and add 3/4 cups of the mixture to the water and heat to boiling and soap is dissolved.

 I know this doesn't look like a lot, especially as it is in a 1 gallon jar, but this little bit will make 6 gallons of liquid detergent for you.

add more hot water to your container you will use for the detergent and once everything is dissolved pour into your container. BE CAREFUL IT IS HOT! Add the Orange Oil and CAREFULLY shake to mix. then add enough cool water to container to make a gallon.

Now let it set for overnight to let it gel. I leave it on my kitchen counter so I can shake it periodically as I walk by. Also "gel" is kind of a misnomer, the mixture does turn translucent once dissolved, but a lot of the times its clumpy. That is o.k.! It will still work. Also wash your pan, spoon, and funnel as soon as you can! I waited one time, thinking "it's SOAP!? What could happen?" HAH it took me forever to get them cleaned up again!

Once you need to wash a load of clothes, use 1/2 cup of the liquid detergent for each load, if the clothes are really nasty or if your washer is small, adjust by 1/4 cup.

Side notes:
Also I have a top loading washer and it is my understanding that front loaders are a little touchy on what detergent is used. Consult your manual for your washer! I have heard from different people that they have used the recipe with their front loader with no problems and others did have problems. I can't judge that for you. Also, there is no cost savings if you ruin a washer or void that expensive warranty! All I can say is I have used this for some time now and have had excellent results with no issues with my washer.

The orange oil is purely a personal choice. You can use any oil for scent that you prefer or none at all.

Altogether this should take maybe 20-30 minutes to do. Let me know how it goes for you!

Laundry Soap Cost Breakdown

Borax – 76 oz - $3.54 - $.05 per oz x 12 oz = $0.56

Fels Naptha – $1.05              (Zote is the same price)

Soda – 55 oz - $3.17 - $.06 per oz x 12 oz = $0.69

Orange Oil 32 oz - $14.00 - $.44 per oz x 3 oz = $1.31

Water – 6 gal - $0.015 per gal = $0.09

Total cost = $3.71

Makes 6 gallons. 

16 cups to a gallon. Use ½ cup per load. 32 uses per gallon x 6 gallons = 192 loads 

Cost per load = $0.02 


had to edit realized had old figures with new total - it didnt make sense!