How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent
In the spirit of Laura Ingalls, with wash day being Monday, here's a little recipe for homemade laundry detergent you can use tomorrow, Monday!
wash on Monday
iron on Tuesday
mend on Wednesday
churn on Thursday
clean on Friday
bake on Saturday
rest on Sunday
from Little House in the Big Woods
iron on Tuesday
mend on Wednesday
churn on Thursday
clean on Friday
bake on Saturday
rest on Sunday
from Little House in the Big Woods
* I use these utensils for detergent making only. They all stay in the pot until I make a new batch.
You will need:
1 bar of soap (any kind you want)
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of washing soda
a big pot ( that holds more than 2 gallons)
a grater
a funnel
a long spoon
2 empty gallon jugs/containers
Grate your bar of soap into your pot.
Fill one gallon jug and pour water into pot with grated soap. Cook until the grated soap dissolves.
Add the Borax and washing soda.
Bring to a boil. It will coagulate.
Turn off the heat. Add 1 gallon of cold water. Stir well.
Pour 1 gallon of your detergent into each container.
A funnel helps tremendously.
Now you have 2 gallons of homemade laundry detergent. I use 1/2 cup per load. With the prices of detergent being outrageous, I feel really happy every time I make a batch of this.
This won't make many, if any, suds. Suds don't equal clean. It took a while to get that into my head. This detergent cleans wonderfully!
Let me know if you make any or if you have any questions.
Happy washing!
****** edited 8/8/2011 to address those of you with the issue of the detergent becoming too thick. Try using 1/2 of a bar of soap instead.
***** edited 7/2011 to add that the detergent should thicken / coagulate when it cools. Usually within 24 hours! ****
* Edited 1/2011 to add comment from below about cost/savings!
estimated cost is $6.00 for 576 loads (depending on soap used and amount used per load, One BOX of Borax and Washing soda)
The savings is incredible.
You will need:
1 bar of soap (any kind you want)
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of washing soda
a big pot ( that holds more than 2 gallons)
a grater
a funnel
a long spoon
2 empty gallon jugs/containers
Grate your bar of soap into your pot.
Fill one gallon jug and pour water into pot with grated soap. Cook until the grated soap dissolves.
Add the Borax and washing soda.
Bring to a boil. It will coagulate.
Turn off the heat. Add 1 gallon of cold water. Stir well.
Pour 1 gallon of your detergent into each container.
A funnel helps tremendously.
Now you have 2 gallons of homemade laundry detergent. I use 1/2 cup per load. With the prices of detergent being outrageous, I feel really happy every time I make a batch of this.This won't make many, if any, suds. Suds don't equal clean. It took a while to get that into my head. This detergent cleans wonderfully!
Let me know if you make any or if you have any questions.
Happy washing!
****** edited 8/8/2011 to address those of you with the issue of the detergent becoming too thick. Try using 1/2 of a bar of soap instead.
***** edited 7/2011 to add that the detergent should thicken / coagulate when it cools. Usually within 24 hours! ****
* Edited 1/2011 to add comment from below about cost/savings!
estimated cost is $6.00 for 576 loads (depending on soap used and amount used per load, One BOX of Borax and Washing soda)
The savings is incredible.
