cheaper alternative to laundry detergent

KaiserW · #1 07/26/12, 02:44 PM

my wife found this laundry detergent recipe years ago and we've been using it ever since.

you'll need:

a bar of fels naptha soap
powered borax
washing soda
water
and a big pot

directions:

in a large pot add 6 cups of water
grate 1/3 bar of fels naptha into the water, heat and stir until disolved.
after the naptha disolves add 1/2 cup or borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda, mix well.
in a 2 gallon bucket add 4 cups hot water then pour mixture into the 2 gallon bucket and stir.
now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups hot water and stir again.
let it sit overnight to gel.

use 1/2 cup per regular load.

we do alot of laundry and this has saved us so much $$$.

a box of borax and washing soda will last quite a while.

mammabooh · #2 07/30/12, 03:03 PM

Yep, there are quite a few of us that use this same recipe. I've used it for close to 10 years and I love it!

Oh, and I double it to make 4 gallons. Then, instead of adding all of the water to the bucket/pot, I divide the gel evenly among 8 half gallon jugs and then add the additional water to those. It just saves one step and makes things easier.

mekasmom · #3 07/30/12, 06:00 PM

I like the idea of using the half gallon jars. They are easy to get things out of, and would work great.

TraderBob · #4 07/30/12, 06:05 PM

We do similar, we just don't add the water, and we add a bottle of Purex Crystals for softening. Put the mix in the Purex bottles and use that cap for a load. My wife likes it better than any store bought detergent.

thesedays · #5 07/30/12, 06:55 PM

I use this recipe:

1 bar Fels Naphtha soap, grated
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

You can use Zote, which is available at Hispanic groceries and "regular" groceries in areas with a sizable Hispanic population, except just use half the bar or 2 cups of the other ingredients because the bar is really big. You also need to store the soap for a while, because a really fresh bar will form soft curlicues when grated, not a powder. I use an old, slightly rusty grater I bought at a garage sale.

mammabooh · #6 07/31/12, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekasmom

I like the idea of using the half gallon jars. They are easy to get things out of, and would work great.

Actually, I use old apple juice jugs. We used to buy lots of juice before we started making our own, and I still use the old jugs. I've been using the same jugs for as long as I've been making the soap, so...close to 10 years!