Before I even address you, let me tell you that the pictures at the top of this blog are the ingredients that you will need for this recipe. Most people probably dont just keep these items in their house and they aren't items that you would typically use daily (not most people anyway). The Fels-Naptha soap at the top can be found at IGA for less than $1.50. The Borax in the middle can be found at IGA or Walmart for less than $4.50. The Arm and Hammer Washing Soad can be found at IGA for about $4.00 (this is not baking soda...and I had no luck finding at Walmart). Okay...so now that we've got that clear....on with the blogt1
Well anyone reading this who knows me, knows that I'm a fulltime nursing student. That means I've cut back my work hours, which means that I dont have as much money as I normally would have had. So, with that situation...ontop of our already horrible economy...I've become thrifty. Seriously...why run out and throw away good money on things if you dont have too...especially if you dont have it!?
Honestly, when I was first given this idea, I was very leary. Never had I heard of this...never had I tried it. I was the QUEEN of Walmart and all the conveniences it had to offer me! LOL But, I finally broke down and tried it....and after using it for a while now....I can't believe I threw away ALL THAT MONEY for ALL THOSE YEARS!!! Seriously...I will never buy store bought laundry detergent or fabric softner again!
I was given this recipe as well as many others which I will share with you later...and I personally use this very recipe on a daily basis. It works well, removes all the stains I've run across, and does not leave any residue in your clothing. This is also a perfect laundry detergent to use if your family has sensitive skin or suffers from allergies to your laundry detergents. Its very simple. Here are the things that you will need, which are VERY inexpensive and will last you forever....you will be able to make dozens of batches of this detergent with only an initial investment of about $10.00.
YOU WILL NEED:
One 5-gallon bucket with a lid
2 cups of hot tap water
1/2 bar of Fels-Naptha bar of soap
1/4 cup borax
1/2 cup of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT BAKING SODA)
Okay, here's where the fun starts! Take the bar of soap and cut it in half (Put the other half of it away for the next batch you make). Get a cheese grater and grate it up. If you dont have a grater, just cut it up in as tiny peices as you can get it into. Add the grated soap and the 2 cups of hot tap water into a saucepan and stir it constantly over low heat until it is completely melted. If you do not get it melted, your detergent will not mix well once it is completed. Next, put 2-1/2 gallons of very hot tap water into your 5 gallon bucket. Add the borax, washing powder, and the melted soap. Stir until completely dissolved. Add 2-1/2 more gallons of very hot tap water to your 5 gallon bucket and stir once more, making sure it is thoroughly mixed. The soap will just look very runny and watery, but the longer it sits and cools, it will thicken to a goopy jelly like consistency. This is normal.
Typically, as soon as it is mixed up, I go ahead and fill my jugs (I use empty milk jugs) because it is a little harder to fill them once the detergent has gelled up (its do-able but just takes more time to fill them after its gelled). If you are using it right out of the bucket each time, you might want to stir it up before you use it. If you are using it out of a milk jug each time, I usually hold the cap tight and give it a good shake before I pour it into the wash. I use 1/2 cup for a regular load of laundry and 3/4 cup if its really soiled. Also....because of the borax...the detergent will NOT suds up in the water. Dont let that fool you....it cleans your clothing well and removes stains!
Now, heres the savings part. I used to use the ALL brand of laundry detergent. A 1 quart bottle would cost me $4.00. There are 4 quarts in a gallon, which would total $16.00 for one gallon of detergent....IF I were buying it from the store!
For a $10.00 investment, we bought enough Fels soap to make TEN GALLONS (2 batches), and enough washing soda and borax to make....MANY MANY batches of detergent. With the recipe above, we just made 5 gallons of detergent! If we bought that much of the store brand name kind over time...I would have spent approximately $80.00 on detergent alone! I will never buy detergent in the store again. Please feel free to use this recipe and I would love to hear back from you on whether you liked it or not. Have a blessed day and I hope you enjoy my blogs!
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