Living Well on Less Tip 3

Coupons, home-made Bread and now Laundry Detergent

I've wanted to post this recipe for my next living well on less tip. (#3)
I've used this Home Made Laundry Detergent recipe for years with luck. I make variations every once in a while....see end of recipe for options...
This recipe will cost about .70 cents per 2 quarts of detergent.
Big savings, especially if you do laundry daily like me.
Have fun with it!

Home Made Laundry Detergent:

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

* Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
* Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
* Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
* Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Options:
#1. For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
#2. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.
#3. Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.
#4. You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed–shake before use.
#5. This recipe calls for a large amount of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.
#6. I have used essential oils to make the soap more fragrant. My favorites are Sage or Lavender Oil. 5-7 drops per recipe is plenty.