#diy detergent

Making your own laundry detergent means one thing: it is less irritating on the skin—and works as well as any commercial detergent for a fraction of the cost. Here’s the simple recipe. DIY Homemade detergent So, you will need two things: washing soda, and grated hard soap and it will perform as good as any other detergent. Toss either one onto the piece of clothing you’re preparing to wash as…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weS7XM1IMqQ&t=2s

D.I.Y. Zero Waste Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent often comes in large, colorful plastic bottles. Typically, John and I use about one smaller bottle per month. What a waste! We usually got the smaller bottles because they are lighter to carry inside and because we don’t have a lot of space in our tiny apartment. I finally used the last of my detergent this week, so it’s time to try a zero waste alternative!

This recipe is…

GUYS, THIS WORKED. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM.

My first homesteading project was a roaring success! I know this probably means I'm doomed for failure in the future (ever the optimist, I am), but YAY for now.

!!

Okay, done squealing. Here's what happened:

I used this recipe from Budget101.com. I had several detergent recipes pinned, but I'm partial to a liquid/non-powder detergent. Especially when said liquid is concentrated (you only need to use one tablespoon per load here).

I did this on Sunday as a weekend project with my mom, and was 90% convinced I was going to have a nasty, sudsy mess all over her stove. But instead, we made THESE:

Aren't they gorgeous?

But I'm getting ahead of myself again.

Alright.

Ready?

Here's what you need: 

1 cup Borax

1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

1 bar Fels Naptha 

4 cups water

2 1-quart Mason jars

Total cost for 128 loads of laundry: $1.76

Grate the bar of Fels Naptha using a cheese grater (yes, really). It's super soft, and shouldn't be too difficult. It will take about five or ten minutes, depending on your pressure and attention span.

Put the 4 cups of water in a LARGE pot (big enough to take on all the ingredients, plus room for a bit of foam) and set it to high, waiting for a boil.

Measure out the Borax and Washing Soda, mix together well in a bowl. 

Once the water begins to boil, add the grated Fels Naptha gently, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the soap is completely dissolved, about 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to let this boil over, or you will end up with the sudsy mess I was anticipating. This is the extent of foam you should see:

Once the Fels Naptha has melted, remove the pot from the heat and add the blended Borax and Washing Soda. It's essential you stir constantly here as well, lest you end up with an icky, grainy detergent that could leave residue on your clothes. Stir for about 5 minutes, or until you no longer feel graininess on the bottom of your pot.

Next, pour the detergent equally into your two Mason jars. Add water until the liquid reaches the "shoulders" of the jar (the rounded part near the top). There should be about 1.5 - 2 inches of air space at the top of the jar.

Put the lids on your jars and set them upside down. Leave them like this for 4-5 hours, so they can do their separation thang. Have a Netflix marathon, make a four-course dinner, go for a run, whatever. Just DON'T TOUCH THE JARS until those 4-5 hours are up!

When you come back, they'll look like this:

Kinda nasty, eh? Just wait -- your detergent is about to become oh-so-beautiful.

Grab a mixing bowl and your hand mixer, and empty out the contents of both jars into the bowl. Make sure you scrape the sides of the jar to get all the detergent out. Now whip it! Whip it good!

...until your detergent is light and fluffy.

Ta-da! Transfer back into your (rinsed and dried) jars, and you're done!

To use, simply add one tablespoon of detergent per load of laundry. Add it directly in with the clothes, no matter what your machine says. Take a spoonful, and put it under the running water, allowing the detergent to run off the spoon onto your dirty clothes. Close the machine up and you're done! 

Notes: Since the soaps are already dissolved in this detergent, it won't leave any residue on your clothes like other DIY detergents can. Also, at $1.76 for 128 loads of laundry, this one is a real money saver!

Happy Laundering,