I NEVER, EVER, EVER thought that I would be making my own laundry detergent. However, I happened to watch a documentary on all the chemicals found in store bought detergents, etc. I was horrified! Chemical laden products are SO bad for us!! Can you say, TOXIC??!? That is another post altogether!
Anyway, thanks to my amazing, brilliant, wonderful, and ingenius friend, Page, I now make my own laundry detergent and LOVE it!!
It works, smells great, is economical, consists of only 3 ingredients, and I am never going back!
Now that you want to know the recipe, it is as follows: :-D
-1/2 cup Arm & Hammer washing soda (found at Ace hardware, some grocery stores)-1/2 cup Borax (found at Wal-mart)
-1 bar of Fels Naptha bar soap, (must be grated, do it yourself or buy it that way) (found at Ace Hardware)
These are the only ingredients. Pretty easy huh? Now, if you want to make a double batch (which I highly recommend) then you'd simply double the recipe to-
1c Washing soda
1c Borax
2 bars Fels Naptha, grated
Triple, quadruple, this recipe if you so desire.
Now I did not happen to buy the Fels Naptha grated, so I must do it myself. If you have a food processor, then use it to grind the soap. If not, than you must succumb to an amazing arm workout by grating it yourself (or use it as punishment and have your kids do it! -muahahaha)
It really isn't that bad, and quite worth the effort! Grate, or chop and place into food processor. Whatever you do, you MUST grate the soap!
Now that we're clear on this. :-) Here is what it might look like....but hopefully yours is finer ground. Mine actually turned out a bit bigger than I wanted, due to the fact that I do NOT own a food processor.....yet. ;-)The good news is that my beautiful HE washer has NO problem breaking these little pills down, thankfully! Whew!
** Yes, this homemade laundry detergent IS safe for HE washers - *Fels Naptha* is a low suds soap.**
Add your borax and washing soda to the Fels Naptha and mix. Voila! So easy, even a cave woman could do it! (sorry, that was quite lame)
Store in your favorite, pink, air tight container. ha! Use 1-2 tablespoons per load, we prefer 2tbls.
My husband and I were both a bit skeptical on how well we'd like this homemade detergent. I have to say that we LOVE it! Our clothes smell very fresh and clean every time!! Give it a try! You'll be so glad you did!! You'll feel extra proud of yourself, knowing that YOU did this, while saving your family money!
Oh and it's also nice to know EXACTLY what is in your laundry detergent.
I'm off to do some laundry! Yay!
~Lauren
