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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 loads (aprox.) 1g Recipe makes 80 loads (aprox.))
Calories 0
Calories from Fat 0		(0%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 0.0g	0%
	Saturated Fat 0.0g	0%
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 0mg		0%
Potassium 0mg		0%
Total Carbohydrate 0.0g		0%
	Dietary Fiber 0.0g	0%
	Sugars 0.0g
Protein 0.0g		0%
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Homemade Laundry Detergent

Recipe #70088 | 35 min | 15 min prep | add private note

⁽³⁶⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: Daphne2002
Aug 29, 2003

Make your own laundry detergent! This is really easy and really does save money! Great for people with allergies or fragrance sensitivity. This lasts a long time!

80 loads (aprox.) (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 bar bath soap, grated (your favorite brand, fels naptha is great)
1 cup arm & hammer super washing soda laundry detergent (a laundry booster)
1/2 cup borax
hot water

Directions

1
Place grated soap in a pot.
2
Cover with water and simmer over medium heat until all soap is melted, stirring occasionally.
3
Pour into 5 gallon bucket.
4
Add washing soda and borax.
5
Add enough hot water to fill the bucket.
6
Stir (I use a long measuring stick, but any long stick will work).
7
Let sit overnight to gel.
8
Use 1 cup per load.
9
(You can pour this into old detergent containers or leave in the bucket. Please cover with a lid if leaving in the bucket to protect children and pets.).

Questions about this recipe?

Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: Bullscreeker

On Aug 17, 2009

This stuff works great! I mixed mine up Friday night, and I can't remember a weekend when I looked forward to washing clothes. I washed all weekend long. So excited about all the money I'll be saving from here on out. This stuff is da bomb!

0 people found this review helpful

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From: Chef #192632

On May 31, 2009

An awesome money saver! I use 5 one gallon buckets (empty plastic ice cream containers) with 3T Arm & Hammer Washing Soda and 2T Borax placed in each bucket. I grate a bar of Fels Naptha and place it in a large pot with water on medium heat until the soap dissolves (15-20 minutes). I then equally pour the dissolved soap into the 5 buckets and mix with the Arm & Hammer and Borax. I then add hot water to fill the bucket, stir and place a lid on it.

3 people found this review helpful

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From: Amy - Ellie's Mommie

On Jan 23, 2004

I LOVE THIS DETERGENT!! I made this with the Fels Naptha, but will be using Pure and Natural soap for my second batch. Mom has horrible childhood memories of being washed with Fels Naptha as a cure for poison ivy... This detergent got all of my wash sparkling clean, with no residue, no odor and no perfume. When combined with Homemade Fabric Softener, this recipe will save you so much money. The first batched lasted almost two months in our house (two adults and one baby girl). Edited to add: the second batch came out even better! It gelled much more and smells great when made with the Pure and Natural soap. editing again to add that while the soap gelled better and smelled good, the Pure and Natural version tends to leave white residue on my black clothes and it takes more to get stuff clean...back to Fels Naptha for us!

16 people found this review helpful

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From: carolyn lynch

On Oct 16, 2003

I will never buy laundry detergent again. I have made 2 batches since the day this recipe was posted. The first, I used baking soda like the last reviewer and it did a good job but didn't gel up. The second I did exactly like the recipe and it is super. I have terrible water even with a water softener and so laundry is somewhat frustrating but our clothes were so clean with this and talk about removing odors from horrible socks! With 6 active people in this house (including 2 teenage daughters) this lasts so long. This is great. THanks

10 people found this review helpful

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