Laundry Detergent

I originally started making my own laundry detergent after seeing The Duggars do it on their show. AND I actually use the recipe that the Duggars use for the powdered type for the most part. They also have a recipe for liquid detergent. The first time my husband and I made detergent we made the liquid recipe. I hated it. It was a lot of work and just not worth it to me. BUT the second time we made it I made the powdered recipe and it's great. My recipe is....

1 bar of Fels-Naptha Soap (I have read that you can us other soaps but this is the one I always use cause it's cheap and smells good)
1/2 cup of Borax
1 cup of Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda)

You can find all of these ingredients on the detergent aisle at most grocery stores. I say most because borax is at majority of all grocery stores. Fels-Naptha is as well. It's the Washing Soda that you may have to hunt for. Here where I'm at you can find it at Harris Teeter and Ingles. Now on to the directions (they are quiet easy). Or the way I do them they are.

I use a mini food processor and I cut my Fels-Naptha soap up into small chunks. I then go ahead and measure out my Borax and Washing Soda. I add all of the Borax with the soap and then blend the food processor. When all the chunks are cut up into small pieces I add in more small chunks to the food processor and then half the Washing Soda. Blend that. Then add the rest of the soap and the rest of the Washing Soda. Make sure it's all blended together and the soap is broken down in small pieces and then put it in a container big enough to hold it all. I use a big container of Folgers that I can put 3 batches in. When I'm washing clothes I use 2 Tablespoons in the wash unless it's my husband's work clothes and then I use 3 Tablespoons.

When I first started making my own laundry detergent, I went and bought some cheap measuring spoons and one of my aunts gave me two Folgers containers. I use one to keep my measure spoons in other then the Tablespoon one. And the other Folgers container I use to keep the ready laundry detergent. So here's some pictures...And ask questions if I left something out :)

(Top) All the ingredients minus the food processor.
(Bottom)Cut up Fels-Naptha, 1 cup of Washing Soda, 1/2 cup of Borax, and my mini food processor.

(Top)All the ingredients blended up into the mini food processor.
(Bottom) Ready to wash some clothes with my freshly made batch of Laundry Detergent inside of my Folgers coffee container. That's one batch.

So, it's super easy and takes all of about 30 to 45 minutes (if that) once you get use to making it. I usually make 3 batches at a time and that'll usually last me about 3 months doing about 4 to 5 loads of laundry every weekend. The Borax is about $3.00, Washing Soda $3.50 and Fels-Naptha Soap is about $1.50. The soap is the only thing you have to buy a bar for every batch. Usually a box of Borax and Washing Soda make around 5 or 6 batches (maybe more, I've honestly never measured it out to see). There are other ways to make Laundry Detergent but this is the way I make it. Enjoy!