Liquid Handsoap:
In a pot, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, shave the bar of soap into fragments, or break up the already small pieces of left over soap. The smaller the fragments, the quicker they will dissolve in the boiling water.
Stir the soap into the boiling water until the soap completely dissolves. Once the mixture is cool, pour it into your old soap dispenser. You will note the mixture is not as thick as store-bought soap (if consistency is an issue for you, use less water and more soap). However, you'll find the watery hand soap mixture works exceedingly well in creating a lather and cleaning your hands.
Here is where the advertising and marketing exercise from above comes into play. The advertisers will have us believe that the thick gel type liquid hand soap is necessary to get our hands clean. Oh contraire!
If you prefer to have a different scent, experiment with essential oils. Only a drop or two is necessary.
Fabric Softener:
One part water to one part fabric softener, my laundry smelled great and my towels were just a soft and fluffy as they used to be.
A large water dispenser and filled it half with water and the other half with softener. The dispenser is sitting on top of the
washing machine. Just in case anyone else in the family decides to wash clothes, the softer is there and ready to go.
Liquid Laundry Soap:
* 3.1 oz bar Ivory soap (Ivory is chosen because it's all natural. You may use a soap of your choice)
* 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
* 1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
* Water
Tools:
* 5 Gallon container
* Knife
* Pot large enough to hold 5 cups of water
* Long stirring stick/spoon (for 5 gallon container)
Shave the soap into small strips and place in the pot with 5 cups of water. Bring the water just shy of a boil and stir until the soap is completely melted. When the soap is just about melted, pour 3 gallons of hot water into the 5-gallon container and let it sit until the soap in the pot is totally melted. Once all of the soap shavings are melted, pour the mixture into the 5-gallon container and stir.
Once the soap and water are thoroughly stirred, add the 1/2 cup pf washing soda and stir until dissolved. Once the washing soda is dissolved, pour in the cup of borax and stir again until dissolved.
Optional: Essential Oils for fragrance. If you like fragrant detergent, now is when you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oils.
This recipe yields 442 oz of laundry detergent, of which 4 oz are required per laundry load. With this recipe you should be able to wash 110 1/2 loads of laundry.
Cost break down:
As of May, 2007, the purchase price for the ingredients in the Northeastern area of the United States are as follows:
* Borax: $2.50 for 70 oz.Cost per batch: .28 (8 oz needed for recipe)
* Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 oz.Cost per batch .18.(4 oz needed for recipe)
* Ivory Soap: $.99 for 3 3.1 oz. Bars.Cost per batch: .33 (1 bar of soap needed for recipe)
Cost to make: $0 .79
Yield: 442 oz..
Cost per oz. = .00178.
Cost per 1/2 cup = .007 or rounded to .01 cent per load.
The cost to wash 110.5 loads with homemade laundry detergent is $1.11. How does that compare to your store-bought detergent?
Powdered Laundry Detergent:
Ingredients:
* 2/3 bar Fels Naptha Laundry Soap (equivalent of 1 cup grated).
* 1/2 Cup 20 Mule Team Borax.
* 1/2 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.
* a half container of table salt, This helps to preserve the colors in the clothes.
* Container large enough to hold 3 cups of laundry detergent.
Directions:
1. Grate the Fels Naptha laundry soap with a grater or use a food processor. Approximately 2/3 of a bar of soap will make 1 cup of grated soap.
2. Add the 1/2 cup of Borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda to the grated soap.
3. Shake and/or mix well.
Use:
One or two tablespoons of detergent is sufficient per load of wash. If you have a high-efficiency machine, you might want to experiment with using a little less detergent for normal loads. If your clothes come out feeling stiff, lower the amount of detergent. For clothes that are heavily soiled, add a teaspoon more of the detergent..
The recipe yields 2 cups of laundry detergent. If you use 1 tablespoon per load, you will be able to wash 32 loads of clothes.
Cost:
* 20 Mule Team Borax: $2.50 for 70 oz. - Cost per batch: .14 (4 oz needed for recipe)
* Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 oz. Cost per batch .18.(4 oz needed for recipe)
* Fels Naphtha: $1.24 per bar. Cost per batch: $0 .83 (2/3 bar of soap needed for recipe)
Total cost to make: $1.15 Yields 2 cups which translates to 3.5 cents per load.
Although it is more expensive than the liquid homemade laundry detergent, it is still cheaper than buying from the store.
You may have personal preferences for using one over the other. With the liquid recipe, you will have to store gallons of laundry detergent. This is not a problem unless you live in a small apartment, where storage space is limited. The powder on the other hand is neat, compact and takes up less space.
*Shipping and handling costs for the laundry soap will raise the cost per load.
Fabric Softeners:
Place 1/4 cup of white vinegar in your rinse cycle or 2 Cups White Vinegar 4 Cups Water 2 Cups Baking Soda
Mix the water and vinegar together. Slowly stir in the baking soda and keep in a container. Use 1/4 cup of the softener per load.
Dishwashing Detergent:
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.
20 Mule Team Borax.
Distilled White Vinegar.
Here is what you do (read slowly because there are only two steps):
* Step 1: Add 1 tablespoon of Super Washing Soda to the dishwasher dispenser.
* Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax to the dishwasher dispenser.
You are done. That is the recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent. Now the recipe for removing the water spots that so frequently occur with automatic dishwashers:
* Pour distilled white vinegar into the dispenser for the clear rinse gel.
Once you've run your dishwasher, be sure to hold your glasses up to the light and inspect them thoroughly. You'll find that the homemade detergent cleans as well if not better than the store bought detergent.
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