Home Made Detergent

I have been reading everywhere about making your own detergent. So I decided to give it a try. It took alittle time to find all the ingredients for the powder detergent, but I found them eventually. I have seen a ton for a liquid form of it, but it looks too lumpy and I have no place to store that much of it, so I opted for the powder form.

I got the Fels Naptha at Shaws grocery store, the washing soda at Stop & Shop grocery store and the Borax at Walmart. Two of the stores are near my house, but Walmart is 25 minutes away. I haven't been able to find the Borox any closer. *

*Edit** Now I have 3 major grocery stores all within a 2 mile radius and I am able to find all the ingredients there**

Here is the recipe that I am using:

2 cups (almost one full bar) of Fels  Naptha finely grated
1 cup Wasing Soda
1 cup Borox
Mix all together
Use 2 tbs per load of wash

For a test load, I washed my sons and hubby's socks. My sons socks can get black very fast (he likes to run around outside in just socks). I use to use All and a ton of bleach and they never got very white. This is one reason why I wanted to try this home made soap. Another is the cost. Well, the cost is the number one reason.

Well, after the wash was done, I took them outside to dry (we don't own a dryer). The sun shinning on the clean socks make me blink. Thankfully I have transition lenses on my glasses because I needed sunglasses the socks were so clean. They even smelled clean.

Normally after air drying in the sun, the socks would get all hard and crusty with the All detergent. Not with this home made soap. The socks stayed soft even after drying.

I have some All detergent I will be using up on my sheets, blankets and towels, but all our clothes will be washed in this new home made soap. Then once the All is gone, it will be home made soap all the way.

Here are some websites to find home made detergent recipes:

The Family Homestead
Tip Nut ~This is where I got my recipe. It is #4 on the list~
The Frugal Shopper
Modern Cottage ~This site even has a nice fabric softener recipe. I may have to try this one out too~
Video on how to make your laundry soap on You Tube