Made 8 months of Laundry Detergent... for a Buck!

[jollygreen23]

I make my own soap (a hobby that probably doesn't save much money, but I like knowing what's in my hygiene products, and it's fun.) When I cut a block of fresh soap into bars, there are always scraps and shavings that aren't really good for washing with.

So I save them, let them dry out, then throw them in a crock pot with some water. Once all the soap dissolves, I add a cup each of borax and washing soda, pour it into old detergent containers, and then fill the rest up with water.

Now I have 9 full containers of laundry detergent that I made for next to nothing. It's not exactly a get-rich-quick scheme, but it makes me happy. :)

[oneyearfromnow]

Interesting!  I always have bits of soap bars around. 

You mention the proportion of soda and borax - but how much "soap jelly" do you use before adding the water? 

Would there be a difference in recipe for high efficiency washers?

[jollygreen23]

I didn't measure the amount of water. I had 8 oz of scraps of soap (by weight) and I filled my crock pot about halfway with water. Once everything was dissolved, I divided the "jelly" into eight or nine 75-oz containers. (Eight containers is a bit thicker, nine containers if you don't mind it being watery.) Then the rest of the container, I filled with water. I probably had 2-ish cups of "jelly" in each container, more or less.

Be careful about the type of soap you use. Most commercial bar soaps have a lot of additives that wouldn't be good for detergent. Most detergent recipes call for a bar of "laundry soap" like Fels-Naptha.

This recipe works great for both regular and HE washers because it's technically a laundry "soap," not a "detergent," so it's low-sudsing. Maybe use 9 containers for HE and 8 containers for a slightly-more-concentrated soap for your regular washer?

[oneyearfromnow]

Thanks so much!

We are a plain ivory soap family.  Once it sits for a while, and the moisture leaves the scraps, and it can easily be grated.  I'm going to give it a try!

[2ndTimer]

Sounds like a good use for all the motel soap I bring home from business trips.

[APowers]

Homemade laundry soap is super cheap. WAY cheaper than even store-brand or Costco laundry detergent. We made a 5-gallon bucket full (fels-naptha, borax, washing soda, water) and it's lasted us for well over a year (maybe two? It's hard to remember that far back :P).

[MakingSenseofCents]

Wow awesome job!

[asauer]

I make my own detergent too!  $70 worth of borax, washing soda and zote have made me 2 years worth of detergent!

[davisgang90]

I've been making my own laundry soap for a couple years.  I've saved a ton of money not buying the fancypants stuff.  Takes only a few minutes to make 5 gallons which lasts us a couple months.  I'm on my second box of borax and arm and hammer.