Save Big with Homemade Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent is a big expense for families.  Larger families feel the pinch, especially when there are sports uniforms, workout clothes, and multiple family members to wash for. 

Adding to the mayhem is the huge popularity of high efficiency washing machines.  While they may be great at saving water, most families now spend even more money purchasing specialty soaps formulated for these newer machines.

While laundry is a necessary evil, you can make a low cost powdered laundry detergent in a snap.  The best thing is that every ingredient is locally available at both Clement and stores.

For details and my personal experience with homemade laundry soap, visit my blog.

Here is the recipe, (from Matt Jab's blog post)

■1 bar of shaved bar soap (Ivory, ZOTE, Fels-Naptha)
■1 cup of borax
■1 cup of washing soda

1. Grate the bar soap.
2. Add the other two ingredients.
3. Stir well (or shake it in your yogurt container....)

Each batch yields approximately 32 ounces, good for 64 loads of laundry, or 1 Tbsp per load.

I’m currently on my second batch of laundry detergent and I have been very happy with the results.   The Fels-Naptha soap is popular because it is formulated as laundry soap.  Ivory or Zote soap are also good choices because they don’t have extra additives.

To grate the soap, you could use a food processor to speed things up.  (Just make sure you clean and rinse it well if you use the equipment for food again).  I was able to grate a full bar of soap with a regular handheld cheese grater while watching TV for 30 minutes.  This is less time than I would have spent attempting to clip coupons for laundry detergent and actually finding one on sale.

This soap is low sudsing, so it is suitable for all kinds of washers.  In addition, the ingredients are biodegradable and environmentally friendly because you are no longer buying the large plastic containers of liquid laundry detergent.

How much can you really save with this version of detergent?  According to Matt Jab, it costs $0.21 per load of commercial detergent.  The homemade version only costs $0.05 per load.  At $0.16 per load and three loads of laundry every six days (3 loads x 6 days/week x 50 weeks/year = 900 loads/year), my family will save $144 per year with this simple change.

Target and Walmart may sell the washing soda and Borax cheaper, but they do not carry Fels-Naptha.  Clement Hardware carries all three and they are all right next to each other for convenience.  ACE Hardware also carries all three products and both hardware stores can order them with no extra shipping charge if they are out.

For more homemaking inspiration, read my five easy steps to managing the rest of your laundry.