My friend Jen says I'm granola...I say I'm just cheap. After spending months lamenting the cost of buying enough laundry detergent to clean cloth diapers and the MOUNTAINS of laundry two little boys can produce I decided to do something about it and thus began the laundry making experiment. Now -- almost 9 months later -- it's a tremendous success and I LOVE IT!! So here's the recipe (that I found on someone else's blog) and a few pointers.
Tools and Ingredients:
stock pot or large pot
box grater/cheese grater
1 cup washing soda (made by Arm & Hammer -- NOT THE DETERGENT)
1/2 cup borax -- optional but highly recommended (I use 20 Mule Team)
1 bar of soap -- vegetable based is best (I've used Ivory and Dr. Bronner's but you can use just about anything)
large bucket or container with a lid (some people use a 5 gallon bucket -- I use a large rubbermaid container that sits on my dryer)
approximately 3 gallons of water
something to stir with (I use a wooden spoon)
A Note about Ingredients: I have found the borax at Kroger and Wal-Mart. Kroger is the only place I've found washing soda. All can be ordered online if you need it. Be prepared for an initial investment of around $12 -- and know that I've only purchased borax and washing soda ONE TIME since I started this!
Directions -- Remember this isn't baking...nothing needs to be exact!
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, grate the bar of soap. I use a box grater and end up with tiny soap curls. (Occasionally I've found that the soap crumbles into a powder if it's been exposed to too much moisture...it doesn't affect the final product).
3. Slowly add in the grated soap. Stir until dissolved. Don't add all the soap at once or it will clump together and be difficult to dissolve.
4. Remove from heat
At this point you will end up with warm, soapy soup. Your water will take the color of your bar of soap so if you use a dyed bar of soap be prepared for this (ie Irish Spring).
5. Add 3 gallons of warm tap water to your large container. (For future recipes, I've found it easier to mark a "Fill Line" on the side of my container so I don't have to measure every time).
6. To this add your soap soup, washing soda and borax. Stir well in between each addition. (I stir until I can't feel grit with my spoon)
Now you will have a bucket of soapy water. Remember the color of your batch will vary depending on the type of soap you used...don't get bogged down in this.
7. Cover with a lid and let sit for 24 hours.
When you return you will find something like runny jello. You can stir it if you'd like. You can pour it into a recycled detergent container and shake before each use. I just use a measuring cup and dip in each time -- getting some liquid and some of the gelatinous "stuff".
Some stuff to know...
1. Yes it works. Either that or my family's been walking around in dirty clothes for almost a year! For the boys' clothes I've found sometimes I need a little more oomph -- so I add a little more borax to that load. AND sometimes I have to pull out the big guns and use every stain fighter that's been made...
2. This detergent can leave a film in your washer. You can either do a periodic rinse with white vinegar OR use white vinegar as your fabric softener (I put mine in the downy ball).
3. If you want to add scent, you can do it one of two ways: add it by using a scented bar soap or add some essential oils to the process. I've tried it with bar soap and it was alright -- not terribly strong so not worth the added expense of the scented soap.
4. You can add 1/4 cup liquid bluing (will turn your soap yellow not blue) to get whites whiter without the use of bleach. This is on my to-try list for the next batch. You can find liquid bluing at Kroger.
5. Yes it really saves you money. Each batch costs approximately $1.50 and I'm able to use it through several laundry rounds and multiple diaper cycles.
6. It's all-natural so the soap is safe for cloth diapers. If you have sensitive skin and usually use "free and clear" use Ivory soap and then you've made your own "free and clear" detergent.
7. I use approximately one cup per extra-large load.
I'll include some pictures on this post when I make my next batch. Let me know if you have questions!
3 comments:
This is what I've been using for the last few years. I can't see myself EVER going back. I usually double up my recipe and fill a 5 gallon bucket. I only have to make it like 2 or 3 times A YEAR! The last batch, I added some Lavendar essential oils and I like it. It adds a tiny bit of scent. We are believers! :)
Do you know if this works with front-loading washers?
Lindsey -- There is some debate on front-loaders and this "stuff" mostly because of the special seals that are used on the machines. Some sites I've read say "absolutely!"; others say "no way!"; most fall in the in-between. I do know that front-loaders are even more susceptible to the build-up effect than traditional top-loaders.
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