Put Rita down for a nap. Sit on the sofa. Get off of the sofa to do something productive with my life! Decide to make long-needed laundry detergent. Decide to document it for you!
SUPPLIES:
- 4-CUP MEASURING CUP
- MEDIUM OR LARGE POT WITH LID (PREFERABLY OLD AND UNUSED)
- SPOON FOR STIRRING (I DON'T RECOMMEND WOOD - UNLESS YOU LIKE THE FLAVOR OF SOAP IN YOUR FOOD)
- 5 GALLON BUCKET
- LID FOR BUCKET (MOSTLY IF YOU HAVE KIDS AROUND)
- ONE-CUP MEASURING CUP
- CHEESE GRATER
- BOWL/PLATE (CATCHING GRATED SOAP)
- TWO CUPS BORAX (WE HAVE HARD WATER)
- ONE CUP WASHING SODA
- ONE BAR OF SOAP
- WATER
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Here's the breakdown:
9:55am Put four cups of water to boil in a covered pot
9:56am Grate bar of soap
9:59am Get five gallon bucket, lid, Borax and washing soda from laundry room
10:00am Dump grated soap into boiling water and stir
10:01am Put two cups of Borax and one cup of washing soda into empty bucket
10:02am Stir soapy water on stove
10:03am Start putting hot water into bucket holding Borax and washing soda (I find the Borax and washing soda melt quicker and better when added to bucket before water)
10:06am Stir soapy water on stove
10:09am Stop putting hot water into bucket (should be about 3/5 full) and stir to completely combine
10:10am Pour soapy water into bucket holding melted Borax and washing soda, stir and cover (let sit overnight or 8 hours - consistency depends on bar of soap used)
10:11am Smile and feel accomplished because you just had the most frugal fifteen minute experience of your life (I BET)!
USING THE DETERGENT (ULTIMATELY DEPENDS ON HOW SOILED YOUR CLOTHES ARE)
- SMALL LOADS GET ABOUT 1/2 CAP OF DETERGENT
- MEDIUM OR LARGE LOADS GET 3/4-1 CAP DETERGENT
- HUGE LOADS/I REALLY NEEDED TO WASH LOADS GET 1-2 CAPS
- ****NOTE: THE AMOUNT IS BY CAPS NOT CUPS - WHY CAPS? BECAUSE WE REUSE OLD LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT BOTTLES (OURS ARE CURRENTLY FROM SEVENTH GENERATION)**** EXPERIMENT ON A FEW LOADS WITH YOUR OWN PORTIONS THEN RUN A HOT MEDIUM OR LARGE LOAD AND CHECK FOR SUDS. IF SUDS: LOWER AMOUNT USED AND IF NO SUDS, KEEP USING CURRENT PORTIONS
My laundry recipe uses the same ingredients! I always dread 'making laundry soap' but it is so easy to make and saves so much money that it's completely worth it that little bit of time invested!!
ReplyDeleteI dread it too! Notice the post starts off with me sitting on the sofa...but hooray grace flew in and got me up!
DeleteYou are SO right is saves a TON of money. My mom has started making it with me because she loves how well it works and how economical it is!!
This has so been on my list of things to try! Which of course has been put on hold for a few months...it's good to know it works and is worth the time :)
ReplyDeleteSo so worth it! It does work - my mom is totally impressed by that and now makes it with me! Maybe you can shout out instructions to Logan one weekend :)
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