Homemade Laundry Products

Over a year ago, one woman at work made her own laundry detergent and brought in a sample for us to see. We ooh'd and ahh'd over the gelanous mixture, sniffing and testing the texture with our fingers. I guess that many of us are of at least a certain age where things like that excite us. Just imagine the stimulating work conversation:

What are you doing this weekend?
I'm making laundry detergent.
Oh! What kind of soap do you use in your recipe?
I use Zote, because pink is my favorite color!

(Heidi, if you ever come across my blog, yes that's you bolded!)

Now, many of us make our own. I then had to try my own fabric softener. I put mine in a Downey ball and it has the added benefit of keeping the inside of the washing machine sparkly.

Here are the recipes that I've been using. And yes, it is time this weekend to make both recipes. Fun times to be had!

Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap
½ c washing soda
½ c borax

Grate the soap and put in a saucepan with 6 c water. Heat until soap melts. Add soda and borax. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.
Pour 4 c hot water into a bucket. Add the soap mix and stir.
Now, add 1 gallon plus 6 c water. Stir.
Let sit for 24 hours and it will gel.
Use ½ c per load.


Fabric Softener
1 c baking soda
6 c distilled white vinegar
8 c water

Put the baking soda in a bucket. Add 1 c water. Slowly add the vinegar…it will fizz. Let fizz for a few minutes to dissolve the baking soda. Add the rest of the water. You can also add 10-15 drops of essential oil. Add 1 c to the final rinse, shaking first if you use essential oils. Or, put into a Downey ball.