DIY :: Laundry Detergent

Here's a little DIY from the laundry room. I trialed this laundry detergent last fall, the test was our dirty farm clothes - sometimes we can really drag in the dirt. I always had kind of an aversion to powdered detergents, but I am pretty happy with this, so I thought I would share!

It's so easy to make, very inexpensive and effective. This summer I made a big batch in the spring and just made a second that should take us to the end of the farming season.

One part fels naptha soap, two parts washing soda, two parts borax. Add essential oils if you would like - lavender would be nice. I keep a cheese grater in the laundry room for the soap. Grate all but a nub and use the nub as a stain treatment - forget the harsh chemicals. If I ever felt like I needed some extra washing power I could grate a little more soap into the load.

The bar of fels naptha is under $2.00, washing soda and borax boxes are under $4.00 each. So I can make a large batch (pictured below) using one bar of soap, a box of washing soda and a partial box of borax for under $10. This will last me months - I use two tablespoons for regular loads and three for dirty/heavy loads.

I keep two canning jars, one as my measure and one for storage, plus this larger plastic container as my back up storage and batch mixer. Above you can see the ingredients separate, below they are mixed. Easy!