Making your own cleaners

After my last blog I had a lot of people email me and ask me about making your own cleaners. Most people were wondering about cost. As far as cost goes, it is by far cheaper to make your own. Some things do take a little time, but if you make larger batches you don't have to do it as often. Today I want to share with you how I make my own laundry soap. First I will tell you the ingredients you need, and where you can find them.

Fels Naptha Laundry Soap Bar: Many grocery stores carry this soap. It is usually around $1 for a bar. It's usually found in the laundry soap aisle, or in the aisle with the bar soaps. If you can't find it, you can substitute with ivory soap, but I don't think it cleans as well. You will not find it at Wal Mart or Target, I've tried. I have found it here at Mega Foods, and Gordy's.

Super Washing Soda, this is also usually in the laundry soap aisle at most grocery stores. It comes in a yellow box, and is made by arm and hammer, ATTENTION, DO NOT use baking soda. I have not found this at Wal Mart, but I have gotten it at Target, Gordy's, Mega and Festival Foods.

Borax, the one that I have been able to find is made by 20 Mule team, it's in a green box, also in the laundry soap aisle. This I have found in many stores, including WalMart and target. It is cheapest to buy at one of those stores.

You can either make a liquid or a powder detergent, I personally make powdered, it is easier to make.

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 Cup grated Fels Naptha soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

Mix all the ingredients together, add to washer basin with warm water first to dissolve before adding clothing. You can change to cold after Borax dissolves. I use 2 T. for a large load on my washer. If you have soft water, or it isn't a heavily soiled load you can use 1 T. Be sure to shake it to mix before each use.

I usually make 2-4 batches at once, the only time consuming part is grating the fels naptha.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

3 pints water
1/3 cup Fels Naptha, grated
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
2 gallon bucket
1 quart hot water

Mix Fels naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of hot water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in washing soda & Borax. Stir until thickened and remove from heat. Add one quart hot water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until thickened. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. It can be used as a pre-treater for stains.

You can also use Fels Naptha bars as a pre treater, they work awesome! And only cost $1.00! Just wet the stain rub the soap on and scrub a little with an old tooth brush.

Also don't forget to wash your new clothes before you wear them. There are Chemicals and God only knows what else in those clothes. Here is a very inexpensive way to make sure that your new clothes don't have anything lingering in them...

Put clothes in washer with enough water to cover.
Sprinkle one cup of baking soda into washing machine. Soak the clothes overnight.
During soaking agitate the machine for a few minutes.
Launder as usual.