Yes Yes Yes — We found a recipe for making our own laundry soap. Then we tested it, and tested it again and again. It worked so well we kept on a using it. Why?
I have to admit, this loose concoction of cheap and easy to find products made me nervous. As my wife was starting the washing machine, I was getting the mop, bucket, wig, used baby diapers (ewww) anything that would pick up water and soap from our rented home’s floor. No overflow whew!!!!
Now the real test - and I know all you readers are asking - ‘But were the clothes clean?’ Yes, they were! As clean as any product we have ever bought in the supermarket.
Next question: ‘Isn’t it a little inconvenient and hard to make our own soap?’ No. Your local grocery store or Walmart will have the ingredients.
So how much will you really save ? We saved this much:
1- Keeping in mind we are a family of three. We have everyday clothes, exercise clothes, evening clothes, towels, etc. Peg was doing 2 loads a day. Maybe she was using too much soap. She likes suds that’s all I can say. Anyway, we were using laundry detergent that cost around $12 dollar every other week. That’s $24 a month, $288 a year. Just on laundry detergent. And we’re just 3 little donuts. Imagine having a larger family!
2- The ingredients for the homemade version of laundry soap costs …please sit down… approximately $6 per batch and a batch lasts a month. What? That’s only $72 dollars per year and a savings of $216. Now that may not be earth shattering to you, but to us that’s money that can be put to much better use. Like what?—– BEER, duh.
So here is the recipe:
2 cups grated Ivory soap (or any natural soap of your choice)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
Put the mixture together in an airtight container. Use 2 tbsp for a large load.
You’re done. It’s really that simple to make. My wife would double the recipe so that she would have it for a while. She also used about 4-6 tbsp for her loads and it still lasted a while. Like I said, she likes suds. You really don’t have to use that much, that was her personal taste.
By the way: the second reason that got us into making our own laundry soap was to reduce the amount of chemicals we put in our bodies. The chemicals in the commercial laundry detergents stay in your clothes and get into your bloodstream when it touches your skin. And don’t get me started on dryer sheets!!!
Now come on guys share some of the ways you save money in the home! Tell us how great, or bad this worked .
14 responses so far ↓
1 NewssyLee // Sep 6, 2008 at 12:11 am
Thanks to you
2 Kath // Sep 8, 2008 at 3:22 am
Your website is fun - I have it bookmarked. I’ll be getting the stuff and trying it this week. Cheers, Kath.
3 Peggie // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:11 pm
No Problem Newssylee. Keep checking back for more.
4 Peggie // Sep 9, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Let us know how it goes Kath. If you like salsa check out the recipe , its yummy and cost like 1/2 or less then the market.
5 Carolyn // Sep 27, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Thanks. . . I will try it.
6 Lara // Sep 27, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I have one question before I use this wonderful recipe… Will the soap work just as well in cold water? Thank you in advance!
7 miriam // Sep 28, 2008 at 1:04 pm
did you use the flake Ivory soap with the baby on the box (It used to have a baby on the front)
8 Peggie // Sep 28, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hi Lara — Yes it works well in cold. We used the cold water for the wash most of the time to save money.
If you noticed we used twice as much as the recipe called for, I feel this was not necessary but my wife wanted to be sure.
9 Peggie // Sep 28, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Miriam — We bought a cheap dollar tree cheeze grader , a bar of ivory soap, then graded away.
let us know how it works for you.
10 linda kevra // Mar 24, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I just found this recipe and have 1 question: How does this work on front-loader washers? I have been using high efficiency liquid detergent since our washer uses much less water than a top-loader.
thanks for the great tip! I look forward to your reply.
Lin
11 lindsey // May 13, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Where does one find the washing soda?
12 Peggie // Jun 4, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Hi Lindsey -
You can find the Washing Soda in the laundry detergent aisle at either your local grocery store or Walmart. It’s usually hidden so you have to look for it. I got mine at Walmart and it was to the far right on the top shelf.
Peggie
13 kris // Jul 14, 2009 at 2:42 am
awesome. will try it. thanks
14 HARVEY // Sep 6, 2010 at 11:48 am
Buy:Zetia.Amoxicillin.SleepWell.Benicar.Lipothin.Lipitor.Prozac.Acomplia.Buspar.Nymphomax.Female Pink Viagra.Seroquel.Aricept.Advair.Female Cialis.Cozaar.Ventolin.Zocor.Lasix.Wellbutrin SR….
Leave a Comment