Laundry Detergent

I've been making my own laundry detergent for almost a year now. I have saved a fortune, our clothes are cleaner and there is no risk for allergic reactions because of perfumes, dyes or chemicals. These detergents will not suds the same as store bought detergents which is what we are used to seeing and think that it must clean better because it's sudsy. These detergents, I believe, actually clean as well if not better than store bought. I thought you might like to try some for yourself:

Powdered Laundry Detergent


1 cup grated Fels-Naptha Soap
1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax

Mix all ingredients together. Put in a decorative glass container. For a light load or lightly soiled load, all you need to use is 1 Tablespoon. For heavy loads or heavily soiled loads, use 2 Tablespoons.

If you would like to use other bar soaps, such as beauty bars or deodorant bars, you can substitute for Fels-Naptha.

Liquid Laundry Detergent


3 pints water
1/3 bar of grated Fels-Naptha Soap

1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax

1 quart hot water

2 gallon bucket

In a saucepan, add 3 pints of water and grated soap. On low heat, stir soap until dissolved. Stir in washing soda and borax. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1 quart of hot water. In 2 gallon bucket filled with hot water, add soap mixture and mix well. Allow mixture to sit and thicken for 24 hours. You can store this in empty gallon milk or water cartons, large glass jars or double the batch and store in larger spackle buckets.

I have found that the liquid does tend to separate and has even cooled to a "gel" consistency. All you need to do is shake the contents to mix before using. Use 1/2 cup per load of laundry.