For about 10 dollars in supplies at Walmart you can make your own washing detergent for 1/10 of the price of buying it. Plus it only takes about 15 minutes and a 2 gallon bucket.
Here's how we made the switch from $10.98 a jug Tide to about $0.50 a jug homemade stuff!
We saved a couple of old Tide jugs to put our homemade detergent in to make it easier to handle than the bucket.
So here's is what you'll need:
2 empty washing detergent containers
2 gallon bucket
1/3 Fels-Naptha bar of soap
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
*optional laundry scent
All ingredients can be found in the laundry aisle of Walmart.
Directions:
1. Grate 1/3 bar of Fels-Naptha and place in a large pot, add 6 cups of water and heat until soap is melted.
2. Add 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup Borax, stir until dissolved.
3. Remove from heat, to the 2 gallon bucket add 4 cups HOT water. Next add the soap mixture to bucket. Stir.
4. Then add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water. If desired add 1/2 to 1 ounce of scented laundry oil (I use Linen scented). Stir.
5. Let sit about 24 hours to gel. Stir it up again and using a funnel pour it in to empty detergent containers. Now your homemade detergent is ready to use!
Make sure you shake the detergent well before each wash because it tends to separate.
