I made it {laundry detergent}

I have made laundry detergent in the past and loved it.

Then my step-son got ring worm from a cat his mother brought into the home and I went into FREAK OUT mode! At the time Little Man and I didn't have any health insurance so we couldn't get ring worm. Also, my now husband knew that if I found out he had ring worm I would freak so he kept quiet.

Needless to say, I didn't know if my homemade laundry detergent could kill any ring worm residue so I stopped using it. {I also bleached everything I could for good measure!}

It has been at least a year of using brand name laundry detergent and honestly I am not impressed. I don't feel like my clothes are getting all that clean. Little Man's soccer uniform was looking dingy. {On a side note, why do soccer uniforms need to be white! Seriously!}

Then I saw a friend's post on Facebook about how she just made her first batch of laundry detergent.

Since I was out of laundry detergent I knew that it would take no time at all to whip up a great big batch.

I did have to run to the store to pick up a box of Borax and a box of washing soda. I already had a bar of soap that I wanted to use {Kirks Original Coco Castile}that I picked up from Whole Foods a month ago for $2.99. The Borax and washing soda I got from Walmart for about $3.50 a box. So for $10 I have more than 5 gallons of homemade and natural laundry detergent.

Supplies Needed

20 Mule Team Borax
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
A bar of soap {I used castile but you can use Fels Naptha or really any bar of soap you like.}
A 5 gallon bucket
Water

The first thing I did was grate the entire bar of soap and put it in a pot on the stove.

Then I added 2 quarts of water. {FYI, since I had to look this up I thought I would let you know. 2 quarts = 8 cups of water.} Add the water to your freshly grated soap.

Heat the water and soap on a medium/low heat until the soap dissolves into the water.

While the soap is dissolving start pouring 4 1/2 gallons of really really hot tap water into your 5 gallon bucket.

Add 1 cup Borax and 1 cup washing soda to the smoking hot water. Stir.
 

Once the soap has dissolved add that mixture to your 5 gallon bucket.  Stir again. 

Allow the soap solution to cool for 24 hours.

Mix well again. {At this time the solution will have more of a gel consistency.}

Now I haven't done the last step yet ... because I am lazy have been chasing Little Miss around all day but you should put your freshly made laundry detergent into your old laundry detergent bottles. This way you can shake them really well before you add it to your laundry. {The water does separate a little bit from the soap when it sits.}

I have seen some really cute ways to store your laundry detergent but I haven't done it yet.

Source

I love the look of this! Now if I could find a cheap drink dispenser.

Add 1/2 cup to a full cup of detergent per load.

And that's it!! You have a natural way to clean your families clothes!

I know that some people do add essential oils to their detergent to give it more of a smell but I do like the way it smells all on its own.