Recently I spoke with a co-worker about her homemade laundry detergent. I have no idea how the conversation came around to that, it was one of those meandering conversation things, but she said it was simple to make and cheaper than store-bought ones.
I did a little research and found several sites (Money Saving Queen, DIY Natural, From Our Hiding Place, and The Simple Dollar--but they're everywhere!) detailing the detergent making process, but they all seem to have the same ingredients in common:
Borax
Washing Soda
Fels Naptha or Ivory (I think one used Dove)
Oxiclean
Additional soap for scent if desired
I've heard of Borax, when I was young my mom used it for mysterious mom reasons probably related to my dad's use of it to remove grease. Washing Soda? Apparently it's Baking Soda on steroids. Or in need of I'm not sure.You bake Baking Soda to make Washing Soda. Seriously. I find that infinitely fascinating! Fels Naptha for stains, Ivory...presumably for the same reason...soap for scent.
My co-worker uses Zote, but I think the Ivory or Dove would serve the dual purpose of stain remover and scent and be easier to find. Ideally I'd like an all natural soap but let's stick with something easy and cheap for this first attempt. I can move up later.
And now here I am, debating the wisdom of making my own laundry detergent. I mean there are reasons we buy things! Convenience and...well, convenience. Cost is a factor, don't get me wrong, But she swears it takes only 20 minutes or so and if you average out the cost of the ingredients vs per load it's a whole lot cheaper.
I've decided to give it a try.
While I love the detail of The Simple Dollar site in breaking down the cost (there's a reason the site is named that) I decided on Ivory soap for both stain removal and scent. Cuts down on the required soap quantity.
So now I have all my ingredients and plan to make my own laundry detergent this weekend. Anyone else try this? Want to try it? Think it's worth it or not? Am I crazy?
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