Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ok, a few of you have asked for my Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe?? So here it is below. I really recommend this if you have tons of laundry and/or looking for ways to cut back and save some money. Plus, it's easy and makes a TON!!

What you need:

• 1 bar of soap (your choice, I use Caress, it's a soft orange color and smells great. Keep in mind that whatever bar of soap you use will help scent the detergent and color it)
• 1 box of washing soda (Arm & Hammer makes this in a box. The box contains enough to be used for 6 batches of homemade detergent. It's in the detergent aisle at Kroger, on the top shelf
• 1 box of Borax (in the detergent aisle at Kroger on the top shelf usually next to the washing soda.
• A fall gallon bucket with a lid. (you can get one at WalMart for 5 bucks)
• Three gallons of tap water

1. Bring 4 cups of water just to a boil in a medium or large sized pot.

2. Using a butcher knife, shave the bar of soap (the smaller the better, it'll melt quicker) and add it to the hot water.

3. Keep the heat to just below a boil and stir until the soap flakes are dissolved. You'll have very soapy water when it's all melted. If you're prone to headaches you might want to get someone else to do this step as the soap mixture smells like really strong perfume at this point.

4. Pour 3 gallons of hot water into the five gallon bucket. (I fill up an empty milk gallon 3x and dump it that way.

5. Mix in the hot soapy water, stir it for awhile.

6. Add 1 cup of the washing soda and stir for 2 minutes.

7. Next add 1/2 cup of borax. Stir for 2-3 minutes. You don't have to use borax, but it really does get the clothes cleaner if you do.

8. Seal the bucket with the lid, and let it sit overnight to cool. When it's done you'll have a great sludge to wash your clothes in.

9. 1 cup of the homemade laundry detergent will easily clean a large load of laundry. If you're like me and only wash super sized loads then I use 1 1/4 cup of the detergent.

All of this for a cost of about $0.03 a load!!!!!!!

If anyone out there tries it and loves it or finds a great smelling soap other than caress then please let me know. I change the bar of soap everytime just to mix it up a little. :)