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Posted on 06/12/2009 12:31:42 AM PDT by JoeProBono
Making your own detergent is a great way to save money on doing your laundry. You get a lot more bang for your buck! I started with the powdered detergent and just got brave enough last weekend to try the liquid. It was a LOT easier than I thought.
Powdered detergent 1 cup Borax 1 cup Washing soda 1 bar of soap (I prefer Fels Naptha which is a laundry soap.) Grate the bar of soap. Combine all three ingredients in blender and mix well. I used 2 Tbsp for a normal load of laundry and 3 if I was washing my husbands work clothes. Liquid detergent 1 5 gallon bucket with lid 1 bar of soap 1 cup Borax 1 cup washing soda 3 gallons plus 4 cups water Put about 4 cups of water in a pan on stove on high heat until almost boiling. Take soap and grate or shave off pieces into the pan with the water in it. You want to keep the water just under boiling so you will have to keep adjusting temp on stove top. Once you have put the whole bar of soap in the water, stir it until all the soap dissolves.
Put 3 gallons of hot tap water in the bucket. Then stir in all the other ingredients making sure to mix well. Place in a safe spot and let cool overnight. When you get up the next day you will have a bucket of slimy looking stuff a little bit lighter in color than whatever soap you used. I use 1 cup in a load of clothes. I thought this was going to be a long drawn out process but it took me maybe 15 minutes. A box of Borax and washing soda will make about 6 batches of the detergent.
Each batch should get about 48 loads of laundry. Keep in mind differences in cost for different areas but it equals out to about .03 a gallon. LOTS cheaper than Tide!
The Earth is saved.
A Nobel awaits.
“Back in the days” they used to use stale urine as detergent. Apparently it works a treat.
Stale urine is just homemade ammonia.
My exact sentiments. (or sediments????)
> Stale urine is just homemade ammonia.
Which, I guess, makes perfect sense why it goes fizzy and releases chlorine when mixed with household bleach...
For saving on soap, I recommend this:
For many years, Colgate’s Octagon Soap has been seen as an underdog among brands of bar soaps. Read here to find out why Octagon Soap is one of the best...for poison ivy treatment, household cleaner, catfish bait and school carving projects.
Source:
http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1370778#1370778
Well, let’s see. What are the costs. Trips for various ingredients, 2 hours at minimum wage for ....yeah, that ought to be cheaper. What’s so big a deal about simply buying the 20-lb box at wall mart?
Twenty Mule Team?
Wasn’t Ronaldus Maximus in on that?
I was just a wee sprite, then.
Cool, Joe.
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