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A variation if you like liquid detergent, via http://www.survivalblog.com

Homemade Laundry Detergent — Makes Enough for About 180 Loads

1 Bar - Fels Naptha soap ($1.29 for a 5-1/2 ounce bar)
1 cup - Washing soda $3.99 55 ounce box (do not confuse this with baking soda)
1/2 cup - Borax ($3.49 for a 76 ounce box on sale price, regular price is $3.99) This is the old 20 Mule Team brand, and this can be found at Wal-Mart.)
1 - 5 gal. HDPE plastic utility bucket with lid. These are often available free from bakeries, or approximately $4-tio $5 at [Sam’s Club or] Wal-Mart, or your local paint store)

Grate the Fels Naptha soap into small pieces. You can chop it with a knife, cheese grater, or food processor. Heat four quarts of water in a large, heavy saucepan on top of stove and add soap, stirring constantly till melted. This will take a while depending on the size of your grated pieces. Meanwhile, fill the five gallon bucket half full with warm water. Add the 1 cup of washing soda and the 1/2 cup of Borax and stir well. When soap is melted pour into bucket, then continue to fill bucket with warm water until full. Stir well and let sit overnight until cool. This “concentrate” will thicken as it sits. Stir before using. Now, I use this concentrate straight out of the bucket and use 1/3 cup per large load.

We’ve made this - and used it - twice, but I just can’t get past the fact that my clothes don’t smell good when they’re done. We have a large household - 9 people - including three athletic teenagers, a toddler still in diapers, and a dad who works for the railroad and often comes home with an oily metallic smell on his clothes. We have switched from Gain to Arm & Hammer, which leaves a nice smell and is half as expensive, but I wish there were some way to scent the homemade mixture. I did check on essential oils at the local health food store, but couldn’t seem to find anything appropriate. Any ideas, anyone?

I tried the liquid version and didn't like it. I just takes up too much space for me. I have the space to store it, I just don't want to. I keep the powdered version in a Gladware container. The powdered version works very well in hot and cold water, just make sure the Fels-Naptha is very finely grated. I use my microplain (a little taxing, but I consider it exercise) and then blend all ingredients together in my Cuisinart. Just let the dust settle before you take off the lid of the food processor.