[luvdietcoke]

Low sudsing and safe for HE washers.

Grate 1/3 of a large bar (or half a bar) of cheap bath soap (ivory, jergens, rosa venus are some of the ones I've used).
Dissolve grated soap in 4 cups of water on LOW.
After dissolving, stir into a large bucket with
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda!)
3 gallons of water
Stir until it starts to thicken

Cover tight and let sit for 24 hours before using.

Stir before using.

use 1/4 to 1/3 cup per load

Cost per load: 2 to 3 cents (compared to to almost 30 cents per load of commercial detergents)

 

[sideofcash]

Washing Soda is dirt cheap, too! It is in the laundry aisle at Wal-mart. The box I bought was by arm and Hammer. I have used a similar recipe before. I found that I needed to use fabric softener with it to get some sort of scent. My clothes just didn't have the "clean smell" without it.

Thanks for the recipe.

 

[mndtrp]

I don't know where you're getting the .30/load, maybe some super-high end organic detergent?

I recently bought Xtra laundry detergent from WalMart, .04/load. Delivered to my front door for free, and without the time involved to create your recipe. I can't comment about its HE use though.

 

[Giro]

I don't care for cheap laundry detergent so I make my own. Tide is expensive!!

I use washing soda, Borax, fels naptha and add Oxy Clean and Downy unstoppables. The Downy makes the clothes smell fantastic and the oxy really boosts cleaning power. I don't know how much it costs, but it makes a lot so it can't be too expensive. I would compare this with Tide any day. We have 6 days of very VERY nasty gym clothes and I've never had to rewash anything.

 

[jayceef12]

Giro do you put he oxiclean and the downy unstoppables right into your homemade laundry soap? I also use this from time to time to help with scent. DH's work shirts can get really smelly. I did buy some purex to use on some of his clothes as they really smell. I think I got the bottles for like .49 per bottle.