DIY Laundry Soap for Months

Call me a skeptic. This I had trouble believing in. I could mix my own powdered laundry detergent? Well, I had an old cannister that had once contained cat food leftover from a trip to Costco, so why not? My daughter recommended it and she's as frugal as I ever was.

1 Box of Borax

3 bars Fells Naptha soap, shredded using a box grater

1 5 lb tub OxyClean

3 c. baking soda

1 box washing soda

2 bottles of scent crystals

I spent about $25 at the grocery store to get those. No biggie. If it works, that's several months of laundry for a large family, and since there's just the two of us here, it should be even longer. Shred the Fells Naptha soap first into a small bucket or bowl. It takes awhile. Sit in front of the TV or something and wear gardening gloves, just in case. My scraped hand was a hard lesson in paying attention. Box graters are cheap at the dollar store, but handy when you need to shred just a little bit.

All ingredients get dumped into any large bucket or storage container with a lid. A big box hardware store paint bucket with lid, or an old cat food cannister is great. Dump and shake/stir/mix. Do this away from food. Some powder gets into the air.

I saved the scoop from the OxyClean tub, and that's been my measurement for the soap in a full load. I also used the OxyClean tub to have a smaller, more convenient container to sit next to the washer. The rest of the mix is nearby, secured and dry. I've been using the OxyClean tub full for over a month or two now, and I might have to refill it next week sometime. It really does last awhile, and the clothes are clean.

Next time, I think I'll try those Gain scent beads, since Gain advertises the scent more than cleaning power.

Let me know if you try this!