Make your own laundry detergent
The equivalent amount of laundry liquid (10 litres) from a supermarket would cost around $43. To buy all these ingredients will cost you around $6.70, less if you buy generic laundry soap. This will give you enough materials to make this recipe twice, and you'll have some ingredients left over. Give it a try. It really does work.
CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY POWDER
4 cups grated laundry soap or soap flakes (Lux)
2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a plastic container with a lid. Use 2 tablespoons per wash. This powder will not make suds and this is perfectly okay.
LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Makes 10 litres
You may add any essential oil of your choice to these homemade cleaners. Oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender or rose are ideal. They are not necessary to the recipe but do not detract from the effectiveness by adding them. Use essential oil and not a fragrant oil.
Ingredients
1½ litres water
1 bar Sunlight or generic laundry soap or any similar pure laundry soap, grated on a cheese grater OR 1 cup of Lux flakes
½ cup washing soda – NOT baking or bicarb soda
½ cup borax
Tools
Saucepan
10 litre bucket
Slotted spoon or wooden spoon for mixing
Method
Into a medium sized saucepan add 1½ litres of water and the soap. Over a medium heat, stir this until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the soap dissolves properly or the mixture will separate when cold.Add the washing soda and borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Pour this mixture into your 9-10 litre bucket then fill the bucket with hot water from the tap. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
The laundry liquid will thicken up more as it cools. When cool, store in a plastic container. I use one of those 10 litre flat plastic box containers with a lid. Use 1/4 cup of mixture per load or monitor to see what works well for you. I keep a quarter cup measuring scoop in the box to measure the mixture into the washing machine.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are going to use your washing water on the garden, don't add the borax to these recipes.
3 comments:
What does the Borax do? I have a septic tank, should I leave it out for that? Here EVERYTHING is routed to the septic tank, not just the loo & I can't afford to have all the other outlets rerouted away from it.
I've gone back to read your blog from the beginning ~ it's brilliant. Thank you
Dear Rhonda, I love your blog and have begun reading from the beginning - it speaks very much to what I've been aching for but have not been successful at managing. Not yet anyway. But there is hope, especially when I read how others are doing it.
My first question is this: I live in the US and am not familiar with some of the ingredients in the liquid laundry soap. Can you clarify? What is generic laundry soap or any similar pure laundry soap? I imagine it comes in a bar form? What is Lux flakes? What is washing soda? Once I know what these products are, I can try finding them locally. Many thanks! I can be emailed at birdwoman5151@yahoo.com.
Thanks for the recipe! I use the washing powder without the Borax. I don't add the Borax as all my washing grey water goes onto my lawn. It has worked well even with a 3 year old who is night toilet training (lots of washing sheets).
I made a big lot as I had an old 10kg container. The measurements were close enough to add a whole box of Lux and bag of washing soda.
Thank you for saving my family a fortune!
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