Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-naptha soap, found in the detergent isle (you can also use pink Zote soap instead)

2 small containers of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle. (this is optional, I added it into mine because I have pretty messy kids and the cleaner the better)

You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

This detergent is fairly mild smelling, it is not over powering. If you love a strong scent you may have to add a fabric softener to each load.

Directions:

Start out by grating your Fels-naptha soap just like cheese. You can use a food processor or just use your hand held grater, whatever you have.

**Don't worry the Fels-naptha will dissolve in your washer even if you only use cold water like me.**

Toss all ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket. The clean smell will fill up your entire house. I love it! Store it in the 5 gallon bucket and have a jar handy to keep next to the washer. You only need 1 tablespoon per wash load. This lasts our family of 9 (washing about 3 loads of laundry/day or 15-20 loads per week) about 8 months.



Dishwasher Detergent ingredients:

Ingredients:

1 box Borax (4lbs 12 oz or 76 oz ) (2.15 kg) found in the detergent isle
1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55 oz or 3 lbs 7 oz) found in the detergent isle
24 packages of unsweetened lemonade drink mix, like kool-aid. (**Note: lemonade will stain soap dispenser yellow, another option would be to use citric acid instead of lemonade. You can usually find citric acid in the canning isle )
3 cups Epsom Salt
Lemi Shine rinse aid (this recipe does not work very well without it) You can find Lemi Shine in the dishwasher detergent isle at just about any store. You can also use vinegar as a rinse aid - about 1 tbsp per load. If your dishes are coming out with spots on them that means you do need a rinse aid.

Directions:

Combine all of your ingredients together (minus vinegar or Lemi Shine) and store in a cool, dry place. You only need 1 tablespoon detergent per load of dishes. You WILL have spots unless you add the vinegar or Lemi Shine in each load.

Enjoy making these, I sure have!!