Homemade Laundry Soap (I write soap specifically because some people really get upset if you say detergent, I suppose that's what they have time worry about?!?!)

So, I keep seeing all these posts about homemade "laundry detergent" and thought it seemed like a good idea.  I read lots of comments and suggestions on many pages and came across many different versions. Liquid/dry, simple/complex, and of course different additives.  I chose to make a dry version because it seemed a lot of the liquid ones you had to let sit overnight when making it and shake before use and so on, too. much. work. I also sort of made my own variation.  I chose to use the following:

1~4lb12oz Box of Borax

1~3lb7oz box of Arm & Hammer super washing soda

1~5lb container of OxiClean

2~bars of Johnson & Johnson baby lavender soap (grated)

2~Bottles of Purex Crystals fabric softener (I picked the blue one, fresh spring waters)

Most "recipes" called for Zote Soap or Fels Naptha, I couldn't find either locally.  I almost bought Ivory soap after quickly googling while still at the store if I could use an alternative soap.  I read that you can,  in fact, if you have sensitive skin you can use an all natural soap.  People have also used an alternative soap after deciding the Fels Naptha did not have a good scent.  I decided there was probably something at home. So, after a quick search of every bathroom cupboard this is what I had.  Two lonely bars of baby lavender soap.  I did more research about what soaps you can use after I mixed mine, I know, before would have been better.  Anyway, I saw that lots of people also use Ivory, the very one I had in my hands! Oh well.  This seemed to work just as well!  

Mixing all of the ingredients in layers makes for much easier blending.  Having a 3yr old mix helps a lot too!

I was able to fit ALMOST the entire mixture into the OxiClean tub I had just used and one I had from before along with the Purex Crystal bottles.

Another change I made is I used 5lbs of OxiClean as opposed to 3lbs.  This is simply because I have 3 small children and they have seriously grimy clothing!  I probably could have put 10lbs in. Ha! In fact, the biggest complaint I have read was that after a few months of using homemade "detergent" was that clothes became dingy and somewhat oily.  Also, that VERY dirty clothes weren't getting clean.  For example, mechanics clothing and workout clothes still had a smell. Most "recipes" with these complaints didn't include the POWER of OxiClean :) So this should help.

Below is the water with the laundry soap added. I filled the lid from the Purex Crystals bottle, another Pinteresting tip to get the right amount. I did read that you shouldn't expect to see bubbles.

So, for the first wash I chose my husbands work shirts and socks. I also threw in a blanket that seems to always come out staticy so I could test to see how everything would work in the dryer without a dryer sheet.  Believe me, this was a good test for my new awesome laundry "detergent".

So, after a couple of minutes of the mixing, I must admit, it smelled amazing! I was already liking this great idea of "mine"! 

The results were GREAT!  My husband's work shirts and socks seemed very clean and smelled awesome, much improved from when they went it the washer. :)  The blanket was mostly free of static and was very soft.

I definitely think this is a good decision.  Why not save money?!  I will still be using bleach and a spray on for dirty spots when necessary.  Some people say they switched back to detergent because they had to do this.  Really though, I always needed that no matter what detergent I had! 

 Happy Washing!  

Thanks again Pinteresters!