Homemade Laundry Detergent

 Those of you who have followed me a while will remember when I posted the recipe for making laundry detergent. Here is that link:

 Laundry Detergent

Yesterday I made a batch and this time I used ZOTE instead of Fels Naptha. The ZOTE comes in a package, is already grated, and it has a lemony fragrance.  I'm hoping it won't bother my MCS when it is finished.   If you use the ZOTE that is already grated, you only need to use 1/2 the box.  Here is the recipe again:

4 cups hot tap water
1/2 package ZOTE flakes or 1 bar ZOTE or 1 bar Fels Naptha (grated)

1 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda

1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

You will also need a FIVE GALLON BUCKET. I've used buckets from Walmart, empty cat litter buckets work great, any 5 gallon bucket.

Bring the water to a boil.

Mix the grated soap into the nearly boiling water.

Stir until it is dissolved.

Add the Borax and Washing Soda.

Stir until dissolved.

Fill the bucket with hot water.

Set it aside overnight to cool.

In the morning you will have a bucket full of jelly-like soap.

Break up the gel with a long wooden spoon, or just stick your arm in like I do and break it all up into liquid again.

Put this in empty laundry soap containers. You will fill them 1/2 with this soap and 1/2 with water and shake well.

Use as you would any laundry detergent - about 1/4 cup per load.

Shake well before each use.

There are several videos on YouTube saying "DO NOT USE HOME MADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT!"     Their reasoning is because of a new fad (which is a very old practice) called "Stripping." They claim you'll get nasty brown water as the hand made soap and dirt is released from your clothes. It's baloney!  If you put your clean laundry in the bathtub and do the "stripping" after using ANY detergent, you'll get the same results, but you're led to believe it's from the home made soap. Just not true. I've used this for years and it has not ruined my clothes or my machine. 

Anyway, the price of this 10 GALLONS of laundry detergent is about $2 - an incredible savings. That bucket will last me at least 6 months.  

Here is the bucket I used this time and maybe you can see how thick the gel is by these photos:

Try it! You might like it!

Love,

Annie