Not only does making your own laundry detergent save money, it also allows you to customize your product. You can opt for completely hypo-allergenic, experiment with different fragrances, add in extra-cleaning power and make it in small or large batches.
There are lots of different recipes out there and many of them work really well. It’s really just a matter of trial and error to find the one you decide to stick with.
Personally, I prefer this powdered recipe with the extra oxi cleaning power. It’s quick, inexpensive, easier than making liquid and cleans well.
You can find the ingredients at Homeland, Crest Foods and Walmart:
- Bar Soap – Fels-naptha, Kirk’s Castile or other brand $0.99 ($0.49 per cup)
- Borax $3.99 per box ($0.41 per cup)
- Washing Soda $2.78 per box ($0.51 per cup)
- Oxi – small $3.86 ($1.02 per cup) – optional
You’ll spend about $8 out of pocket to get you started, but a batch of detergent costs just $2.83 which works out to 36 loads of laundry at just $0.08 per load.
If you use Oxi, your total out of pocket will be $11.62 and your batch will cost $4.87 which works out to 48 loads at $0.10 per load.
You can still decrease your cost per load by decreasing the cost of your products. For instance, I used Clorox brand Oxi-Clean in this post, but you can find generic oxi cleaner at most Dollar Trees. Also, keep an eye out for on-line deals that enable you to buy your bar soap for a lesser amount.
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