How to make your own laundry detergent

I don't know about you but every month I hear my husband complain about how much money we spend. So I am constantly in search for anything and everything that will make our lives 1-easier, 2-cheaper, and 3-more environmently friendly. I stumbled upon an article from another blog on home made laundry detergent. I know your thinking 'Is she nuts'! I probably am but I'm hear to tell you it's insanely cheaper, easy to make, and the best part is you can control what goes into it. Even better- IT WORKS! So below are two varitations of the laundry detergent wet and dry. Because lets face it some perfer wet detergent and others don't. ;)

Dry taken from DIY Natural

1 Bar- any soap you want

1 C- Borax

1 C-Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

- a hand grater

- a yougart container or other container of your choice to store it all in

1. Shave the bar of soap with a hand grater.

2. Add 1 cup of bar soap

3. Add 1 cup of washing soda

4. Stir until all is mixed together.

5. Pour into a large yougart containter (or any container of your choice.

Wet taken from Busy at home

You will need:

1/4 Bar - any soap you want - I use Fels Naptha

2TBSP- Borax

1/2 C- Arm & Hammer Washing Soda -(not baking soda) can be found in the laundy detergent isle

- 1 meduium size pot

- one large bucket to mix everything together

- beaters or a wisk

-container to keep your soap in (I use my old soap container)

1. cut the Fels Naptha bar into 4 sections. I store the extra in a ziplock baggie for next time.

2.Grate the 1/4 Fels Naptha bar into medium or fine consistancy.

3. Put 1 cup of waterand Fels Naptha into a pot and melt over medium low heat, stirring consistantly until disolved (make sure the soap is completely dissolved).

4. Pour 10 cups of water into a large bucket and add the melted soap, Borax and washing soda. and stir.

5. Slowly add 10 more cups of water (at this point I break out the wisk to make sure everything gets mixed together really well).

6. Let sit for a few hours to congiel.

7. Your soap should have thickened. At this point I mix it all again. Then pour it all into whatever you are going to store it in. An old laundry detergent container will work really well.