DIY: Making Your Own Laundry Detergent in Bulk

When shopping, some of your highest outgoing expenses can be on cleaning products, especially laundry detergents and powders. If you look at your laundry detergent box to see the list of ingredients, I'm sure you won't even be able to pronounce most of them, let alone know what they are or how they could affect your family's health. Most of them are not considered to be eco-friendly either.

In this article we're going to learn how to make our own laundry detergent and "wash and wipe cleaner" in bulk. We'll make 10 gallons of the laundry detergent, so adjust the ingredients to suit your needs. I generally make 10-20 gallons at once and store them in the back of my linen cupboard since my laundry room, like most, is not very large.

We'll look at two different recipes, one uses Washing Soda, the other has Baking Soda. Washing Soda isn't available in all supermarket laundry aisles, although Arm And Hammer manufactures it. It can be bought online but the cost of shipping will of course make it a little more expensive. From an environmental perspective, and where your health is concerned it is well worth every cent.

Recipe # 1.

You Will Need:

10 gallons of Hot Water - 5 X 2 gallon plastic buckets with snap on airtight lids.1 wooden spoon, 10 cups of Baking Soda, 5 bars Sunlight Soap, or other non scented or lightly scented soap.

The buckets can be bought at large supermarkets or discount stores. The airtight lids are best to prevent accidental spillage if bumped, but buckets with lids which are not airtight can also be used.

Method:

-Grate the five bars of soap, and place them into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. On a low heat, allow the soap to begin melting. Stir occasionally to begin with. Once it has melted half way stir continuously until fully dissolved, then turn off the heat.

-Fill your 5 buckets with hot tap water, and add cups of the melted soap mixture to each bucket, stirring with your wooden spoon.

-Add 2 cups of Baking Soda to each bucket, mix thoroughly.

-Allow the buckets of liquid detergent to cool until tepid.

-Replace the lids and store safely away from children.

Recipe # 2.

As for recipe above, except this time replace the Baking Soda with 2 cups of Washing Soda per Bucket.

*For both recipes, use 1/2 to 1 full cup per load, depending on the load size or whether or not the clothing is heavily soiled.

If you really prefer to use Washing Soda but can't find a store who carries it, you can purchase some by visiting Arm And Hammer:
http://www.thelaundrybasket.com/Our_Products/Our_Products_Super_Washing_Soda/our_products_super_washing_sod.html

Washing Soda is also an excellent product for removing annoying substances from other surfaces like lipstick, Vaseline, grease from food, motor oil and grease and wax.

Here is a recipe just as good as store bought spray and wipe cleaners.

Wash And Wipe Recipe:

1/2 gallon of hot water
1/2 cup of Washing Soda

Washing Soda is sodium carbonate, just like Baking Soda, so it's non toxic. However, it is more caustic so when using this mixture please wear some light kitchen gloves.

You can make a bulk lot of this also and store it in recycled 1 gallon milk bottles, but please store them up away from children.