And the results are in!!!! {better late than never, right?}

Drumroll please!.................

 

 

I LOVE MY NEW HOMEMADE DETERGENT!

YAY FOR SAVING MONEY AND FEELING DOMESTIC IN 2012!

 

via google images

 

ok ok. so, really, here's the rundown....

 the recipe I followed is found at:

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe

There, of course thanks to Pinterest, are tons of recipes out there.

This is the one I found that seemed the simplest for 2 reasons:

 

1.NO GRATING REQUIRED!

2.AND NO MIXING WITH WATER IN HUGE BUCKETS OR WHATEVER YOU GUYS USE IN YOUR GARAGE OR WHEREVER YOU MAKE THAT WORK WITHOUT A HUGE MESS TO CLEAN.

 

ok, so, the recipe:

1 4 lb. box of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (did not know this existed)

1 4 lb. box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

1 4 lb. box of Mule Team Borax (had no idea what this was)

pack of 3 bars- I used the Kirk's Castille Soap (found on the bar soap aisle at Walmart, could not find at Target) 

 

That's it.

I found all of the ingredients at Walmart except the Borax. I had no idea what I was looking for and neither did the guy helping me. He looked at me strangely. Luckily, Target had it. (I've heard it's hard to find right now because of everyone trying these homemade recipes) (Another side note, borax is used to clean anything in your house, amazing stuff!) There are also recipes that use the Fels Naptha- found in the detergent section. But, the smell knocked me on the floor and I had to pick myself up. So, I went with the other. But, I think, next go round, I'm going to try the Ivory soap because I'm a big fan of Ivory. Simple and clean.



 

 

So, here's my employee working in our factory mixing the stuff up.

I went with a storage container from Target with a lid. Because, I don't need Fulton eating it.



 

I did not take pictures of the mixing process, but basically, in simple southern terms:

 Dump the washing soda in, stir, dump the the baking soda in, stir, dump the borax in, stir.

Cut the soap into small pieces, place in food processor.

Process the soap, mix it in the container. And, all done! It literally took about 10 minutes total.

 

Some recipes require you to grate the soap. Nope, not worth it. Get the ol food processor out.

Save your knuckles ladies.

 

The finished product.

The soap processed will look like feta cheese crumbles.

Your detergent will smell like the soap you choose. So, ahem, choose wisely. (hint hint- no Fels Naptha) For those of you that like that smell, I don't understand.

 

Ok, so here's the run down of my thoughts after about 4 weeks.....

 

1. I have a front loader- high efficiency washing machine. And, I've tried using the Affresh, or is it Afresh, washing machine cleaner, I've scrubbed that nasty rubber thing in the door. I've ran vinegar and baking soda cycles through my washer, and it still smells musty. I know, yuck. So, on the blog where I got the recipe, she talks about her disgust as well. And, this recipe helps eliminate that smell! And, it does. So, number 1: it helps clean your washer as well as your clothes! Multi-tasking! It even cleans top loaders too!
2. There are no bubbles.(Even less than regular detergent with your he washer) Get used to it. And, everything I've read out there, here  and here  are just a few of the many places that discuss how bubbles/suds do not = clean. It took me a few loads to get used to it. I kept looking for bubbles. Trust me, there will be no bubbles.
3. The lady at Sugar Pie Farmhouse, where I got the recipe (link above) also discusses how this stuff is super concentrated. I'll be honest. 2 Tbs. did not seem like enough to clean my load of dirty boy laundry. But, it did! So, stick to the amt to use. And, most of the liquid laundry detergents are the same ingredients, but you add water. I think that's just an extra step and a difficult one.
4. Another important point Sugar Pie Farmhouse lady discusses, if you have a front loader washer, do not add the detergent to your dispenser drawer. It will get clogged! So, I just add it to the actual washer. Once I've loaded my laundry, I just pour it on top of the clothes. Be sure to read that section of her post.
5. In my opinion, the smell is not amazing. It really doesn't have a smell at all. It's not sweet like she describes. It just smells simple and clean. Now, don't think you will be smelling a strong Febreze or Tide Clean Breeze smell. I can't stand a strong detergent smell anyway. Detergent is not perfume people. Again, it will smell like the soap you choose.

MY FAVORITE PART OF ALL......it gets out all stains with no prewash, presoak, pretreat, whatever you mamas do!

 

via google images

 

 For example, Fulton's birthday party- he had dried in strawberry juice all over his clothes. I didn't wash it out at all. It completely dried over night. I threw it in the washer, completely forgetting about the stains, and MAGICALLY, they were all gone when I took it out! No even slight red or pink hint at all! Another example, Ridge had on a white embroidered Big Brother shirt the other day. He had junk all over it. And, 4 HUGE blobs of chocolate milk. I thought the shirt was completely ruined and felt bad because his Granna bought it for him. It sat in my laundry room for 6 days and I did nothing to it. Dried in and yucky food all over it. I DID NOT PRETREAT AT ALL! Nothing! No oxiclean, no shout, no scrubbing in the sink. Nada! Threw it in the washer with a bunch of other clothes, came out  good as new!!! No hint of any dried in chocolate milk stains at all!!! This is really the best part!

The ingredients are so natural, safe, and simple, but yet so so POWERFUL!

 

You mamas out there, we don't need to worry about our kids clothes and stains! They are kids, especially boys, they are going to destroy their clothes! And, we don't need to worry about getting those tricky stains out!

 

So, I've made the 1 batch and I still have tons left. And, the batch was made 4 weeks ago!!!!

My total cost was around 13 buckaroos!

 

*I've been trying her advice and adding probably 1/2 cup of vinegar to my fabric softener dispenser. And, it does not reek of vinegar. And, I've been using some fabric softener sheets to my dryer to still have that small hint of clean smell.

 

Try it and tell me what you think! It's cheap, easy to make, and CLEANS CLEANS CLEANS!!!

* coming sooner hopefully than later, my homemade hardwood floor cleaner!