confessions from Laundry Mountain

I'm just going to come right out and say it.

I hate doing laundry.

I really do. I hate almost everything about it. I don't like gathering it from all over the house (Laundry baskets? Who even uses those? No one in my house.), or sorting it (because, that one time you don't and throw it all in together, something white ends up pink, or purple, or blue, or some color other than white), or folding it all and putting it where it goes (the spare bedroom, also known as Laundry Mountain).

The one thing I have never hated about laundry? The smells. I love the smell of clean laundry! I do not love the price of good detergent. Tide makes clothes super clean and smell amazing, but the cost is not very friendly for my wallet. Not to mention, most laundry detergents are composed mostly of water and chemicals, and while the fragrance is delightful, sometimes it is overpowering.

I decided that since I'm crafty in nature, I would head to Pinterest and find a recipe to make my own detergent at home. It couldn't be too hard, right? My first attempt was some liquid detergent. That ended up being a mess and a half! I appreciate the people who are capable of making homemade liquid detergent, because mine resulted in a pasty goo that did the job, but the mess of trying to make and use it made me decide that wasn't the right choice for me.

After multiple trials and errors, I managed to get the perfect balance of ingredients to make great detergent. It wasn't an expensive trip to the store. The needed items cost less than the jug of detergent we typically bought about three or four times a month. One big box each of borax, washing soda, and baking soda, along with 2 or 3 bars of Fels Naptha soap costs around $10, and makes 2 or 3 batches of the detergent. It wasn't until I needed to return to the store for more ingredients that I realized how much we had saved! I've estimated that we save at least $30-$40 per month by making our own, and that's a modest estimate. It really does add up, and the longer that you make your own, the more money you end up saving. One of my batches usually lasts me for about a month, if not longer!

Here is my recipe for homemade laundry detergent. I highly recommend Fels Naptha laundry soap. It has a great clean smell, and is tough on stains without being harsh on clothing. However, any bar soap will do. I make detergent with Ivory soap to use for my delicates, and Roni is a big fan of the detergent I made for her clothes out of some blackberry vanilla soap she liked. I use a simple hand grater I picked up at the dollar store, but if you find it hard to grate the soap by hand, purchase a cheap, small food processor. Be sure that whatever you use to grate the soap is only for the soap, so you don't risk contaminating your food. If you really miss that store bought laundry detergent smell, consider getting essential oils or laundry fragrance beads to add in. The sky is the limit!

K's Homemade Laundry Detergent-------------------------------
2 cups washing soda
1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1 bar grated soap (as fine as you are capable of grating it)
Essential oils or laundry fragrance beads, to your preference (optional)
Simply combine the ingredients, and store in an air tight container. Feel free to recycle a container you already have, such as in the empty container of the last store bought detergent you'll ever feel compelled to buy ;)
One load of laundry = 2-3 tablespoons of detergent. Since it doesn't bubble up like store bought detergent, it may seem like that isn't enough. But don't let the lack of foam fool you! If you think your load may need more, dip your fingers in the laundry water and rub them together. If you can feel the soap between your fingers, you've added plenty. This recipe for detergent is safe for all types of washers, as well.
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Now.... if any of you figure out a way to get laundry to fold and put itself away, be sure to let me know.