Several loads of laundry have been washed with the homemade laundry detergent I made. J & I feel it's doing as well as our storebought detergent, and J said he actually thinks his socks are looking cleaner since using it. I should tell you that laundry has always been a challenge here, and we'll probably never get sparkling whites, with the water coming from our well. I have not yet done a cost analysis, and the washing soda was a challenge to find locally. I ended up buying a pool product at the hardware store, which is Sodium Carbonate, the same as washing soda, called pH up. That said, here's the recipe I used, which makes a whole lot of detergent:
12c borax
8c baking soda (helps with hard water & dinginess)
8c washing soda
8c bar soap, grated (I used some of my homemade soap; others use Fels Naptha or Kirks Castile. I think anything goes as long as you like the smell)
The directions say to use 1/8 cup per load. I thought that seemed awfully little, until J told me most detergents contain fillers. I still used 1/4 cup due to hard water and a large capacity washer. I did grate the soap by hand, as that created smaller pieces than my food processor, and I wanted to be sure it melted totally. I also used a warm water wash for the same reason. FYI: The light tablecloth on the end was singed while trying to stay warm with a Coleman stove during the Holiday Hoopla; it's not a true stain. All told, we'd give it a thumbs up.
