soapylovedeb/Flickr
I have an intense itch to make my own soap, partly because my past attempts to clean with vinegar and baking soda were so successful. If I can make my own cleaning products for less that work, why not?
My sister used to own a soap business so I know making bar soap is a huge ordeal that involved vats of olive oil and lye, a dangerous chemical.
But there is another option. Laundry detergent, which I am also low on. My friend Matt Jabs of FiveCentNickel made his own laundry detergent and reports “I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW INCREDIBLY FAST & EASY IT WAS.” (His caps, not mine.)
Matt’s recipe calls for 55 ounce box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, a 76 ounce box of 20 Mule Team Borax, and 10 pack of 4.5 ounce bars of Ivory Bar Soap (or another cheap bar soap.)
I plan to add a few drops of essential lavender oils to give my clothes a nice scent. I hope to pick up these ingredients later this week and will let you know how my first soap-making adventure goes!
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UPDATE: Reader Pauline recommends an alternative to Ivory:
The best soap to use is Fels Naphta, a bit more expensive but worth it. Where does Matt purchase the Washing Soda? Thanks
Rabbi Wendy has a great tip for home made cleaners.
The most amazing and effective book of recipes for household products is “Clean House, Clean Planet” by Karen Logan. It is still in print, with plenty of copies on Amazon. The recipe for spray cleaner on page 85 is the best spray cleaner I’ve ever used, hands down. Logan is so thorough in her explanations. She even sells bottles for the finished products. It’s a fun read, even if you don’t make any of the cleaning products. Check it out!
I went ahead and checked Amazon, which has Clean House, Clean Planet for $10.76 (orig. $15). I might buy it if my library does not have it.
SECOND UPDATE: Susan warns:
I made this detergent a few months ago, a word of caution, my dark purple towels faded a little using it. I now use it for whites and light colors but not black or really dark colors. Also the arm and hammer super washing soda is sold at Albertson’s. It is the only place around the valley I could find it.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
I think that it is great that you are going to try doing this. Would love to know how it works. BTW, will it work alright in HE machines?
The best soap to use is Fels Naphta, a bit more expensive but worth it. Where does Matt purchase the Washing Soda? Thanks
My aunt gave me the same receipe that Matt uses and says it works great – and is really inexpensive overall. Leaves clothes very soft. I have yet to try it – but think I’ll do it this weekend. I like the idea of essential lavendar oil.
Hispanic markets carry one or two brands of washing soap–one brand I remember is Lirio. Since Ivory has air pumped into it (“It floats”), the amount of soap you get by weight is much less than the off brand soaps which are more dense.
Not always easy to find Fels Naptha.
I keep a bar on hand as an anti-poison oak treatment. Wash the exposed skin with Fels Naptha, thewipe the area with the soap to leave a thin residue of the exposed area. Since the soap is made without a lot of fats, it dries out the oil from the poison oak much better than calamine lotion and if the area itches, wash with the soap again–sort of like scratching, but not damaging.
I have not made my own detergent, but I bought the ivory soap, the borax and the washing soda. I am just waiting for my store bought detergent to run out so that I can re-use the plastic dispensers.
Let me know how much the ingredients cost and how much nees stroing from the original ingredients and how much time it takes, then I’ll decide if making soap is worthwhile. I do hope it is, sounds like fun.
The most amazing and effective book of recipes for household products is “Clean House, Clean Planet” by Karen Logan. It is still in print, with plenty of copies on Amazon. The recipe for spray cleaner on page 85 is the best spray cleaner I’ve ever used, hands down. Logan is so thorough in her explanations. She even sells bottles for the finished products. It’s a fun read, even if you don’t make any of the cleaning products. Check it out!
“Clean House, Clean Planet” is available through Amazon, new or used for as little as $3.11 plus shipping. I just ordered a copy.
I, too, am curious to know if this detergent is HE safe and also if the lavender oil would stain the clothes.
I have made this and was not pleased with the cleaning results. I used both soaps, Ivory* & Felsnapa . . . I have also made and used liquid detergent and found it cleans much better than the powdered. Soaps can be bought online @ soapsgoneby (don’t remember the exact website but it can be googled) I do plan to make more of the liquid.
I made this detergent a few months ago, a word of caution, my dark purple towels faded a little using it. I now use it for whites and light colors but not black or really dark colors. Also the arm and hammer super washing soda is sold at Albertson’s. It is the only place around the valley I could find it.
I’ve made a similar laundry detergent in the past. It used borax, washing soda, & Fel Naptha. From what I remember, it did the job but created a small nightmare for me for about a week. At night I would get so itchy and have blotches all over my skin. It got so bad that I suspected my husband of bringing back bedbugs from his recent business trip. After researching bedbugs & thoroughly inspecting every nook and cranny of our room, it turned out that it wasn’t bed bugs. My skin was reacting to my homemade laundry soap. (What a relief that it wasn’t bedbugs!) It didn’t bother my husband or the kids. Just me. So just keep in mind that if you have sensitive skin, this may not be your best option. I’m not sure which ingredient caused the breakouts. Although, I’ve used borax in my regular wash and had no reaction. Maybe it was from the washing soda or Fels Naptha.
Also, I found all the needed ingredients at Wal-Mart. The Fels Naptha was a bit hard to find but I think it was near the laundry stuff, up high on a shelf.
Hi I am a new coupon user/ soap maker (my husband was laid off) I can’t believe how clean my clothes are. I went on you tube & watched a bunch of videos & came up with a formula that works for us. I use borax,washing soda & fels naptha…I am not kidding my clothes are cleaner than with tide …keep us posted
How much do these ingredients cost?
I’m wondering if this will be cheaper than buying laundry detergent with coupons & store sales?
My mother-in-law made her own laundry soap a few times, and it worked great. I loved the it smelled and cleaned, and our clothes looked great. She didn’t stick with it though, and now she buys her deterg.ent again. It depends on how determined you are to save money and how bad saving $5-$10 on detergent matters to you. Hard core frugalistas do it every week or however often; unfortunately life is just too hectic at our home to add one more time consumption so we have to save that money another way but if I didnt have to deal with so much I’d definitely make my own because buying it is a waste fo money when you see how great the homemade stuff is!
I also wonder about the costs of making your own vs. buying it cheap.
I ran out of home made detergent a few days ago. I found some old HE tide I had put away, so I used it. I noticed a stain was not removed on something this morning. I am going to experiment this weekend. I will stain an old towel.I will then cut the towel into sections & let the experiments begin….I have to know once & for all….Am I just fooling myself or does this stuff work better than store bought detergent….I will keep you posted.
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