Home-Made Powdered Laundry Detergent

Making laundry detergent is something I've been interested in since we made our move in August.  Money is tight and this is a good way to cut costs.  I also like the idea of making my own cleaning products because I can avoid fillers and, in some cases, leave the nasty chemicals out.  Originally, I made a liquid version I found a recipe for made of blue dawn, borax, and washing soda because it was a small batch recipe.  I don't have the space for the usual huge batch and I generally prefer liquid soap.  The recipe was highly recommended but it wasn't working for me.  The borax and washing soda also began to crystal-ize within a day or two.  Reluctantly I began to search for a small-batch DRY detergent.  I ended up combining a few recipes and this stuff is awesome!  I have never been so excited about laundry detergent.  My whites, which have been getting dingier and dingier in our sad, community, quarter-operated washer with our sad laundry detergent, came out of their first wash bright white!  Seriously, this stuff is working miracles for me so I want to share it!

Home-Made Powdered Laundry Detergent:

• 1 bar Fels Napth soap, grated finely (this soap is pretty soft and easy to grate)
• 2 cups Borax
• 2 cups Washing Soda
• 1/2 cup Baking Soda
• 1 cup Oxyclean
• 2 capfuls Purex Scented Laundry Crystals (this is optional, but it really adds great scent)

Combine all ingredients well.  Use 2-3 tablespoons in a load of wash. (I just use the cap that came with the Purex bottle.)

I found all of these products in the laundry isle of my supermarket.  The detergent took about 10 minutes to make, including grating the Fels Naptha.  It's quick, it's easy and smells great!