Squeaky Clean

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a DIY Diva and a Thrifty Queen. That's why I am so excited to share today's post. Anyone who has kids, knows just how many loads of laundry come with the territory. Being a Mamma of one rough and tough little boy, I found my self going through laundry detergent quicker that ever before. I also noticed that the containers of detergent were getting smaller but the price continued to grow! So, being determined to find an alternative, I took to Pinterest. As always, I found a great recipe for homemade powder detergent. All the ingredients cost around $16 dollars and you end up with a 6 month supply of detergent. I just had to try it.....

The recipe is as follows:

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

I used a 5 gallon bucket and mixed all the ingredients. The Fels-Naptha comes in bar form. You will need to use a food processor or a cheese grater to grate up the bar. I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef Cheese Grater, it worked like a charm!

Once the ingredients are all mixed , you will need to store it in an air tight container. I used a Rubbermaid cereal container. One Tablespoon is all it takes to have squeaky clean laundry. How does it smell you ask? FABULOUS !! It leaves your clothes smelling clean with a light fresh sent.

I encourage you to try it, the recipe can be tweaked to fit your specific needs. For example , if you have babies with sensitive skin, you can replace the Fels-Naptha with Dr. Bonners Baby bar soap or any other bar soap you prefer. I wouldn't say that I love doing laundry now, but I do love the fact that I am no longer dumping money down the drain, literally :)