Homemade Laundry Detergent

 After I took this photo, I realized that the Arm and Hammer product on my table is not Washing Soda!  The stuff in my white bowl is however.  I have been having trouble finding it, so I need to do some checking around some local stores rather than 'national' chain stores.

 However my sweet niece in love is such a good Mama and wife and wanting to manage their family budget well.  She is now a stay at home Mom and loves it!  Her Cayden is 19 months and so darling...  She messaged me and asked for my homemade laundry detergent recipe.

Since we were making some today, I thought I would take photos and share the recipe.  It is nothing new, many people use this recipe.

1 bar of soap - can be Zote, Fels Naptha, Ivory etc...today we tried Yardley's Lemon Verbena.

1 cup of Washing soda 

1/2 cup of borax

Grate the bar of soap, mix it with the other ingredients and then it is ready to use.  We use 1 - 2 Tablespoons for our wash.  For Tim's inky, greasy work clothes, I add an extra Tablespoon and use the prewash cycle as well.  

My friend jAne mentioned to me a while back that she didn't think her whites were getting as clean with the Ivory so she went back to the Fels Naptha bar.  I haven't had that issue, but on occasion I do use hydrogen peroxide in with my whites as it is a natural 'oxy' bleach, without the chlorine.

We like making our detergent, it is inexpensive and easy.  Rachel and Sarah usually make ours.  Today, I grated a bar of soap, but they did the rest.

Alicia mentioned that she couldn't find the washing soda, I wash thinking that maybe she should try someplace like Trader Joe's or a local grocery, not a national chain.  Anyone in California who could give advice as to where she may find it, please comment!  Thanks!