Easy DIY Super Concentrated Laundry Detergent

We've been making and using our own laundry detergent for about 6 months now. I got sick of paying $8-10 per bottle and was determined to find a cheaper way. The internet is loaded with various recipes, most of which are pretty similar. We started out by making the regular strength detergent. The first gallon was such a success that I made a batch big enough to fill about 5 gallons worth. I made the 5 gallons in September and we just ran out this week (in February). During those 5 months, I stumbled across a few recipes for super concentrated laundry detergent.

The only thing I didn't care for with my old detergent recipe was that it would separate and we would have to shake it up really well before each load. Not to mention, housing 5 gallons of laundry detergent does take up a bit of space. The advantage with the concentrate is that it can be stored in a single quart sized mason jar. Another thing I loved is that both recipes use the same ingredients, so I didn't have to go out and buy something new! I went off of this recipe. As usual, I tweaked the recipe a bit to fit my needs and what I had on hand.  

What you need:

1/2 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap

2/3 cup Super Washing Soda

2/3 cup Borax

3 cups Hot Water (plus a little more for later)

Bowl

Soup Pot

Grater
Wooden Spoon or Wisk
Measuring Cup
Quart Sized Mason Jar
Blender

Heat 3 cups of water to boiling. Meanwhile grate the bar of soap.

Mix the Borax and Washing Soda together in a bowl.

Once the water is boiling, pour in the grated soap and stir till all melted. This will take about 10 minutes.

Take soup pot off the heat and pour in the powder mix. You want to make sure the powder fully incorporates or else the detergent will be grainy. Stir until you don't feel any more grit on the bottom of the pan.

Pour mixture into the mason jar. Fill the jar with warm water till its about an inch or two from the top.

Cap and set upside down on the counter. Let sit for about 4 hours.

After 4 hours, pour into a blender and whip. The consistency should look like mayonnaise. Pour back into the jar and label.

We've been using 2 teaspoons per load (plus our homemade fabric softener) and its been working great!

Check back later this week for our DIY Fabric Softener recipe!