Homemade Detergents and Cleaners

Home-done Laundry Soap

1 (4lb.) box of Borax  
1 (55 oz.) box of Washing Soda 
2 bars of Ivory Soap or 1 bar Fels Naptha Soap or 1 bar Zote Soap (found in laundry aisle)

 
Washing soda:  Make sure you don't buy the Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergent.  It will say "Washing Soda" on the box.  You can pick this up at Walmart.

My personal preference is Zote just because it's pink but I haven't found a difference in cleaning power.

 Unwrap your bars of soap and allow to dry out for a week or two before making your detergent.  Use a grater and grate up your soap using the finest side of the grater.  You want your soap to be really, really fine crumbs.

Mix it all up and at this point, you can add 10 - 15 drops of essential oil or potpourri oil if you like.  Store in an airtight container.

I use a scant 1/3 of a cup per double loader at the laundry mat.  A little bit goes a long way.  If you're just doing a single load, use a tablespoon or two.

This stuff will cost you about 5 cents per load.  It's EXTREMELY cost efficient.  This recipe makes a lot of soap.  For the two of us this recipe lasts about 4-5 months or so at least.  Sometimes longer.

Click Here for a Whipped Laundry Soap recipe!

Liquid Soap

To be used for laundry or general housecleaning.  Not for doing the dishes.

1 quart water
1 cup grated Zote, Ivory, or Fels Naptha
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda

Can easily be doubled or quadrupled to make more at once.

Bring all the ingredients to a boil, whisking constantly.  Once mixture reaches the boiling point, all should be dissolved.  Let cool some, then bottle using a funnel into something like an old clean vinegar jug.   Leave some head-space so you can shake it good.  Before each use, shake really well.  (Septic safe)
 
Dish Soap

1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon Borax
1 tablespoon Ivory soap
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

Whisk all ingredients together.  Keep whisking occasionally for the next 6-8 hours as you allow it to cool and the soap to dissolve.  


Dish Soap Powder

1 cup Borax
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

Mix all together.  To use, just dip your washcloth in water, then in the powder.  Repeat as necessary as you are doing your dishes.

 Furniture Polish

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix together.  To use, wipe it on with one cloth and wipe off with another.

Drain Opener

1 cup baking soda
1 cup vinegar
4 cups boiling water

Pour baking soda down clogged drain then pour vinegar in after it.  Let sit for 1/2 hour.  Pour boiling water down the drain.  You may need to do this a couple of times.

Check this out!  An all-purpose homemade citrus cleaner!!!  Beautiful!  Click here!