Goodbye Tide

I am not a big all-natural kind of person when it comes to products. My goal is usually to get the best I can for the cheapest. :) There are a few things I really don't like buying things like toilet paper, napkins, tissues, laundry detergent, dish detergent...etc. I feel like these things are over priced but they are necessities so there's not much I can do about it. Now I have read about using washable toilet paper things, but that is way too nasty for me. haha. So I will continue to buy those dreaded paper products.

BUT- I have recently discovered making my own detergents! I know people have been doing this forever probably, but it's new to me and I am PUMPED! Why- because it saves MONEY!! :)

There are so many different ways to make laundry detergent, I went with one that seemed the easiest! I got this recipe from this link.

Here are the ingredients:
- Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
- 20 Mule Team Borax
- Ivory Bar Soap (mine had Aloe in it just because that is what they had, I don't think it matters)

I had never even heard of Borax or Washing Soda, but sure enough they were in the detergent isle at my grocery store and by reading the boxes they have many good uses!!

The costs of mine were:
76 oz. of Borax - $3.69

55 oz. of Soda - $2.79
4 bars of Ivory Soap - $2.50
Total - $8.98

Now Arm & Hammer laundry detergent is around $6. So that's savings already!

Recipe:

Each batch yields approximately 32 ounces (between 32-64 loads based on how many Tbsp used per load).

• 1 bar of shaved bar soap
• 1 cup of borax
• 1 cup of washing soda

Step 1: Shave the bar soap. (I used a cheese grater and it was surprisingly easy!)
Step 2: Add 1 cup of borax
Step 3: Add 1 cup of washing soda
Step 4: Mix, Mix, Mix

Store in sealed container.
Use 1-2 Tbsp per load.

I am currently washing my first load now. And I have no idea how long this batch will last OR how long the boxes of borax and washing soda will last. But, I do believe it is cheaper!