Easy Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe Tutorial

I promised that I would share more money-saving tips to help you get through tight times. Laundry soap can be very expensive! This recipe makes several gallons and costs only pennies per wash and works very well. My original post can be found here.

Because some folks prefer to watch video tutorials, I finally made a video showing how simple making your own laundry soap can be! 

If you decide to make this easy and effective laundry soap recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you have your own recipe, please share with us in the comments. Thanks for stopping in!

My New Intro Video!

Adding Trisodium Phospate to Your Dishwasher Detergent

In the past few years, dishwasher detergent manufacturers have taken out that magic ingredient called phosphates.  

For a period of time we handwashed all of our dishes because the new phosphate free detergent wasn't getting our dishes clean and was actually leaving a nasty film on the entire load of dishes.

  

I happened upon a homemade recipe for dishwasher detergent which worked well for some time.  See my recipe here Truly Amazing Homemade Dishwasher Detergent.  The film was less noticeable but dishes weren't completely squeaky clean after a few months of using the homemade detergent. Still, it was acceptable.

We recently moved to home on the outskirts of town.  We love being out of the main part of the city but our water supply is hard.  Once again, we were dealing with a yucky film on our dishes.  I tried a commercial detergent again, thinking perhaps the formula had improved since last time.  But the results were not good.   

This was the inside of our dishwasher door.  There were smudges and stains that weren't coming off after multiple washes. These smudges were there from the previous occupants.  Yuck!



I'm a dirty rotten cheater!  But to the best of my knowledge, I'm not a lawbreaker! I did a little bit of research and found that I could mix a little phosphate into each wash load.  I found a box of trisodium phosphate on the internet.  You can purchase it here - Savogran 10621 Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) for about $7.  Most sources I found suggested to add approximately a 1/4 to a 1/2 teaspoon to each load.  I purchased the box approximately six weeks ago and we still have a TON left so I'd say that adding TSP is very economical.  Once I run out of the commercial dishwashing detergent, I'll probably go back to my homemade recipe and add the trisodium phosphate to it.



I just sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of the Trisodium Phosphate into both detergent cups on top of the detergent.

As you can see, the inside of the door is no longer disgusting!

Dishes are clean!!! I've noticed a few hard water spots but I'll bet a little vinegar in the "rinse aid" dispenser would take care of that issue. 

 No more gunk, no more powdery film!

See? Nice and shiny!

I can see through my glass again! It worked!  If you would like to read more about trisodium phosphate you can read this article wikipedia - Trisodium phosphate or Natural Handyman - TSP Cleaning For Big Dogs!
  

Updates on ALL My Homemade Cleaning Supplies

A little over two months ago, I began a quest to find homemade cleaning supplies.  I wanted to give an update on how these concoctions are working for me.  

Vinegar Orange Peel Homemade Cleaning Solution ~ Effective and All Natural



I found an idea on Pinterest for an all natural homemade cleaning solution using just white vinegar and orange peels.   I did change the method of preparation slightly.  This cleaner is non-toxic and powerful.  It's safe enough to drink

Handmade Dish Scrubby! Great Way to Use Old Plastic Produce Bags



I have been saving my old potato and orange bags for quite some time.  They are the sturdy plastic or nylon style and I figured they would be good for something. 

I just hadn't figured out what that would be until I read a posting on Mooberry Farm Homesteading Journal blog.

Mooberry Farmwife has a great tutorial on how to use recycled onion bags to make dish scrubbies! 

I decided to give it a try, but since I don't crochet, I used dental floss and a cross stitch needle to stitch around the edges.  This is how I put my dish scrubby together -



You will need at least 2 large bags per scrubby



Insert bag(s) inside other bag(s)
Roll firmly as pictured above



Fold the scrubby in half length wise (not folded yet in photo above). Using a cross stitch needle threaded with dental floss beginning stitching around the edges.

 

Stitch as desired around the edges. I used what is called a "blanket stitch".  I think..... If that isn't the correct term, feel free to let me know.

  

My 10 year old daughter, happily trying out the new scrubby! The verdict is in and it works well!

We are happy with the results and think we could also use these materials to make awesome bath scrubbies! Perhaps we'll give that a try soon.

Thank you so much Mooberry Farm Wife for the great idea!



Truly Amazing Homemade Dishwasher Detergent



Okay, here is the skinny of it - I've completely stopped using my dishwasher since the manufacturers took out that amazing chemical(s) called phosphates.  I know, it's bad for streams or something like that but my dishes were horrible when I used the phosphate-free stuff!  

Homemade Orange Peel Scouring Powder

My mom sent me a link to a homemade grapefruit peel scouring powder.  I didn't have grapefruit but I do have a ton of oranges right now.  So, I thought I'd put my own spin on it. 

The link to the original is on Crunchy Betty's site which you can check out here - http://www.crunchybetty.com/the-great-grapefruit-scouring-scrub

(Click HERE for updates/reviews on all my homemade cleaners)

For some good information on homemade cleaning supplies check out the following -

The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning

Homemade: How-to Make Hundreds of Everyday Products Fast, Fresh, and More Naturally

Here is my stab at a scouring powder -

A Slightly Different Homemade Fabric Softener

 

A few postings ago, I featured a recipe for homemade fabric softener that consisted of vinegar, baking soda, water and essential oil.  The softener seems to work really well but the fragrance is...well......lacking. 

For those of you who like the stronger smell of a commercial softener, I've experimented today and concocted a formula that I think you might like.  Not only is it stronger smelling, it is more concentrated than the previous recipe (no sense in taking up valuable laundry room space with a lot of water in your homemade products).  

Homemade Fabric Softener - Inexpensive and Effective!

To soften your laundry inexpensively, try this recipe.  It's all natural and does a really great job for pennies.

To make this recipe, you will need -

• 6 cups of white vinegar
• 8 cups of tap water
• 1 cup of baking soda
• 15 drops of essential oil (your preference - optional)

In a large bowl or pan, mix 1 cup of baking soda with 1 cup of water.

Slowly add 6 cups of vinegar.  It will bubble up.  Just stir gently and remember to add a little at a time. 


Add the remaining 7 cups of water to the mixture.  Combine thoroughly. Add vinegar carefully.

Mixture will bubble up - stir gently

Add 15 drops of essential oil.  I used lemongrass this time.  Lavender would be nice too.  I bought my essential oil at the health food store.  There are so many varieties of oil that one could create virtually any scent.

Adding essential oil

To use, add to wash cycle as you would any commercial softener.  1/2 to 1 cup to per load seems soften sufficiently. 

Store in a loosely covered container.  I just used an old fabric softener bottle with the lid not on all the way. 

We're very happy with this softener and it only cost around $1.20 to make 112 ounces.  

Homemade Laundry Soap - Effective and CHEAP!

I am thrilled!  I was perusing Mooberry Farm's blog the other day and found her recipe for homemade laundry soap (See link below to Julie's posting).  I've made laundry soap in the past but I wasn't happy with the recipe.  I didn't feel it was adequately getting our clothes clean. 

I decided to give Julie's recipe a try.