DIY: Homemade Laundry Detergent for Less than $20/Year

One of my spark people friends, Liza shared her idea about making our own Laundry Detergent. I didn't pay much attention at that time because I thought it was a lot of work. And since I was still in the workforce, I thought of revisiting the idea when I'm finally staying home. I realized my procrastination cost me money. Last month, when I poured the last scoop of detergent, it gave me idea to make my own. So instead of purchasing a commercial laundry detergent, I thought of buying the ingredients. To my surprise, I only paid less than $15. (And the procedure is so easy.) Here's the mathematical analysis:

Ingredients and cost:

76 oz Borax (which is approximately 9 cups)- $3.99
-only 1 cup is needed-

55 oz Washing Soda (approx 7 cups)- $3.99
-only 1 cup is needed-

1 bar Fels-Naptha (needs to be grated)- $1.99

Directions:

Combine 1 cup of Borax, I cup Washing soda and 1 bar grated Fels-Naptha.

Use 2 Tablespoons per load.

Prices may vary per store but there should not be a big difference.I prefer getting them at Walmart. I can always get the best price in town there through Savings Catcher. 

So if only 1 cup is needed for Borax and 1 cup for Washing soda,that leaves you 8 cups of Borax and 6 cups of Washing soda. Save what's left to make another batch of detergent. Approximate cost per batch:

Borax= $3.99/ 9 cups= $0.44/cup
Washing soda= $3.99/ 7 cups= $0.57/cup
1 bar grated Fels-Naptha= $1.99

Approximate TOTAL per batch is $3 plus tax :)

Now, don't fret because I also estimated how long this batch will last so here goes:

1 cup is equivalent to 16 Tbsp and 1 bar grated Fels-Naptha is 26 Tbsp. (Trust me because I manually counted all these :))
Then,
16 Tbsp of Borax
16 Tbsp of Washing soda
26 Tbsp of Fels-Naptha
Approximate TOTAL is 58 Tbsp. Only 2 Tbsp are needed per load so you will basically be able to wash 18-20 loads of laundry. I only do laundry every other week, usually for 4 loads every time. So a batch of laundry detergent will last me for 2 1/2 months at $3.

For a year, you will be saving: 

12 months (in a year) divided by 2 1/2 (our laundry detergent will last) = approx 5 batches to make. 

If Fels-Naptha costs $1.99 per bar and you would need to buy 5 for the whole year, then you will pay a total of $9.95 + $3.99 Borax + $3.99 Washing Soda= $17.93 per year.

Aside from the cost, one of my friends said it helps prevent his eczema. I'm not an expert but it doesn't cost much if you try. Also, I observed our clothes are really clean.

Use vinegar and hair conditioner for softener to really make your laundry smell heavenly.Combine 6 cups of water, 3 cups of white vinegar and 2 cups hair conditioner (I just buy mine at the dollar store)

Isn't this awesome? Nail your budget using these right now!

... And because I was so happy with the result, I'm spreading awareness for homemade detergents like there's no other  (Lol) With extra tin cans, I gave portions of my homemade detergent with its recipes for my family and friends to try.

See how much fun to be able to find treasures in the mundane? Let me know your thoughts and if you have any more fun saving ideas, share them with us! Be a spark people too.

Maria (Ehma) Porpio