To be completely honest the initial reason I began making my own laundry detergent was when I went to college and noticed for the first time how expensive it can be. (Despite the fact my parents were still paying for it.) So I googled "how to make laundry detergent" and the rest is history! (Since initially making laundry detergent myself I have altered the recipe a bit and do not remember the original source of the recipe and therefore will not be able to link to it!)
Side note: It is also comforting for me to know the ingredients in my laundry detergent, it still smells amazing (I would claim fresh laundry as one of my favorite scents), and you can even personalize the scent!
INGREDIENTS:
1 box (65oz) Borax
1 box (55oz) Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
2 bars Castile Soap, finely grated, I use a cheese grater for this
DIRECTIONS:
Empty borax and washing soda boxes into a very large bowl
Finely grate soap bars and add to bowl of borax and washing soda
Mix together all ingredients
Store in any large container. I have used multiple mason quart jars, a large pickle jar, or a large glass container as linked below!
USAGE:
Small load: 1/4c
Medium load: 1/3c
Large load: heaping 1/3c
LINKS:
Castile Soap:
Dr. Bronner's - This links to the variety pack on Amazon but you can also find it at Krogers, Meijers, Fresh Thyme, and Target in my experience. You can mix and match scents as you please. My favorite scents are Lavender & Tea Tree or Almond (which smells a lot like cherry) & Tea Tree. My mom loves Peppermint.
Kroger also had a Simple Truth brand castile soap that works well.
Glass Storage Container:
This links to the glass storage container we currently use. It is from Walmart.
To keep the natural laundry experience going you can use wool dryer balls in place of dryer sheets. To add scents experiment using a few drops of your favorite essential oils on the dryer balls. My favorites are lavender, lemon, and cedarwood!