homemade detergent

i came across this recipe for homemade detergent months ago and printed it out. i remember being in the clutches of spring semester and thinking "i can't wait until the summer when i am only working two jobs and not taking any classes, so i can make homemade detergent!" since we are working towards having no packaged foods in the pantry, i have been trying to buy less packaging in general and finding alternatives to different products.

boil 4 cups of water in a pan and shave a whole bar of soap into it. (i used a bar of ivory soap.) stir it really well and be sure that the soap is entirely dissolved.



pour three gallons of hot water into a five-gallon bucket. lowe's sells these or you can recycle a paint bucket. add the dissolved soap and water and stir. pour in a cup of washing soda and a half cup of borax.



stir well and let it stand overnight. berlin had to inspect this project to make sure i did it correctly.



the detergent will turn gelatinous and look like real detergent. i added a few drops of essential geranium oil into the mixture. i have a front-loading washer and used just under a cup of detergent and it didn't get too sudsy at all.

the cost comes out to less than three pennies per load. how awesome is that?