Laundry on a dime

In an effort to avoid harsh chemicals by substituting with natural products we have switched to homemade laundry detergent.

I have also attempted homemade dishwasher detergent but have yet to find the right recipe.  If you have one please share in the comment section.

Below is the recipe that we used for laundry detergent and it turned out great!  This recipe not only avoids chemicals but is incredibly inexpensive (about $2 for 5 gallons!)

One bar of Fels Naptha
1 C borax
1 C washing soda
5 gallon bucket

Grate the 5.5 oz bar of Fels Naptha and place on heat with 4C water until the soap is dissolved.
Pour warm water into 5 gallon bucket until half way full.
Pour water/soap mixture into bucket.
Add essential oils if you would like to add a fragrance.  (1/2 to 1 oz.)
Fill bucket with additional water until full.
Mix thoroughly.

Place lid of bucket and let sit for 24 hours.  The detergent will have the appearance of egg drop soup.
Use 1/2 C to 1 C of detergent per load depending on your machine.