My Money Saving Tip #1 focused on using laundry detergent based on a "small" load for all your washes. To make your savings go further, you could try making your own laundry soap yourself in your kitchen. This idea was completely foreign to me until I was watching a show on television where the family made their own laundry soap. The savings are incredible. Washing with detergent purchased at your local store can cost about $0.50 per load. Using homemade detergent can cost as little as $0.01 per load.
You can do an internet search for homemade laundry soap and find several recipes. One of the recipes I found in the book Be Centsable gives this recipe***:
Water
3 oz. grated bar soap (any, but Castile is mentioned)
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda)
In large pot, combine the water and grated soap and heat on medium until completely dissolved. Stir in Borax and washing soda until everything is dissolved. In a large bucket, combine 4 cups of hot water with the melted soap mixture and stir well. Add 1 gallon and 6 cups of water, stir, and let sit overnight. It may appear cloudy, but it is ok.
All these ingredients can be found at most every grocery store. The Borax and washing soda is located in the laundry soap isle, and the Castile soap can be found in the bar soap isle.
***Check your owners manual especially if you have a front-loader. Using non-HE approved detergents may void your warranty and possibly damage your washing machine. If you have used a homemade recipe on a front-loader, please post a comment on how your machine handled.
