Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent With Nonchlorine Bleach

Homemade laundry detergent can be just as effective as store-bought products.

Homemakers have long been searching for cheap and effective ways to do laundry. Alternatives to store-bought detergents are now common and easy to create. The product is safe and reliable, with or without bleach. Make as much as you would like at once and save some for later in a safe place. You'll find that you save several dollars on each load of laundry and your clothes are as clean as ever.

Things You'll Need

• Five-gallon bucket
• Soap bar
• Borax
• Boiling water
• Grater
• Liquid non-chlorine bleach
• Washing soda
• Measuring cup
• Stove
• Large spoon

Instructions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil on the stove. Leave the heat on high until the water boils, then bring it down to a mid or low level to simmer.

2. Grate the bar of soap into small pieces and slowly add them to the pot as the water boils. Begin stirring once you've added a few pieces. Space the bar of soap out over a 20 minute period. Any standard bar of pure soap will work.

3. Stir the soap into the hot water with a large spoon. Keep stirring until the pieces have dissolved into the liquid and all you see is soap bubbles.

4. Fill the bucket with 3 gallons of hot water. Add 1 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax and 3/4 cup of non-chlorine bleach. Both the borax and bleach are optional but may be necessary for tough stains and whitening.

5. Shut off the stove and pour the solution from the pot into the bucket with the other ingredients. Stir all the contents in the bucket for about five minutes

6. Cover the bucket and let it sit for 24 hours. Stir after opening and use in the same manner as store-bought detergent.

Tips & Warnings

• The color of your detergent is based on the color of your soap.

• Because consistency of product will vary by batch, try using a 1/4 cup of detergent per load and upping it to 1/2 or 3/4 a cup based on how effectively it cleans the laundry.

• Use non-chlorine bleach sparingly or you may ruin clothing. Add between 1/2 to 1 cup of non-chlorine bleach (based on effectiveness/preference) for this amount of detergent.

References

• "Homemade: How-to Make Hundreds of Everyday Products;" Readers Digest; 2008