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One of the great things about being an e-mail list owner is the wonderful letters and recipes I receive from subscribers each day. The following recipe is for laundry detergent. You can do this for less than $1 per batch! This recipe was sent to me by Marisa Gonzalez, who found this recipe in the book “Cheaper and Better: Homemade Alternatives” by Nancy Birnes. This book is out of print at this time, but I do have information on the Real Food for Real People website about how you may still obtain a copy.

I suggest that you store this mixture in a plastic bucket or other heavier plastic or glass container that has already been used to store a cleaning product. Recycled plastic milk jugs are NOT a good container to use for this one, as they deteriorate after a few weeks, and you will be left with a very sticky mess. The recipe calls for soap flakes, which are nearly impossible to find in a grocery store these days, but you can use a food grater with a bar of pure soap (such as Ivory) and get the same results. Enjoy!

Laundry Detergent: Basic Mix
1 cup soap flakes
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax

Laundry Detergent: Soft Water Mix
1 cup soap flakes
1/4 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax

Laundry Detergent: Hard Water Mix
1 cup soap flakes
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax

Liquid Laundry Detergent
1 cup of any of the above mixes
2 tablespoons glycerin
2 cups warm water

Mix ingredients and store in a sealed, labeled canister in the laundry room.
To use, measure 1/2 – 3/4 cup of the mix and wash your clothing in warm or cold water. Use cold water for the rinse cycle.

Yield: 12 ounces