My family has been using homemade laundry detergent for almost a year…and well…we love it. Our first batch lasted us 8 months, our second one  (made with zote) lasted us well…2 months. Now, I know a lot of people love their zote, but for some reason it was not getting our clothes clean enough we had to either double up on detergent or rewash clothes that were already washed.

Our first batch of laundry detergent was made with Fels-Naptha, Ivory bar soap, borax, and washing suds. Recipe below:

1 bar of Fels-Naptha (or Ivory soap)
2c of Twenty Mule Team Borax
2c of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Suds

We use one tablespoon per load depending on size and dirtiness

Basically all you do is grate the bar(s) of soap in a mixing bowl and mix in the other ingredients and transfer it over to a container or jar.

I used the recipe above but I did it X4 and I used both Fels-Naptha and Ivory soap…so it can last a while.

In the zote recipe I solely used the zote as my soap (+ borax and washing suds), I did not mix in ivory soap with it nor did I double, triple, or quadruple my recipe…hence, that is probably why it did not last that long…but that aside…it was not getting the clothes clean.

All in all I just want to share my experience with all of you. We have sensitive skin, we are on a budget so this works for  our family…literally we spend less than $10 on the supplies alone and it last us about 8 months….PLUS it truly gets our clothes clean and fresh.