Frugal Friday Tip #2

If you are new to this little show, let me fill you in. Every Friday I am going to post a new Frugal Tip. There will be things I do around my own home to save money, or great tips from other bloggers. So add my button to your blog and join the fun. I am hoping to soon add a Mr. Linky so you too can share your Frugal Tips with me too!

I am so excited about this weeks Frugal Tip. I have been hanging on to this post for several months because I wanted to try it thoroughly before sending it out there to all of you.

Today's tip is:

Making Your Own Laundry Soap

I know what your thinking! Yuck, takes too much time, doesn't clean as well, smells icky! Right? Well I am here to tell you that this soap not only cleans well, but smells yummy too. It also took less than a 1/2 hour to make. I have been using it since mid-August and one batch has lasted our family of 5 that long. We also have well water, so it is a bit hard, and the soap works great! I also have not notices my whites getting dingy, so it is doing it's job in that department too.

I found this recipe over at the always adorable Beehive Cottage. She has the most adorable posts on her laundry soap. She found the recipe from Mary Jane's Farm, who is another super cute gal. I am still on the hunt for a container as cute as the one over at the Beehive Cottage. Make sure you go check them out real when you have a few (hours ) minutes.

So down to the nitty gritty of today's post.

Step 1: Ingredients

Laundry Soap Recipe

3 bars Pink Zote Soap

4lb. box of Borax

4lb. box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

4 lb. box of Arm and Hammer "Washing Soda"

1 sm. bucket of Oxygen Cleaner (like oxyclean)

(I add this last ingredient as an extra booster for our dirty clothes, but you don't have to add it)

(All ingredients were found at Walmart, except the Washing Soda that came from Fred Meyer)

Step #2:

Grate pink zote soap with cheese grater Kitchen Aid Mixer Cheese shredder in a large bowl. It smells so yummy!

Step #3:

Mix remaining dry powders in large container or garbage sack. Make sure to mix thoroughly.

Step 4:

Mix shredded Pink Zote into dry powder mix. I used rubber gloves because you do get a bit of film on you hands. Make sure you mix it up really well.

Step #5:

Get your dirty laundry and try this wonder powder out! I use the small scoop that comes in the oxygen cleaner for adding my soap to the washer. I use two scoops of laundry detergent per load, but that is because we are a busy family who seem to get into a lot of dirt around here. We also have three munchkins who seem to be eating at all times, and therefore messing up their clothes.
I then put all the mixture into my bucket and set it on top of my dryer. My deepest dream is to find a lovely container like dear sweet Mary Jane. But for now my Fresh Start bucket gets the job done, plus it has a lid to keep the smell under wraps. It would overpower your laundry room if left open all the time!
*One little note to mention, is that Maryjane uses White vinegar in her rinse cycle as a fabric softener. She swears it works, without the smell. I have not tried it because I would never remember to check on the rinse cycle to put it in. Most day I forget to put the dryer sheets in! Maybe if things settle down a bit and I get in the habit!

*One more little note to mention, Maryjane also gives a great cost breakdown on her site. It is around $.08 a load. I use more than she does per load so it is a little higher, but still very cost effective.