Homemade laundry soap is a great way to cut costs in these tough economic times. Why not try it yourself? This simple, fun and easy task can save you tons of money! Making your own laundry soap can be done for just pennies per load. You can also avoid the harsh chemicals and dyes found in leading laundry soaps and detergents.

Before jumping in and making a batch, read the following helpful hints:

What you need:
If you choose to make a large batch of the liquid detergent, other than the ingredients listed you will also need a very large container to mix them up in and let sit overnight. A bucket or large stockpot will work fine. If you are making the powdered version, you will need a small container with an airtight lid. Also, having a good grater makes the grating easier. I have found a microplane kitchen grater to work best.

Where to Buy Ingredients:
Most of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store in the laundry aisle and at some Walmarts and Targets. Some people have a difficult time Fels Naptha soap. If this happens, you can either try a substitute (such as Zote, Ivory or Sunlight bar soaps, or other low-scented soap) or buy it online at Amazon.com.

What to Store Your Soap In:
Many websites about homemade laundry detergents suggest that you keep your large batch of liquid laundry detergent in a 5-gallon bucket with lid and keep a large wooden spoon in it to stir it before each use. I have found that it is much more practical to use several smaller containers that I can pick up and shake. Just make sure that your batch is well stirred before dividing it into the smaller conatiners. Old laundry detergent containers work the best since they have built-in measuring cups in the cap, but old bleach or vinegar containers work okay too. Remember to wash all containers before using.

Scented Soap:
The detergent has a fairly strong scent right after you make it, but it fades quickly. After the clothes are washed, there is little, if any, scent on the clothes. If you’ve never tried a non-scented laundry detergent before, it might be hard for you to accept that the clothes are actually clean. They are, whether they smell like soap or not. But if it continues to bother you, you might want to try adding a liquid fabric softener to your wash or even adding your favorite essential oil to your preferred liquid laundry detergent recipe.

Now that you're ready, you can continue reading recipes for liquid detergent or powdered detergent.