Making good-smelling laundry detergent

I think it's about time I wrote a new blog, don't you? So what better subject to write about than saving money!! Yep, did you know that you can save a ton of money each year by making your own laundry detergent? Hmmm, if you can make laundry detergent, just imagine the possibilities this opens up to you!! What about dishwasher detergent!? I spend a small fortune on that stuff, someone send me the recipe!! I know it's out there. So I have been making my own laundry soap since January. I used 4 Fels-Naptha soap bars, 4 cups of Borax and 4 cups of Arm and Hammer washing powder. It lasted for 6 months!! Just pennies a load. I could tell it was getting my clothes clean but I do love a good smell to my clothes when I put them on. Especially my towels when I stick my face in them after my shower. They didn't stink, just didn't smell good either. I wasn't planning on changing anything though until the love of my life said that he wished our clothes would smell good. Like when I used to use Softener. So to Pinterest I went and was not disappointed. I didn't even have to look it up. I just started scrolling to see what was new and a little ways down the page was some homemade laundry detergent. This blogger was having the same problem I had and had come up with a solution, so I immediately headed out to the store, (Ok, it was the next morning) and bought all the necessary supplies.

I was rather disappointed to find that this great state of Louisiana does not carry the Zote soap, that she had used, anywhere near me. I think the closest place was down by the gulf somewhere. I really wanted the pink color too! But it wasn't to be had and ordering off the internet wasn't an option if I wanted to keep it cheap. Sure it was $1.75 a bar but they wanted $10 for shipping!!! Highway robbery I tell you!!!! So I used the yellow Fels-Naptha bars and with the purple crystals we got to make LSU colored soap as the girls so delightedly pointed out. Speaking of the girls they were very eager to help me out. Here's some pictures of the process.

It's funny, but when it came time to clean up the dishes and the fine powder of dust that coated everything, my little helpers had conveniently disappeared. Strange! But anyway, here's the finished product!

And yes, I tested it right away and it has met the approval of my husband and I! My clothes now smell good again :-) As far as the cost and how much it made, she said hers was $28. I'm wondering if that was before she added the 2nd bottle of Crystals, which was $8 something because my total came to almost $40. Still, if it lasts for the whole year, or pretty close to it anyway since my family is slightly larger than hers, I will be one happy mama! Along with those two bottles in the previous picture, I also have this much left in the bucket.