
I want to share an easy way you can save money. We all know that prices are going up on just about everything, including essentials like laundry detergent and fabric softener. They even have those expensive scented beads you can add to your laundry if you want to. Well this frugal teacher wants to show you how to save some money on something we all have to buy anyway.
Make your own laundry detergent - it is so easy! Making your own laundry detergent will save you money each and every week. It takes me about 5 minutes to make several months' worth of laundry detergent. The recipe I
use is safe for HE, top-load, and front-load washing machines and can be used in cold or warm wash cycles. You’ll need to adjust the amount you use to however big the load is. I use 1 tablespoon for a regular load and 2 tablespoons for a big or extra dirty load. Here’s the recipe I use:
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer super washing soda
1 cup soap flakes (I use Zote because it’s already in flakes but you can also take a bar of cheap soap and use a cheese grater to make your own flakes)
I like to take the soap flakes and put them in my food processor or blender to make a powder. It seems to work better when mixing it with the Borax and washing soda. That way everything is powdery, and it’s easy to store in a container with a lid or in a mason jar. I keep a one tablespoon measuring spoon right in the container to save time. Make sure the lid is on tight and give it a few shakes to mix everything together. That’s it! If you want to save even more money, use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. It keeps your machine clean, softens your clothes, and helps with stubborn odors. All you need is ½ cup of white vinegar per load. It doesn’t make your clothes smell like vinegar, so don’t worry.
Now let’s do some math! No need to get your calculator out, though. This frugal teacher did all of the number crunching for you.

Well, there you have it. I used the Great Value brand in my example so of course you would save even more money if you usually buy name brand detergent. No matter which brand you buy, you can see how making your own laundry detergent cuts the cost per load way down. It works great, is easy to make, and saves you money. Did I mention that it smells really good, too? Some people have even added essential oils to the mix to customize the scent. I hope you give it a try!
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