DIY laundry detergent

Laundry detergent!!!

(I thought if I wrote it like that, you might all get excited...)

Everyone uses it in some form. Well, everyone except the trolley man at my local shops. It's expensive to buy, but easy to make cheaply. Here's how I do it:

{I have to stop here for a second. Mr Accidental hates these tutorial posts, he would much prefer for every post to be about him. So I will keep everyone happy, and interject interesting facts about Mr A throughout the post. You're welcome. Now, back to your scheduled viewing... }

First up, collect your ingredients.

You'll need:

• washing soda (not baking soda), 
• borax; and 
• pure soap. 

The basic recipe is 50% grated soap to 25% washing soda and 25% borax, by volume.

{Mr A wears large shoes. And you know what they say about large shoes...   Yes! Large socks!}

Grate up your soap. Keep the ends! (If you have them, so not you, Sorcha.) I find that two bars of grated soap make up three cups. Put them in your container.

I usually use sunlight soap, but I'm trying the Woolworths brand this time - it has the same ingredients and is far cheaper.

{Mr A grew up in Perth, and as a result he calls face washers "flannels".  I do not.  This causes some tension.}

Then add in 1.5 cups of borax.

And also 1.5 cups of washing soda.

I keep mine in a cereal container - the mouth is big enough to get my hand in, and it seals tightly but is easy to open single handedly.

{Mr A and I sometimes dream the same dream, even when we are apart. This is very distressing when we both dream we are getting divorced, and wake up cross at one another. But not all our dreams are bad! *Cough cough*}

Give it a good shake, add in your scoop, and you're done!

Well, almost...

{Mr A has salt and pepper hair. He's only 28. He started going grey when we started dating... ahem. Sorry darling. It makes him look very distinguished and wise, which is great for work, but doesn't it help him a jot at home - I know what he's really like. Hint: it's not often distinguished.}

Make sure you label any containers that hold home made cleaners with the contents of the cleaner. Then if someone ingests some accidentally you can summon the correct help, and it's also handy when it's time for a remake.

Finally... what to do with those soap ends?

Pump soap, obviously!

{Mr A is tall. A full 6'2", more in his boots. I can always find him easily in a crowded room. People also tend to move out of his way, which is handy in shopping centers on a Saturday. He's also really really good looking.}

So then, dear reader, reckon you'll give it a try? Or, if you make your own laundry soap already, is your recipe the same? Let me know, I love comments!