Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been meaning to post this for a while. I loaded some pictures over a month ago...to use on a rainy day, when I needed a new post. 

Well, I've been asked about it again, so I thought I'd just go for it. 

I love making my own laundry soap. Before I tried, it felt overwhelming, but then I saw this method that made me so curious I just HAD to try it. Just so I don't plagiarize or steal anything I found the original idea HERE.

These are the only ingredients you will need. They can all be purchased at Walmart. (you can also use a bar soap called Fels Naptha, found on the laundry aisle.)

Powdered Laundry Soap

2 cups borax

2 cups washing soda

1 bar soap

What is the secret? What is the thing that snagged my attention? 

MICROWAVE the soap first. 

Yep. 

Have you ever seen what happens to a regular bar of soap when it gets zapped? 

SO cool! It gets big, fluffy, dry, and brittle. 

I cut it into fourths or sixths before microwaving (so it gets dried all the way through) and put each piece in for one minute on high.

Then, the dry brittle soap goes into the food processor (or some kind of blender) to be ground into powder.  (the powder WILL go up your nose when you open the food processor and you WILL sneeze)

I should say you CAN do it without microwaving. Simply grate the bar soap with a food grater (or zester, to make it really fine). But, really, where is the fun in that? 

The finished product fills a 10lb (120 load) detergent box a bit less than 1/3 full. It would take three or four batches to fill my regular Tide powder box. BUT I use much less. I think I use about 3 Tbsp. of this detergent per large load. If you have a fancy HE washer, you can use ONE Tbsp.