Try this bad boy out

Once a month Ben and Kelli go on their grocery shopping excursion. All is going well, they are happy and laughing and the cart is filling up with food. Ben gets his junk food while Kelli has to remind him that they also need to purchase "real" food. Nothing wrong there. Then the inevitable happens: the laundry aisle. Somehow, this most obnoxious and expensive purchase usually sours the mood. Kelli is a cheap-o and wants the cheapest detergent, while Ben is very, very particular about smells. So after a few minutes of debate, they continue on their way with their ten dollars of laundry detergent. However, one day Kelli made a most remarkable find: homemade laundry detergent!! (As blogged by her delightsome cousin Amy). So they gave it a try, and it was a huge hit. Now the whole family is making their own, and saving big bucks while they do so. Try it, they promise you'll love it!

You will need:

1 Bar of Fels Naptha
1 Cup of Arm and Hammer Laundry Soda
1/2 Cup of Borax

All of these can be found in the laundry aisle, however Walmart doesn't carry the Fels Naptha or Laundry Soda. I purchased mine instead at Macey's grocery store. They should total altogether about $7.

Instructions:

Grate the Fels Naptha and add to a saucepan with 4 cups of hot water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until the soap dissolves and melts. Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full of very hot tap water. Add the melted soap/water mixture, the laundry soda and the Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. It will look like Egg Drop Soup when it's ready- don't worry, this is normal!!

Stir before using. Use 1/2 cup for top loading machines, or 1/4 cup for front loading. One bucket makes about 200-400 loads, depending on the washing machine.

The price on this bad boy equals about $2 per 5 gallons. Not too shabby, eh?!