New, Improved DIY Powder Laundry Detergent

For quite a while now, I have made my own laundry detergent. I have been fine-tuning the recipe, and wanted to share my new, improved process.

Rather than grate the soap, I have found that if you turn it into a fine powder, it dissolves, mixes, and cleans much better. To do this, start with 1/2 bar of Ivory soap.

Unwrap it and place it into a microwave-safe pie plate or casserole dish (you want something wide).

Place it into a microwave and set the timer for 1 1/2 minutes. Watch it closely while the microwave is on - the soap will grow and expand, much like volcanic lava. When it stops growing, stop the microwave (mine usually goes for a little more than a minute).

Remove the soap from the microwave and let it cool. Once cooled, you'll be able to pull off pieces and crumble it into a fine powder, which you'll be able to easily mix with your Borax and washing soda.

It's also a fun project for kids - my daughter loves to watch the soap while it's in the microwave, and she helps crumble it afterward. Just don't let your kids inhale the fine powder, keep it down near waist level while working with it.

How to Get The Sweaty Smell Out of Your Work Out Clothes

Today's work out clothes are made of wonderful fabrics that keep you comfortable and "wick" the sweat away from your skin. The only problem with the fabric, though, is that it tends to hold that sweaty smell after a while. You don't need to toss your favorite running shirt as soon as you notice a lingering smell...just use these steps to freshen it up!

What You'll Need:

-Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (regular baking soda works well, too!)
-Tea Tree Oil
-A bucket or sink large enough to soak your clothing

Just put your work out clothes into a bucket or sink large enough to hold them, then sprinkle about 1 cup of washing soda on top. Add 15 - 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil, and add hot tap water (the hotter, the better) until the clothing is covered in water. Since you're using hot water, you may want to soak whites and colored fabrics separately.

The soda and Tea Tree Oil both work to remove the odor, and since the Tea Tree Oil has natural anti-fungal properties, it helps prevent any potential fungus-related issues, since fungi tend to love sweaty places (think: Jock Itch and athlete's foot - ugh!).

Leave the clothes soaking until the water cools, then wring the extra water from the clothing and wash and dry as you normally would. Afterwards, everything should smell much fresher! I do this for my work out clothing about once a month, and it really has made them last much longer.

If this doesn't do the trick, make a thick paste of washing soda and a little water, and apply it directly to your shirts' armpits, then wash.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

If you're looking for easy ways to save money on household items, one easy way you can do so is to make your own laundry detergent. I started making my own a little over 2 years ago because the commercial detergents' scents were too strong for me, and the "Free" products were expensive. This recipe works well in our front-loading machine. It cleans well (I do still use Oxyclean spray to pre-treat heavy stains, but everything else comes right out), has a very light scent, and is easy to make. Plus, I love the fact that as long as I'm well-stocked on the ingredients, I never run out - I just make more when I need it!

What You'll Need:
-2 cups Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (in the laundry aisle, but regular baking soda works if you can't find it)
-2 cups Borax
-1 bar Ivory soap
-Air-tight storage container

First, grate the bar of soap.

Then, add the Washing Soda and Borax. Mix it all together.

Transfer the mixture to air-tight storage, and that's it! I use 4 Tbsp. of this powder in our small front-loader. If you have a larger machine, you may want to try a little more.