Adventures in Domesticity {Homemade Laundry Detergent}

Yesterday I finally made the homemade laundry detergent I've been dying to try for weeks :). It was easy and fun, and should last me for ages (very cost effective to boot!). I ran my first load with it this morning, and my clothes smell fresh and look clean. Woo hoo!

 First I grated up my Fels-Naptha soap bar. It looked kind of like shredded cheese! And it smelt divine.

 Then I melted it with the four cups of hot tap water. It kind of looked like orange juice! Just very very sudsy.

 This is my finished product, after adding more water, borax, and washing soda. I purchased this six gallon storage bucket (with a lid) at Wal Mart for under $5.

 In the morning I noticed these thick white chunks of gel. I thought I stirred it enough last night... is this normal? At any rate, it seems to work just fine!

Do you make your own laundry detergent? What recipe do you use? Would you recommend it or not?

Linked with: Growing Home.