Laundry Soap DIY ("Detergent" was removed from title--see edit)

I have read for years about folks making their own laundry detergent soap and finally gave it a try in January.  I am rather pleased with the results and want to share my own recipe with you.

I was always a Cheer or Tide user and loved the way the fragrances seemed to mask most of the funky odors that happen so frequently in this humid environment that is Houston.  But, of course, they are costly and I do like to wear my own perfume when I want a fragrance.  Cheer+Glamourous is not exactly the sexiest combo.  Often, when I am at work, it seems that Latino folks like to really, REALLY use a lot of the detergents because I can recognize the brands on their clothes.

I have been a faithful Downy user, also.  My clothes never felt so soft and I could not understand.  I learned several years back that most recommended detergent levels can't be washed out.  The test was to take a load of laundry and wash it without any additives while leaving the lid open.  The typical machine will wash but stop at the point where it should drain.  You then look in and, voila, see how much sudsing is there.  Since laundry detergent is made to suds up very little and you have used zero detergent for this load, you should see zero.  Reality for me was that it took washing without ANY detergent for 6 full weeks of normal washing to get all the sudsing to cease.  I then only used a couple of tablespoons per load after that, except when things were smelly.  Teenager in home=smelly laundry.   I used the Downy for this reason.

Come around to January 2012.  Aaahhhh... I thought I would try a recipe that I had found and just see how I like it.  It took me all of maybe 10 minutes to make and I was in business.  The first load, well, my clothes still seemed a bit stiff and not so pretty-smelling.  Apparently, the perfumes used in the store-brands wash out quickly.  Since I had made up 2 yogurt containers of it, I figured I'd use it all up.  Lo and behold, after the first few washes, when all the crud from the commercial detergents was all washed out, my clothes are super fresh smelling and very soft.  I now only have the Downy for traveling.  (Some cities have so much pollution that your clothes reek of it!  Quito and Lima, por ejemplo!)

I can feel the difference in the clothes that I pull out of the closet.  That is the biggest proof to me.

If you try it, you might like it.  If you don't, well, you are only out about 6$ for supplies and they can be used in other applications.

Emily's Laundry Soap Recipe
Equal parts:
     Soap (I use Ivory)
     Washing Soda (different PH than baking soda)
     Borax

Step 1: Unwrap the bar of soap.  Microwave it in the center of the plate that is part of your machine for 4-5 minutes.  Seriously.  Watch this.  It is great. (Don't believe me?  Youtube it!)
Step2:  Take the plate out and let it cool for several hours.  Really, you are letting the moisture out and it is easier.  Not necessary, but easier.  I do this before bed.
Step 3:  Measure this into a bucket in equal parts.  I like to go outside and sift the Ivory powder into a large bowl and measure a cup of this, cup of that, etc until it is all in the bucket.  Stir.  Put it in the containers you want. (See the edits below.)

That's it.  Seriously.  I use a couple of table spoons per load but if I am grossed out by my own laundry, I use a spoon or two more.  It is really nice to have clean smelling clothes, sheets, towels, etc without all the perfumes.  As a bonus, I don't seem to suffer from my allergies as much and my skin sensitivities have decreased.  Woohoo!

Note:  Whatever detergent/soap you use, for traveling and hand-washing in the sink, I recommend that you put some in the blender and grind it to the finest powder.  It is so much easier when all you have to wash with is COLD.
Note #2:  For traveling by personal vehicle, you can use a cooler for a washing machine.  Load your laundry, sprinkle your detergent, fill with water.  Load in back of vehicle.  Drive 1/2 way to your next destination or drive to town or whatever.  Use the spigot to drain the laundry and fill with water again to rinse.  Continue with your driving.  The gentlest wash-cycle possible!
Note #3:  If you wanna grate the soap instead of nuking it, knock yourself out.  But nuking is more fun and works better, IMHO.

Say goodbye to dirt and grime with these babies.

Ivory soap after it has been nuked.  The "cloud" was just mashed up with my hands. Nothing more.

In this last batch, I used 3 bars of Ivory.  It was too much.  I have 2 yogurt containers plus the washing soda box full and one gallon zip bag 1/2 full of powdered Ivory for the next batch. Since January, this is the 3rd time I have made it and the first double batch.  I would estimate that for $10, a single person such as myself can have enough laundry detergent for a year. I still have several bars of soap left so I possibly won't need to buy that for 2 more years.

Edited to add:
My sister is a genius!  She quarters the soap and puts it into a paper lunch bag to nuke it so that it is nicely contained and there is no mess.  I'm definately gonna try this next time!  Thanks, Charlene!
Edited to add - Jan 4, 2014:
1.)  I now use a flour sifter to mix up the ingredients over my paper bag that contains the parts.  It makes it have zero chunks in it and is, IMHO, faster. My husband mixes it up when we need it nowdays. Washing the cloth diapers means that we do go through it more often.  2.)  The soap will dry out.  I now nuke all the soap at once and put the extra in the paper bag where I keep my other ingredients. 3.)  Also, I have learned the difference between detergent and soap--Soap is natural.  Detergent contains petroleum products.