Laundry Soap Update

You may remember about a year ago, I decided that I would try to make my own laundry detergent. I am continuing to make it, however I decided that the liquid was much more of a pain than it was worth. I use the powder and make triple batches at a time so I don't have to make it often.

For the powder you use:
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1 bar of Fels Naptha

All of these items are in my Wal-Mart's laundry aisle. The boxes of Washing Soda and Borax are about $3 each and the bars of soap are about $1.

I use my food processor to grate the soap (I've done it by hand before...trust me, you'd much rather use the food processor). I then pour it in a bowl then switch to the chopping blade. I then add in a cup each of the soda and Borax then start slowly adding the soap. I mix this until the grated soap (which looks like cheese, I'll take a picture next time) turns crumbly. I have  a big container that I use to store this in so I just dump it all in. The soap will settle after time, so it's a good idea to make sure your container seals tight so you can shake it every so often.

Use about one tablespoon (more or less, depending on load size and how dirty the clothes are). I use plain white distilled vinegar in my softener holder and away we go. I hardly ever have to use my dryer sheets anymore!

I do still use All on our "dress" clothes, mostly because J's undershirts were getting dingy. When I bought him new ones, I decided to use the regular detergent to keep them whiter without having to bleach anything. I think I've been using the same container of All for over a year now though, since I only use one or two loads a week, if that.

I even got my mom, who was an powder hater, to start using this. She agrees that it smells very fresh and it's hard to beat the price. My grandma uses it in her top loading HE machine without any issues. I have noticed that sometimes it'll leave a little residue if I put the soap in on top of the clothes, but I've had no issues since I've started putting it in right after the water starts and wait a minute or two before adding clothes to the water.

What is your favorite laundry soap? Would you consider making your own to save money?