Somehow of late one of my few duties as a handicapped person is to perform, usually on a weekly basis, the task of going to the market / store for food, beverages, and other supplies such as laundry detergent.
I have convinced my self that I get to do this task most because my dear sister gave me a handicap card to hang upon my review mirror and thus I get to park close to the front of the store.
Seriously though, this shopping task along with my limited disability income has forced me to become more aware of the prices that are listed for items that I may need to purchase.
For some reason, unknown to me, the price of laundry detergent has created an especially disquieting effect upon me. Really, everybody knows when a manufacturer makes a product / item smaller that it’s really just a ‘sneaky’ way to raise the price of the product. Well in my view laundry detergent makers / distributors have taken that concept to a much higher level. Not only do they routinely reduce the container size, they often raise the price by calling the contents improved or more concentrated. Sometimes they simply call the product new; years ago one major brand more than doubled sales by changing the color of the detergent to ‘New Blue’.
It seems to me that they’re trying to convince us that: yes we have raised the price for this little box of soap but we’re really doing you a huge favor by making this product less heavy so as to assist in your effort to lug it home. Plus you will save more in the long run because less really dose equals more especially in the soap business.
For these reasons among others I decided to at least try to determine if such price increases would possibly be justified. The result of my research only left me more unsettled.
For less than 5 Dollars you can make your own detergent! Have a look at this and see what you think.
TG’s Super Concentrated Laundry Powder Recipe:
11 ounces grated soap (Zote, Fels Naptha, Ivory, etc) … Two 5.5 oz. bars cost about $2.75 at Dollar General Stores or 25 Cents per ounce . . . This is the primary cleaning agent
11 ounces Borax … (76 ounce box = $3.31 at Meijer's w/tax) … approx 5 Cents per ounce … Borax is used as a water softener; eliminates odors; is a bleach alternative; and improves the overall performance of detergent.
10 ounces washing soda (Arm & Hammer at Meijer 55 oz. = $2.96 w/tax) 6 Cents per ounce …This helps soften the water and is also a natural stain remover
08 ounces salt (26 ounce box at Wal-mart = 62 Cents w/tax) … 3 Cents per ounce … A natural stain remover; brightener; and reduces ‘yellowing’ in clothes.
40 Ounces in total or 2½ pounds.
All of the above listed ingredients must be thoroughly mixed in a pail before use and stored in a location that is convenient for your use when performing laundry duties.
… Directions for use:
For light loads, use 1 Tablespoon (1/2 oz.). For heavy soiled loads use 2 Tablespoons (1 oz.).
*Note that the “suds” have been removed from this recipe, but if you love suds or believe the myth that they are necessary to get clothes clean; then just add a squirt or two of the cheapest dish washing liquid you can find into the wash water but you can have success without them.
Cost per ounce Recap:
Graded Soap … $ .25 x 11 = $2.75
Borax …………. .05 x 11 = .55
Borax …………. .05 x 11 = .55
Washing Soda … .06 x 10 = .60
Salt ……………. .03 x 8 = .24
Salt ……………. .03 x 8 = .24
$4.14… … … This is enough detergent to wash 40 heavily soiled loads of laundry or 80 lightly soiled loads for well under 5 Dollars… I will call that an average of 60 loads
A few comparables …
… At Wal-Mart:
160 ounces of ‘Surf’ is advertised to wash 120 loads and costs about $11.63 with a 6% sales tax included.
136 ounces of ‘Gain’ is advertised to wash 120 loads and costs about $15.87 with a 6% sales tax included.
… At Dollar General:
91 ounces of ‘Gain’ is advertised to wash 80 loads and costs about $12.62 with a 6% sales tax included.
77 ounces of ‘Tide’ is advertised to wash 55 loads and costs about $12.62 with a 6% sales tax.
137 ounces of ‘Era’ is advertised to wash 120 loads and costs with the 6% sales tax, $11.66.
In the event that you are one of those folks that likes or thinks that you must use a liquid laundry detergent, just follow the directions regarding liquid detergents displayed below. A little more effort is required but the results are the same.
Use the same ingredients … add 2.5 gallons of water … then the required amount per load is ½ cup for light loads and 1 cup for heavy loads.
Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe:
Makes 2.5 gallons … You may add an essential oil of your choice to these homemade cleaners. Oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender or rose are ideal. They are not necessary to the recipe but do not detract from the effectiveness by adding them. You should use ‘essential’ oil and not a ‘fragrant’ oil.
Ingredients:
11 ounces grated soap (Zote, Fels Naptha, Ivory, etc) …costs about $2.75
This is the primary cleaning agent
This is the primary cleaning agent
11 ounces Borax … (76 ounce box = $3.31 at Meijer’s w/tax) … approx 5 Cents per ounce … Borax is used as a water softener; eliminates odors; is a bleach alternative; and improves the overall performance of detergent.
10 ounces washing soda (Arm & Hammer at Meijer’s 55 oz. = $2.76w/tax) 6 Cents per ounce …This helps soften the water and is also a natural stain remover
08 ounces salt (26 ounce box at Wal-Mart = 62 Cents w/tax) … 3 Cents per ounce … A natural stain remover; brightener; and reduces ‘yellowing’ in clothes.
40 Ounces in total … Now you add water.
Tools / Materials Needed
Sauce pan large enough to hold the 6 quarts of water
2.5 gallon bucket
Slotted spoon or wooden spoon for mixing
Sauce pan large enough to hold the 6 quarts of water
2.5 gallon bucket
Slotted spoon or wooden spoon for mixing
1 cheese / soap grater
5, ½ gallon containers (perhaps empty milk jugs)
Method
Place into a saucepan 6 quarts of water and the soap. Over medium heat, stir this until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the soap dissolves properly or the mixture will separate when cold. Add the washing soda and borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Pour this mixture into your 2 ½ gallon bucket then add 4 more quarts of hot water from the tap to the heated mixture. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
The laundry liquid will thicken up more as it cools. When cool, store in the 5, ½ gallon plastic containers referenced in the ingredients list above. You may use ½ cup of this mixture for light laundry loads and 1 cup for heavy loads; or monitor the performance to see what works best for you.
I can’t help but notice that the sales manufacturers invariably offer multiple container sizes. Listing the number of loads of clothes each container is supposed to clean is popular as well. Some claim to be concentrated while others do not. I also notice that often times they list the weight of the contents in pounds (3.7 pounds for e. g.) and sometimes in ounces (177 ounces for e. g.); a minor inconvenience (I think it should be uniform) perhaps but there are some of us that require a pocket calculator to even come close to comparing prices when shopping. I suspect this, among other such activities, are an effort to keep us totally confused! You know the desired routine, just put one in the shopping cart and move on, after all someone is just behind you waiting for their turn.
Sources:
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