DIY Laundry Detergent & the BEST Fabric Softener

This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FastDrySaveTime

Today we’re going to chat about DIY Laundry & the BEST Fabric Softener.

I’m going to share a little secret with you. I like to do laundry. I do. I really do. I like the way it makes everything smell fresh & clean. I like how when other people are doing laundry, I can smell their fabric softener while walking the dogs…therefore making the outdoors smell fresh & clean. I like nothing more than freshly laundered sheets when I climb into bed on Sunday nights (I wash the sheets every Sunday afternoon). What I don’t like, however, is how long it all takes.

And what I really don’t like is when you forget the clothes in the dryer and they get cold.

I refuse to fold cold clothes. I’m constantly “fluffing” in order to scoop them out when they’re all hot and fresh.

Do you know how much of our lives are spent doing laundry?

Seriously, think about it for a moment.

Even my small loads take 40+ minutes to wash, and another 45+ to dry. Multiply that by a minimum of 3-5 loads per week.

That’s about 7.5 hours a week.

About 30 hours a month.

360 hours a year, or basically TWO FULL WEEKS of your life doing laundry 24 hours a day!!! And that’s not counting the amount of time it takes to fold the darn things. That’s ONLY washing & drying.

Naturally, if I told you that you could reduce your drying time by 30% and therefore regain some of that time back you’d jump on it, right?

Right.

So, I’m going to tell you how to do so right this moment.

Say hello to my little pink bottle friend, Miss Suavitel.

It’s located on the same aisle at WalMart where all the detergent and other fabric softeners are located.

Suavitel Fast Dry fabric conditioner exists simply to make your life easier by not only softening your clothes but by drying them faster. With a unique technology that wicks away water from the fabric, your clothes dry 30% faster.

Less time in the dryer. Less energy consumed. Less time out of your precious life.

And do you know what you can do with all that free time?

You can go ahead and give that DIY Laundry Detergent a whirl.

You know the one. The one that all of Pinterest has been raving about.

Super concentrated allowing you to only use 2-4 tablespoons per load.

Two tablespoons, y’all. That’s like nothing.

I used this recipe, but basically cut the ingredients in half because I wasn’t so sure I was going to love the stuff.

I mean, can a laundry detergent you made yourself, really compare to store bought? I was skeptical.

And I got nervous that I didn’t have a container large enough to hold it all.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda- Found in the detergent aisle
1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean- Found in the detergent aisle
2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Zote Soap- Found in the detergent aisle (You can also use Fels Naptha)
2 (2 lb) Boxes of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda- Found in the baking aisle
2 Bottles of Purex Crystals Fabric Enhancer- Found in the detergent aisle

Again, I halfed the recipe. So when it says 1 Box of Borax, I used half the box. Instead of 2 2-lb boxes of Baking Soda, I used 2 1-lb boxes, etc.

But here’s what you’ll do once you determine just how much you want to make:

Begin by grating the Zote soap with a cheese grater. I used the medium setting.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.

You’re only going to want to use 2-4 tablespoons per load. That’s it.

You can see how this stuff will last an eternity. The lady at the check out line said another lady came in and was buying similar products to make her own detergent and said it lasted her 6 months! SIX MONTHS!

I think it will largely depend on how much laundry your family creates, but I can definitely see how it’s going to long outlast store bought detergent.

I have no idea why I was skeptical (of either product). The laundry detergent is FANTASTIC and not only does the fabric softener appear to really take less drying time, but it’s got some sort of wrinkle resistance properties in it, too.

I kid you not, my clothes are less wrinkly.

Which means less ironing.

Which means more time!

More time for doing fun things like making your own laundry detergent! Or starting a gallery wall in the laundry room.

I mean, if you’re going to spend two weeks of your life in there, might as well make it cozy right?

Stella thinks so.

What about you? Ever made your own laundry detergent? Heard of Suavitel?

Had any clue how much time you spend doing laundry and now want to cry?

I’m with ya.

Let’s take back our lives!