photo credit: Adria Richards via Flickr
I have a confession to make.
I haven’t bought laundry detergent in more than 5 years.
In 2007 we bought a front loading washing machine. One of the perks of buying this particular model was that it came with a coupons for three years worth of free Tide HE liquid laundry detergent.
But here’s the thing…. I had only claimed about 1/4 of my free laundry detergent when Tide changed their formula to an improved concentrated one. I was able to use the remaining free product coupons to get the new bottles that promised twice as many loads of laundry as the old formula It was a huge blessing that came just after we had our twins. I did a lot of laundry in those early years.
I stretched my free laundry detergent supply even further by using less than what the directions say to use. I found the clothes got just as clean if I used less.
I also picked up every free sample for laundry detergent I saw online. If I was able to score more free laundry detergent with coupons, I did that, too.
But this week, I used up the last of my free laundry detergent. I spent some time swishing a bit of water around in the bottom of the jug trying to get the last little bit of soap out. It was a sad day.
So now I’m on the hunt for low-cost laundry detergent. I’ll be looking for online deals and coupon savings. I’ll be even more diligent in hunting down laundry detergent freebies. And I’ll be investigating homemade laundry detergent options.
Because it’s been such a long time since I’ve bought laundry detergent, I feel a little like Rip Van Winkle…. I just woke up from a long slumber and so much has changed.
So I thought I would ask you for help.
How do you save money on laundry detergent? What detergents are the best value for the money? Have you ever made your own laundry detergent? Got a recipe to share?
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I use ALL free & clear. I also use a little less than the cap says to use. I don’t normally use fabric softener or sheets either and if I do I cut them in half. I can usually find ALL on sale with coupons for $1.99 or less a bottle here in the Atlanta area.
I like Purex! Good deal at Walgreens now $2.99!
Not sure what laundry detergent works the best…I frequently buy Seventh Generation or Ecos if they are on sale/clearance when I have coupons. But, I’ve also used Tide and Cheer when my grocery store clearances formulas…paired with coupons and a store that doubles, it’s hard to leave them on the shelf. The easiest way to save I think is to use less detergent than recommended.
I use Arm and Hammer (sensitive skin). It’s cheap and I can sometimes find coupons. I’ve found if you go too cheap (I won’t mention any names but it borrows its name from that gaseous ball in the sky), it’s a waste of money. I use less then recommended and my clothes are always clean. I’ve looked into making you own and it’s a significant cost for buying all the supplies. I also use baking soda and vinegar in lieu of bleach. I’m not to keen on bleach. No one’s gotten SARS yet! :)
I make homemade laundry soap and LOVE it. I have a HE washer and use the duggar recpie for liquid. Everybody who uses it loves it!!
I make my own as do two of my grown children. It is easy and cheap and does an adequate job. I would be glad to share the recipe (easy) if you are interested. I also have a front loading HE washer. I also use white vinegar as a fabric softener.
I also use Arm & Hammer sensitive. It frequently goes on sale for B1G1 (this week at CVS). There are newspaper coupons, plus signing up for the Arm & Hammer email means you can print coupons (unfortunately, you can only print the same product coupon twice a year, though).
Thanks for all of the tips! I’ll definitely be exploring all these options to figure out what works for us. I like the idea of making my own, but if I can buy it for less than what I can buy the ingredients for, I probably will. I’m sure a future post will come out of it. :-)
i was a long-time Gain user, then switched to Tide. i’ve never considered making my own due to the cost of the ingredients. but i am considering concocting my own hand soap out of dish liquid!
Just make your own laundry detergent. Go online and get a recipe. It is easy to do and I make a batch about every 3 months. It is only 3 ingredients: Borax, Felz Napa soap, Washing Soda. I think it calculates out to 1 cent a load. And you can use it for front loading washers or top loading ones. Good luck!