DIY Laundry Detergent Tabs

Ok, so I have a guilty pleasure. I am addicted to Tide Pods! I love not having to measure out detergent and they smell great. In fact, they are so easy to use that I even have my fiance doing laundry like a beast lately! The problem comes in the price. A package of 72 Tide Pods costs nearly $20! My fiance works a manual labor job and comes home just caked in mud, dirt, grease, etc. This causes us to wash his work clothes at least twice each week, therefore, the Tide Pods are costing us a fortune. Because I am currently out of work, this is simply not going to fly. 

I came across this tutorial for DIY laundry detergent pods. Although I haven't tried them yet, I plan on doing so as soon as I can. If you have tried these or have any tips on making/using them, please feel free to leave comments and suggestions below! 

* Note: these are said to be safe for HE washers! 

You'll need...

1 1/4 cup Borax
1 1/4 cup washing soda 
1 1/4 cup laundry bar soap (like Castile)

Cut the laundry bar soap into chunks and pulverize into a fine powder in a food processor. Add the Borax and washing soda to the food processor and pulse until you get a fine powder. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2-3/4 cup of water to the powdered mixture. This should be wet enough to allow you to be able to pack the powder into molds to form tabs. Note: the mixture will appear lumpy and dry. Pack the powder into molds (old ice cube trays work great). The tabs should be about a tablespoon each. Let the tabs dry in the molds overnight. The next morning they will be ready to use. Toss 1-2 tablets (depending on load size) into your laundry. 

I have a Tide Pods container that I plan on storing mine in. I think I may just have to spend an afternoon making a bunch of these. This is going to save me so much money over Tide Pods; even with coupons! 


** Note: The ingredients for these tabs can be found in the laundry aisle at Walmart. If you can't find them in your local store, these ingredients can be purchased on Amazon for a pretty decent price.