Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 yr supply for a large family for under $20
I've been using this for about 8 months, and it works just as good as any detergent I've bought at the store. And it's low sudsing, so it can be used in HE washing machines.

year's supply
2 Boxes Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda-Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda)
2 Boxes Borax (20 Mule Team Borax-can be found at Walmart in the laundry aisle)
18 Bars Ivory Soap (3 packs at Walmart for $1)
(1/2-3/4 cup per load=75-100 loads= about $0.02)

Batch
6 cups Hot water
2 bars Ivory, finely grated
1.5 cup washing soda
2 cups Borax
4 gallon bucket w/ lid to mix
Optional: 1/2-1 oz essential oil for frangrance

Put 6 cups water in soup pot and heat on medium; cut or grate soap into water while stirring until dissolved. (Takes about 30 min) Stir in Washing Soda alternated with Borax (or mix the two powders and pour in together. If you add all the soda first or too quickly, it will foam up and boil over, but the Borax helps prevent this.) Stir until thickened and fully dissolved; remove from heat. Put soap mixture into the bucket and add really hot tap water to about 3/4 full; mix well. Stir in essential oil if desired. Put lid on and let sit for 24 hours and it will gel. It is a goopy glop (egg soup) in texture. I've found that while gelling, much of the soap raises to the top and semi-solidifies. I just reach in with my hand and squish it up a bit, and stir it around. Store covered.

For really dirty clothes, use more soap or add a scoop of Oxyclean to the load (you can get oxyclean at the dollar store). I've even added liquid oxyclean to the batch mix.