Away to cut cost around the house with Homemade Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener

cleaning around the house:
  Distilled white vinegar: tile floors, counter tops, 

Savings: around 5 cents a cleaning  

Fabric Softener:
Option #1:
  2 cups hair conditioner
  3 cups distilled white vinegar
  6 cups water
Mix together and store in air tight container

Option #2:
  1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Option #3:
  1 cup baking soda
  6 cup distilled white vinegar
  8 cup water
  10 to 15 drops of essential oils (lavender, lemon, orange, etc.. but stay away for dark  colors)
Mix together in a one gallon container, add baking soda, 1 cup water, slowly add the vinegar to the container as the vinegar and baking soda will start to fizz, add 7 cups water swirling around and cover venting the top a few times, add the essential oils
Use 1 cup to final rinse after shaking the softener to stir.

Savings: around 15 cents a load


Dryer Sheets:
Option  #1:
  Cut sponges up and store in fabric softener, then place in dryer.  Fabric softener plus 2 parts water

Option #2:
  Spray fabric softener on wash cloth, then place in dryer
 
Savings: around 5 cents a load


Laundry Detergent:
  Option #1: 
    2 cups hot tap water
   1/2 Soap bar (Fels-Naptha, Ivory,Sunlight, Zote Bar)
    1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (Ace Hardware)
    1/4 cup Borax
    10 to15 drops essential oil per 2 gallons (once soap has cooled)
Grate bar of soap and water into pan stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves.  Use 2.5 or 5 gallon bucket as container add 1.5 gallons of hot tap water, add soap mix, washing soda & borax, stir well until dissolved. Add 1 gallon hot water, stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser (milk jugs) half full with soap, then fill the rest of the way with water. Shake before each use.
 Makes around 5 gallons
 Top Load Machine - 5/8 cup per load
 Front Load Machine - 1/4 cup per load

Savings: around 25 cents a load