Okay, I have now been using my homemade laundry soap for over a week. It gets my clothes clean just fine. I have noticed that I have not been itching as much. I love the cost - about $2.00 for 10 gallons of laundry soap! My next frugal attempt is to stop using dryer sheets. Instead use half a sponge dipped in 1 part liquid fabric softner and 2 parts water. Wring out and throw in dryer. It is suppose to work as well as dryer sheets, plus the sponge is reuseable - save the planet! Besides I HATE taking out the trash :)