Laundry detergent

Early last fall, I made my own laundry detergent following a recipe that I can't seem to find again. It called for Fels-naphtha bars, borax, washing soda, oxyclean and crystal fabric softener.
A friend told me that she just uses the naphtha, soda and borax, but by then I had already made it.

For the most part I've liked the laundry detergent, but I didn't like the fabric softener in it. I could hardly go in my laundry room because it smelled so strong.

Last weekend I ran out of the detergent so I made some more. Earlier in the week, my daughters and I grated two bars of Fels-naptha. 
Today I found this website http://www.reallyareyouserious.com/2011/01/easy-homemade-laundry-detergent-powder.html

The detergent has 3 ingredients, the naphtha, borax and washing soda. I have young children, so I like the idea of adding the oxyclean. I had purchased some inexpensively at the local dollar store.

My measurements are rough, but since I had 2 bars of soap, I used 2 cups each of the borax and soda. I used one of the (16 fluid oz) containers of oxyclean and mixed it in a bucket.

I'm curious to see how this goes without the fabric softener in it. I do have wool dryer balls to use in the dryer. I've been using them on and off without really noticing a difference, but the clothes had already been treated with fabric softener.

Overall, I like this detergent, even though I recently heard a relative scoff about someone they knew who made their own detergent. I can't explain exactly why I wanted to do it. I like the idea of making my own stuff to use around the house. Some say they want to get away from the chemicals. Well, I hate to break it to them, but all the stuff in these are chemicals anyway. Some make their own detergent to save money. I've not done the math, but I wouldn't be surprised if making it this way saves money.

When I was buying oxyclean proper, it says to fill the washer, add the oxyclean and then add the clothes. I assume they say to do it this way so that, at higher concentrations when the water first hits it, it doesn't hurt your clothes. I'd like to be able to just put the clothes in the washer, add the detergent and be done, but for now, I've been adding the clothes after the detergent after the washer has filled. Perhaps when the girls get older, I'll skip adding the oxyclean. As it is, I have enough for a couple more batches of detergent. Perhaps I'll try it without when I run out.