Well, I finally did it. I have been wanting to make homemade laundry soap for a long time, but for some reason I thought it would be "to hard". BOY WAS I WRONG!!!! It took me probably about 30 minutes from start to finish. The longest part of it all was waiting for the soap to melt in the pan.
If anyone is curious about the recipe I used, I have included it in this post. YAY!!! (that is what everyone is thinking, right?)
Ingredients:
4 C hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar (it's a laundry bar soap)
1 C washing soda
1/2 C Borax
1. grate bar of soap and add to saucepan w/the hot water. stir continually over med-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
2. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water.
3. add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. stir until all powder is dissolved.
4. Fill bucket to top w/more hot water.
5. stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken (it turns to a gel by morning!).
6. Stir bucket and fill a used, clean laundry soap dispenser half full w/detergent and then fill to the top w/water. Shake well before each use.
Optional: You can add 10-15 drops essential oil per 2 gallons. (I didn't do that this time). Yield: IT MAKES 10 GALLONS!! Top Load Machine: 5/8 C per load (Approx 180 loads), Front Load Machine: 1/4 C per load (Approx 640 loads).
I had one comment about not being able to find all the ingredients needed for this recipe. I did do a swagbuck search (and earned an extra swagbuck ;) on homemade laundry soap and I found one using just a regular bar of soap and baking soda. If anyone is finding it difficult get their hands on the ingredients I used, try going here to Raising Olives. Over at Raising Olives she uses the baking soda and bar soap method.
I haven't used my laundry soap yet but I can't wait, and once I do use it I will be posting my review on it. The hubby has mentioned a couple of times that it smells good; we think that it has a nice "clean" smell to it. Next time I make the laundry soap I will include pictures! Although from the sounds of it I think that won't be for a few months.
Thank you for this! After making that comment, I found washing soda on Alice.com and with the always free shipping, it will be the same as it would be in stores. So now I can make this recipe.. or as soon as my order arrives. I might make a batch of the recipes from Raising Olives too.
ReplyDeleteIn about a month could you let us know what you think of the homemade stuff? I want to try it but am afraid of the few nay sayers who have said it left their clothes dingy. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh yes I will post my review on the laundry soap. I am very eager to use it. I should be using it this week. Thank you! Blessings!
ReplyDeletei posted today on homemade soap, too:) we just use the powder which is even simpler:
ReplyDeletehow to make your own laundry soap
isn't it so great to save money and do something that takes care of the creation, too?