Laundry Soap Recipe

For those of you who might be interested in making your own laundry soap here is the recipe that I use. Now before you totally think I have lost it - it is really not that hard and it works GREAT. A 5 GALLON bucket of laundry soap cost me around $3.50 to make and it usually lasts about 6 MONTHS and we do A LOT of laundry around here. So here is the recipe. This recipe is off of the Duggar Family website.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap (can also use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax (this can be bought at most Wal-Marts)

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons for scent. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Just a few of my own personal notes. . . . Super Washing Soda is toxic - so be sure to keep it any place other than the kitchen and make sure kids cannot reach it. It is not the same as Arm and Hammer baking soda - completely different thing. If you try to substitute baking soda for washing soda the laundry soap with not thicken and will not work properly. Also I thought I could make my soap smell really nice as I am spoiled and like my laundry smelling like anything other than clothes :-) so I tried to use Caress soap - don't waste your money the smell will not be there. It still cleans fine, but no heavenly scent.

I am now use ZOTE laundry soap - you can order it online as well, we have a Mexican Market that I can get it from here, but like stated above there are other soaps that will work just fine.

To grate the soap I use my food processor - it does a great job and since it is just soap you are grating it will not be dangerous for food after.

I hope you all give this a try. I think you will really enjoy the results and the savings.

Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa