Homemade Laundry Soap/Detergent

I LOVE to use this because I have to buy the 'free and clear' stuff for my husband's sensitive skin.   Plus the Fels Naptha has a great scent and the lavender is great too (or whatever essential oil you use).  I have not quite figured out the cost, but I think it is about .02 cents per load.  That is if you don't get anything on sale or with a coupon! Can't beat that!


The Recipe

2 full bars of soap (Fels Naptha, Ivory, or Zote) I use one Ivory and 1 Fels Naptha.

1 C Arm & Hammer Washing Soda/Sodium Carbonate/Soda Ash (this is NOT baking soda - can be found in laundry section or on Amazon)

1 C 20 Mule Team Borax/Sodium Borate powder (Now has a new box, see other pic)

1/2 oz. Essential Oil, if desired, any scent you like!

water

 3+ gallon bucket for mixing and storage.  (Mine is an old 'ice melt' bucket I cleaned out.) 

I know, looks like cheese doesn't it!  But it's not.  It smells good though.

Grate the soap and add to a sauce pan with 6 cups of boiling water and heat until the soap melts.

Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 2 gallons of water and stir. This batch I added some Lavender essential oil for some scent. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. The gel will be the consistency of egg noodle soup.

After it has gelled.

I like to use my hand mixer and mix up the soap after it has gelled.  It makes it much easier to use without stirring every time you need some.  Just mix it once and it stays.  AND it's much smoother!  I use 1/2 cup of detergent for each load.