Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Homemade Laundry Soap...

About four months ago a friend of mine taught me how she made her own liquid laundry soap, I was unsure of how I would like it but was so excited to try and hopefully save money.  It has a different consistency than what you buy from the store but it works just as good.  I still use stain remover on clothes when needed-I will spray with Shout before I put in laundry basket so that when I go to do the laundry I don't have to go and work on any stains-I can just throw in and wash. 

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
4 Cups - hot tap water
1 bar of Zote ( I have used Ivory soap before doesnt work as well)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
 ( you can get this at plumcreek market in the laundry aisle)
1 Cup Borax
-grate the bar of Zote
-fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot tap water
-In a sauce pan add water and grated soap cook on med heat till soap is dissolved.
- Pour dissolved soap into bucket at the same time add borax and washing soda.
-stir till boax and washing soda is dissolved.
- next fill the bucket almost to the top with more hot tap water
-cover and let sit overnight to thicken (it will gel)
- optional: you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil. (I do not do this as I have a little with allergies)
- 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.
-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)
- may need more for dirtier loads

I can buy a box of borax and washing soda for about $3-$5 each, the Zote can be found at wal-mart for $1.  So it cost me $1.98 to make 10 gallons of soap.  Just think of the money saved here!! We love this soap because works pretty darn good, I know what is in it, and I like the clean smell. You can also put this soap directly on stains as you add them to you load if needed.



this is what the soap will look like after left set for 24 hours
this is my fav part to mix it up so it is smooth (I like to just use my hands to do this)

then I just fill an old laundry jug 1/2 way with homemade soap
then fill up 1/2 with hot tap water and shake-ready to use

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