Not all of my recipes are edible for example, like my Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap. When you have a lot of kids, work outdoors, cook, clean, or all of the above and have to do multiple loads of laundry it can become expensive if you go through a lot of laundry soap. Making your own laundry soap costs as little as 40 cents a gallon depending on whether or not essential oils are used to add fragrance to your soap. Do I have to make my own laundry soap? Well, no, but I like to save money where I can and I like knowing that I can do it if necessary. This recipe was given to me from a friend years ago and I have been using it ever since to supplement our laundry needs. I also like the smell of my homemade laundry soap and I can change it if I want something different. Here’s how I make it:
To start with, you will need a clean five gal. bucket with a lid, a metal pot or old nonstick pot, measuring cup, and a long spoon or paint stick to stir the liquid. You will also need one empty 1 gallon laundry detergent bottle.
The ingredients for your homemade laundry soap are Arm & Hammer Laundry Booster Super Washing Soda, 20 Mule Team Borax, a bar of Fels-Naptha, essential oil (optional), and water. The essential oil is optional but I like to add lavender, citrus, vanilla, pine, or floral scents, which ever scent you like. Once the laundry soap is done you will fill half an empty detergent bottle with soap and the other half with water. This means that if you like, each gallon you mix up can be a different scent instead of making it all one type. This recipe makes a total 10 gallons of laundry soap once each gallon is diluted with half water.
Place 4 cups of water into a stainless steel pot and heat over med-low heat. Meanwhile, grate the bar of Fels-Naptha. Make sure that no one mistakes the soap for grated cheese and walks by and grabs some to eat (believe me I know). Add the grated Fels-Naptha to the 4 cups of water heated over med-low heat and stir over the heat until all the soap is completely dissolved.
While the soap is melting, fill your 5 gal. bucket half way with hot tap water. Once all of the soap is completely melted, pour it into the bucket of hot water along with 1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda and 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax. Stir very well with a long spoon or paint stick until all the powdered soap is dissolved.
Once all of the powdered soap is dissolved, fill the bucket up the rest of the way with hot tap water. (Remember, 5 gal. is up to the bottom of the rim on the bucket, not all the way to the top).
Once you have added hot water to the bottom of the rim. stir well, cover with the lid, and allow to sit overnight to thicken up. The liquid will become gel like and you will need to mix it up again. Once the liquid has cooled, then you can add your essential oil if desired. You will add 5-8 drops per gallon. Do not add the essential oil to the hot liquid, wait until it has cooled. To use the laundry soap, fill an empty detergent bottle half way with soap and the rest of the way with water and shake well to mix. Shake the bottle before each use and use 1 cup for top loading machines and 1/2 cup for front loading machines. If you want to use different oils, mix up one gallon at a time and change it up because this recipe makes 10 gallons total once each gallon is mixed with half water and will last a long time. To remove stains from clothing, keep an extra bar of Fels-Naptha handy. Wet the stain and rub with the Fels-Naptha bar and then launder as usual. Enjoy and happy washing!