Homemade Laundry Soap

I've been reading up on making your own laundry soap since about May. When I started my research I had already bought a 150 load tanker of All. The All is All-most (get it?) finished so I decided...what the heck, why not try it? It's not very expensive to make and should last us forever. I did, however, make the mistake of making the Duggar family recipe. I now have 10 gallons (640+ loads) of laundry soap in my garage. If you want some of this homemade goop to try for yourself, bring over a gallon jug. I have plenty and would like to share.

So here is what I did...but I would highly recommend making a 1/2 batch or a 1/2 of a 1/2.

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

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar*
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

Grate bar of soap with a box grater. Add flakes of soap to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. (Lindsay's Side Note: I recommend doing this outside on a propane grill burner. The smell overtook my house and made my eyes burn and water.)

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. (Lindsay's Side Note: Make sure you have a lid for your bucket. I got my bucket and lid from Atwoods for $6.) 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. (Lindsay's Side Note: In the morning you should find a goopy mixture that resembles lemon curd.)

In the morning stir mixture in bucket and fill used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (Lindsay's Side Note: Or a milk jug works too.)

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil. (Lindsay's Side Note: Sleepy Hollow in Gentry has a variety of essential oils from $3-$9 depending on the oil. I bought Sweet Orange for $4. If I remember correctly tea tree oil kills certain kinds of oder causing bacteria. Something to keep in mind if you have smelly boys in your house.)

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

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

*Fels Naptha and Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" can be found at IGA or any grocery store. (Except for Walmart.)

If I was to do this all over again...I would make a 1/2 of a 1/2 batch...so that would be:

1 c. hot tap water
1/4 c. Fels-Naptha soap bar, grated*
1/4 c. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
2 TBS Borax

Start off with 1 1/4 gallons of hot water in your bucket to dissolve your mixture and add another 1 1/4 gallon. Let it sit over night, then add your smelly good oil. Fill up your detergent vessels with 1/2 goop then top it off with water. That should make a more manageable amount of detergent...unless you are a family of 22.

Seriously, if you want to try this stuff, give me a shout. It will take me two years to make it through 640 loads of laundry soap!