So, I finally decided to do it! Homemade laundry soap! I haven't used it quite yet, but I am so excited about it! I still have a little bit of soap left, that I am waiting to finish! No need waisting! So, here is the recipe and some photos! (Now, I am not a photographer, all pics taken with my iPhone! Maybe from all the money I'll be saving I can get me a real camera!)
4 cups of hot tap water
1 bar of soap (Felts Naptha, Zote)
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup of borax
1/4 cup citric acid ( I just read this on a blog, I haven't used this. It is suppose to help with heavy soiled clothes)
Your choice of essential oil (optional - 10-15 drops per 2 gallons, add once soap has cooled)
A 5 gallon bucket
Grater
Pot
Mixing spoon
A large paint stick to mix
A detergent container empty and washed well.
A detergent container empty and washed well.
This recipe will make 10 gallons of soap!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!
Top Load Machines - 5/8 cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
Front Load Machines - 1/4 cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
You can use any bar of soap you like! I am going to use my own homemade bar of soap next time! Just grate the soap, this process took me 9 minutes! If you have a food processor, you might want to use it! It is totally up to you!
Fill a pot with 4 cups of hot water and add your grated soap! You can turn up the heat to medium and stir that soap! You want it to completely dissolve! This process took me about 10 minutes!
Keep mixing! When all is dissolved turn off the heat and.....
fill your bucket half way with hot tap water. Then add your dissolved soap and mix well! Then add your washing soda and borax and continue to mix well.
Then fill the remainder of the bucket with hot tap water. Then mix once again! You did it, we are all done. You will now want to put the lid on your bucket and let it sit overnight!
The unveiling! It is normal for your soap to look like this. It will gel up! Just mix it well. You can now add your essential oil.
Fill your old detergent container halfway and the remainder with water. You will want to shake it before each use because it will want to gel up!
Let me know what you think or what you did different!
I bought all the stuff to make this exact soap and haven't done it yet! You make it look easy. I'm going to try it.
ReplyDeleteHi Bronwyn!!! Thank you, it is so easy to make and it works great! I added peppermint essential oil to mine and it smells great in the bucket. The peppermint smell does not seem to stick to the clothes. I probably have to add more. Don't be scared, if your soap looks watery in your soap container! Mine does, but still works great!
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