Economical Laundry Detergent

With they way many things in our everyday life have changed, cost of gas, rising costs on food organic and non organic, clothing costs rising due to cotton prices rising and everyday household cleaners and detergents, my family has made many efforts in cutting back in every way that we can. One of those ways is making our own laundry detergent. I would like to share our detergent recipe with you and hopefully you will give it a try!!! 

Homemade Laundry Soap

Ingredients:
4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar (you may also use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or any other stain removal bar. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
1- 5 Gallon Bucket

 1.) Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

  

2.) Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. 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 (will gel and you will have to mix before each use).

3.) After you have let the mixture set over night, 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. (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.
*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)
**Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" -  Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Personally I do not add the extra water into the used laundry soap dispenser because I like the added kick that my loads get with the more concentrated detergent. I also use this laundry soap for my son's cloth diapers. I know most sites tell you not to use a stain remover such as a stain bar because on the residue issue but we have not had any problems with it. As far as the ***optional part, I personally love the smell of the detergent without any extra add-ons but when I am washing a load of diapers I do add 2 full droppers of tea tree oil as it is a natural antiseptic/disinfectant. I really hope you try this detergent, I along with my entire family loves it and I will never go back to store bought detergent for my personal family use!!!

~Rachelle