With laundry soap prices being so high we experimented with several soap recipes and came up with one that worked well for us. This is a much stronger recipe that I have seen anywhere else online.
Ingredients
2 1/2 Fels Naptha soap bars
2 1/2 cups washing soda
1 1/4 cups borax
3/4 cup baking soda
Directions
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| This is what my soap looks like once I've covered it with water. |
1. Grate the soap bars into a small saucepan. Cover with lots of water.
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| This is what your soap/water mix will look like in the beginning. Keep stirring until it's mostly dissolved. Less time is better than more tiime! |
2. Cook over high heat stirring constantly until the soap dissolves almost all the way. You don't want to overcook the soap because then it will become solid again if you do and that won't be good. 5-7 minutes should be enough as long as there are no major clumps of soap.
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| See all those huge chunks? Well they have to be mashed out before you dump in the wet soap mix or it will be impossible to stir up. |
3. Put washing soda, borax, and baking soda in the 5 gallon bucket and mash out any chunks you can before adding the hot melted soap mix. Stir well until all the powder is dissolved. Make sure to mash out as many of the big clumps that are there as possible.
4. Add in the dissolved soap mix into the borax mix and stir.
5. At first your mix will look funky and lumpy...
6. But eventually it will become a thick, even mixture. When it gets to this point you're ready for the next step.
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| Right now we have an indoor faucet (much like the one's you see in gardens) and it only gives out cold water, but my laundry soap has turned out okay with it. I still like the hot water better than using cold water. |
4. Fill the bucket to the top with hot tap water. I usually do this once I have the bucket where it will be staying for the next few months.
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| All white and foamy from adding the water via our indoor faucet. |
5. Stir the soap mix, cover securely and let it set overnight.
6. The next morning stir the mix and then you're ready to use it!
How To Use
Use 1 cup of soap per load. This bucket lasts several months for us doing laundry for about 10 people washing laundry several (at least 1-2) loads of laundry a day.
Family of 3 -using this recipe we are getting through 4-5 months of laundry.
Family of 5 - using this recipe we are getting through 3 months of laundry.
Family of 3 -using this recipe we are getting through 4-5 months of laundry.
Family of 5 - using this recipe we are getting through 3 months of laundry.
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that is very concentrated soap. I bet you don't need to use a full cup per load. I only use 1/2 cup and I make mine with 1 bar, 1 cup of washing soda, borax and baking soda, and I make 5 gallons at a time.
ReplyDeleteYes I think that is what the original recipe called for, but we like to make it a little stronger...thus the title. :)
DeleteHelen
Great, informative post! I make my own laundry detergent too, but I use a powder version. Thanks for sharing at the Homeacre Hop! We hope you join us again soon!
ReplyDeleteMary
www.homegrownonthehill.blogspot.com