Saturday, July 17, 2010

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

 
Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine


  • 4 Cups - hot tap water


  • 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar (found mine @ Ace Hardware)

  • 1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda* (found @ Ressors, it like Homeland)

  • ½ Cup Borax  (walmart, very easy to find)


(Pictured above)

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

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water.


 
Add melted soap into bucket already containing 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.
 

 
This is what it looks like atfer it has sit over-night.

It will be thick & jelly like, just stir until it is mixed well.

- fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap ( I am using a 2 gallon water jug from Wal-mart $4.00. It is important that you use something that you can shake before each use. It doesn't have to be 2 gallons, it is 1 to 1 ratio on this soap with water. So, if you have 1 gallon jug, use 1/2 soap half water. You get the picture , Right?!!?)



Half full of 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" - in some stores or may be purchased online. Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

1 comment:

Heather said...

So how much did it cost to make that and what is the cost per load? I have been meaning to ask you if you liked it and if your clothes got really clean with it.