Pages

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Homemade Laundry Soap

Last winter I was inspired by a friend to make my own laundry soap. The first batch I made, was in liquid form. While it was great to use, it was horrible to make. The second time I made it I opted to try the powdered form. 



I was a little nervous about the powdered form since my previous experience with it meant having clumps of detergent still on our clothes after the wash cycle was over. Boy am I glad I decided to go with powder - with a little elbow grease and 10 minutes I was able to make about 2 months worth of laundry soap for as little as $3 and I knew exactly what was in it. Our clothes smelled great, our sweatshirts and towels were soft again and our clothes have never been cleaner.

There are many variations of a homemade laundry soap recipe. I am sharing how I make mine - I have had no issues with it. Try it if you'd like or not, the choice is yours.

Ingredients:
  • 1 bar Fels-Naptha (laundry bar & stain remover)
  • 1 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda)
  • 1 cup borax
  • Washer Wiffs/Unstopables (optional)
Additional Supplies:
  • Container to hold the soap
  • Tablespoon to use as a scoop
  • Food Processor (makes combining everything easier)
  • Cheese grater
Directions:
  1. Grate the Fels-Naptha with a cheese grater - this is the most tedious part of the project (some don't like the smell of Fels-Naptha and have opted to use ivory soap. I personally have never used Ivory as I like the scent of the Fels-Naptha)
  2. Combine in food processor with 1 cup Borax and 1 cup Washing Soda until all three of the ingredients are incorporated.
  3. Add 1/2 cup Washer Wiffs/Unstopables, combine in food processor with the already grated soap. (This just adds a scent to the soap, not needed if you do not want a scented soap. I like to add it last so it's not ground up as fine as the other ingredients)
  4. Add the mixture to your container.
  5. Repeat these steps until your container is full (or you have your desired amount.
To Use:
  • 1 tablespoon per load of laundry. For more soiled clothing you can use 2 tablespoons.

No comments:

Post a Comment