Simple Yet Basic

There are recipes all over the internet for your own laundry soap and many people make it, sell it, or sell kits for it. I am a self learner I like to teach myself everything I can. This is something I picked up quite a few years ago but then I made it with ivory soap, borox, and water. I didn't do it for very long, whites turned dingy.

I found a recipe 3 or so years ago that I use and I love it. So I thought I would share what I do in a visual way so that those who are visual learners, like me will maybe learn something simple yet basic.

The ingredients are:
Fels Naptha or Zoot or Octagon laundry soaps
Washing Soda
Borox
water

Items I use:
A big pot
2 1 gallon jugs
quart jar
wooden spoon

I cut the bar of laundry soap into 3rds from there I grate each 3rd up and place in individual containers like below. That is for 3 batches of soap.

Here they are on the laundry room shelf with the other ingredients I use. One of the jars of white stuff is baking soda I use that for dishwasher soap, washing my hair, and many other cleaning things. Zoot is my prefered soap but I can't always find it, when I do, I buy enough for a years worth of use. Or top off my supply I have 2 whole bars left as you can see so I will start looking in the 2 stores I usually find it and top my supply off when they have it.

Here are my 2, 1 gallon jugs empty. I use vinegar for cleaning so these are old vinegar jugs.

Place two quarts of water with your 1/3 bar of grated soap. Let simmer till soap is disolved don't boil, it will boil over. I use a deep pot since I have had it foam over.

Measure out 1/2 cup borox and washing soda to add to pot as soon as the soap is dissolved.

This is the washing soda I use. I can not buy Arm and Hammer Washing soda at our local stores and buying it online defeats the purpose of saving money. So I buy PH UP from the swimming pool supply aisle, it is the same exact thing, 100% Sodium Carbonate. This lasts me 6 months or so when I only use it to make soap but I also use it to bleach my whites so it lasts 3 or 4 months instead.

I sometimes add essentail oil. Right now I am using lavender oil and love it. I add it to my mop buckets of vinegar and water, sometimes to my vinegar hair rinse, when I fill a sink with water to wipe things down I add this, for making laundry soap I add 2 or 3 drops at the time I add the washing soda and borox.

While the soap is dissolving I fill my jugs with 3 quarts of cold water each.

Add the powder slowly they foam up and over really fast. I have learned this the hard way but my stove is really clean afterwards.

Stir well until the powders are dissolved I leave the heat on low for this step and stir it while it thickens. See how foamy it is?

I then add the hot mixture to the jugs a quart per jug. I you have less than 2 quarts of soap mixture because it boiled over that is ok just divide it evenly it will still turn out OK. Experience in this has taught me :0)

Here is the finished product on my shelf. Shake each time you use it to mix it up well or you'll have a glob at the top. I have gotten samples of liquid soaps in the mail and added it to the homemade soap and that has stopped it from clumping. But that takes away from the basic ingredients as well.

Making your own laundry soap saves money along with the feeling of self reliance. Its so easy my kids make it for me sometimes. This 2 gallon batch lasts me about 6 weeks and costs me less than a dollar to make. I use 1/2 cup of soap unless I have a really dirty load.

Have a Blessed Day

Erika