This has to be the best way I have saved money this year. It is so much cheaper then buying soap and it really only takes about 15 minutes. With the amount of laundry we have been doing this year I was in major need of a laundry soap makeover.
I found all of the ingredients at my local Wal-mart right in the laundry section.
This is what you need:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha
1/2 c. washing soda
1/2 Borax powder
a pail or bucket about 2 gallon size
* I do a double batch in the bucket you see and it fills it right to the top. It is a 5 gallon bucket.
This is what you do:
Grate the Fels naptha into a pot ( I just use my cheese grater). Add 6 cups of water to the pot and heat it until the soap melts.
(You can see some of the soap is still not dissolved yet here.)
Add the Borax and washing soda. Stir until it is dissolved and then remove from heat.
Pour 4 cups of hot water into your bucket and then add the soap mixture and stir.
Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups (22 cups) of water and stir.
Let is sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. I read somewhere that it would be like an egg drop soup constancy and that is a good way to describe it. The lady I got the recipe from (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm ) said that it worked out to be .71 a batch. That is insane. I usually spent around $10 a month for the same thing.
A couple more things:
1. You use a 1/2 cup per load
2. If you want it less watery and more gel constancy you can use 1/2 bar of Fels Naptha.
3. This will get the clothes clean, but there are little to no suds. That is just how it works... that is all I can tell you.
4. If you want some more smell then the Fels Naptha gives you can add some essential oil or fragrance oil. These are found in the laundry isle too.
5. I do a double batch because I found this big bucket and then I can make it 1/2 as often.
Just give it a try. It is so easy and cheap.
If you are too scared to try it you can come over and make it with me next time. Then we can sit and have coffee!
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