Yesterday I mixed up my first batch of homemade laundry soap. I had every intention of using the soap a few times before sharing it with all of you. However, after mentioning the soap on Facebook yesterday I must submit to the will of the people and share the recipe with you now.
To make laundry soap, you will need: borax, washing powder and bar soap, a few basic kitchen supplies and a bucket or other container for storing laundry soap, preferably with a lid.
THE INGREDIENTS:
Bar soap - what kind to use? There are plenty of opinions out there on what type of soap to use at the base for laundry soap. The two most common are Zote and Fels-Naptha. I bought Zote because that's what they had a Wal-Mart. After further reading on the topic, the general consensus seems to be that Zote is more gentle on clothes and better at whitening. Fel-Naptha is more effective on harsh stains and oils, but makes clothes dingy over time. I have also heard of folks using Ivory Soap or other bar soaps. You will need one bar of soap if using Zote or Fels-Naptha; I would recommend using two bars of Ivory.
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| Zote - 96¢ at Wal-mart |
20 Mule Team Borax - if there is another brand out there, I've never seen it. Supposedly borax has a multitude of household uses - this is the first time I've ever bought it. I'll do more looking into that and let you know what I find. **CAUTION** While borax is a natural product, it is toxic - so please keep out of reach of children and pets! You will need 1/2 cup of borax. (If using Ivory for sensitive skin, you may want to skip this ingredient.)
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| 20 Mule Team Borax - $2.83 at Wal-Mart |
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - you may have to do some looking for this one! This is not Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and it is not Arm & Hammer Laundry Soap - it is washing soda. If your store carries it, you should find it in the same area as the borax. I went to Wal-Mart and Target before finally locating it at Kroger. You will need 1 cup of the washing soda.
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| Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $2.71 at Kroger |
THE PROCESS:
Grate the bar soap.
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| Next time, I will use a smaller grater - these shreds were a bit large. |
Bring 4 cups of water to a gentle simmer. Gradually add soap shreds, stirring to dissolve.
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| I had to change to a larger pot - don't underestimate the suds! |
Once your soap has melted, add 3 gallons of hot water to your bucket or other container.
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| I am using a Tidy Cats litter bucket - thanks Kathy! |
Stir in 1 cup of washing powder and 1/2 cup of borax, followed by the soap/hot water mixture.
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| My handy helper loved to stir it all up! |
After stirring everything together, you will have a little over three gallons of "soap soup":
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| My "soup" is pink - yours will depend on the color of soap you use. |
Let the mixture sit, covered, overnight. In the morning you will have a gelatinous goo that is ready for washing! Add 1/2 cup of soap to a large load of laundry.
I have a standard, top-load washing machine, from what I understand you will need to reduce the amount for a front-load washer. If you have the need for an oxygen booster (such as Oxy Clean), consider adding a half cup of standard hydrogen peroxide to the wash. For those who, like me, are on a well and have iron in the water, add 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup white vinegar to whites to prevent rust stains!
There has been mention made of potential soap build-up in the washing machine resulting from the bar soap. Since I've yet to use the soap I can't say for sure, but I suspect using vinegar and/or peroxide will prevent that to a degree.
