Homemade Laundry Soap .....................................................by Bonnie Ramsburg

(Front or Top load machine = best value)

submitted by Bonnie Ramsburg

My uncle finally convinced my mom to make her own homemade laundry soap. She successfully purchased all of the items she needed to do so, which included a paint stirrer…. notice the funny looking thing on top of the blue bucket of congealed soap? She and my dad spent an afternoon cooking up some pennies on the dollar laundry soap. The following recipe is the one she used, and when I couldn’t find the hardcopy, I went searching for something similar online. Check out this link for a wide variety of recipes including powdered versions and some handy dandy information that will help you if you should decide to make your own.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of Hot Tap Water • 1 bar Fels-Naptha Soap* • 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super

Washing Soda ** • ½ cup Borax Fill a 5 Gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, 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.

Stir*** and fill a used, clean laundry soap bottle half full with soap and then fill the rest of the way with water. Shake before each use, as it will gel. When it’s time to refill your soap bottle, you will need to Stir*** the 5 Gallon bucket again until it’s mixed well.

~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)

Directions:

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

* Visit the Fels-

Naptha website to find a store in your area that carries the product.

** Arm & Hammer “Super Washing Soda” –in some stores or may be purchased online at Meijer.com. Baking Soda WILL NOT WORK, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent. It must be Sodium Carbonate!!!!

*** You will want to borrow or purchase (better option in the long run, you’ll be using it again!) a paint stirrer that attaches to your drill and is for a 5 Gallon bucket. It makes stirring much easier!

My opinion on this: I personally wasn’t that impressed with the soap without the essential oil in it. I had washed a load twice and they still didn’t smell clean or fresh. Instead of adding it to the whole bottle, I just added some Clean Linen essential oil from Pat Catan’s to the individual cap full and I was happier with the outcome. I will continue to use the Homemade soap.

Homemade Fabric Softener

This link will take you to the recipe I sort of followed came from.

Materials:

• Glass Jar with Lid • ½ a cup of White Vinegar • Fabric Squares

Directions:

Place your fabric squares into the bottom of a mason jar and pour in your vinegar and essential oils over the fabric. Drop 1 sheet in your dryer with your clothes and they will smell fresh and be rid of static!

My opinion on this: This is the first time I’ve ever made these. I used two of the sheets since my load of clothes were thick

work pants. Would I do it again? Maybe. I smelled the vinegar every so often when moved while I was working, so I may try to find a different essential oil. Instead of the reusable cleaning rags that I purchased that come 6 in a pack, I would probably use a sponge and cut it in half. I used Verbena Bamboo scented Essential Oil and I also doubled the amounts (well, I’m pretty sure there were more than 30 drops of the E.O. in it). I found that my clothes, while not smelling like perfume or scented, at least smelled clean and fresh.

This link is one I found after making up this batch. I’m not sure if I would try any of the recipes listed. I’ll have to check out our washer and see if any of them would work without having to figure out the “beginning of the rinse cycle.”

~ INSPIRATION! ~

I wish to thank my fellow siren and contributor Genevieve for the inspiration and for allowing me to use the fabric softener recipe.