How much did you spend on your last bottle of laundry soap? Chances are it’s close to 10.00 for one bottle for the good stuff and you are lucky if it lasted a week especially if you have rug rats.
I’ve been looking for ways to save money so I decided to try making my own laundry soap. The supplies cost me under $10.00 and I can use it
for multiple batches of soap. The borax is great for other household uses and it has no fumes. Read below for my homemade fabric softener which you probably already have at home.
| Cost: Under 10.00 | Batches |
| Box of borax (4 pounds 12 ounces = | 16+ batches of laundry soap |
| Washing soda (3 pounds 7 ounces) = | 6+ batches of laundry soap |
| Fels Naptha bar soap = | 2 batches |
Cooking and Preparation time: About 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 Fels Naptha bar soap (found in bar soap area of store)
1/2 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
Large bucket with lid
Yard stick or long stick
Medium saucepan
Directions:
1. Grate bar soap with grater or cut into little slivers.
2. Boil 4 1/2 cups of water in a large pan.
3. Gradually stir in slivers of soap to pan. Allow pieces to dissolve before adding more soap slivers.
4. Turn down to a simmer and continue stirring pot. The water and soap mixture will suds up like a bubble factory.
5. Turn off once it suds up.
6. Pour 4 gallons of cold water into the bucket.
7. Stir in washing soda then borax.
8. Pour soapy water mixture into bucket. Stir mixture well.
9. Cover with a lid and allow setting for at least 18 hours. Stir every time you use the laundry soap.Will not sudsy up like store bought laundry soap, but it still cleans great.
1 CUP per LOAD
Tips:
#1: Save pieces of bar soap to melt down instead of the nephatas bar soap.
#2: Add liquid scents such as lemon that is safe for human skin.
The result is the best laundry soap I’ve ever used and my whites are so much whiter.
Homemade Fabric Softener
Mix hair conditioner with water in an empty bottle with lid. I use about 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture to each large load of laundry. I use a little more to towels and bedding. Adjust to own preferences. I’ve put it in the downy ball with no problems.
FYI:
I cannot guarantee that you will not have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients as we all react differently to chemicals. Do not eat the laundry soap or fabric softener. Do not leave on floor if young kids are around the bucket. Little ones like to put their heads in things.
Have you used any homemade recipes other than food?
Authors bio is coming up shortly. 
hmmm… interesting..
Can you use it in a front-loading washer that requires low-foam detergent?
Feelfifoto,
The soap does not suds up.
Nina
Wow, I am really intrigued by this, I think I’ll try it if I can find all of the ingredients.
I’m stopping by from Wordless Wednesday & I think I’ll look around a littl more.
Mimi
I have made this before. I also made my own soap. You can scent it whatever scent you can find in EO (Essential Oil) or FO (Fragrance Oil). The homemade laundry soap is the best ever! I have never had cleaner clothes! I do use vinegar instead of fabric softener. It has no smell at all when the clothes are done!
BTW, this also is the best cleaning product ever! It will cut grease off the stove in nothing flat! And the greasy film that gets on you cabinet doors and such, is a breeze with homemade laundry soap!
Debbie,
Thanks for the great suggestions. Any help in cutting grease in kitchen is appreciated especially when your a mad scientist in the kitchen.
Nina
Can you just keep it in an old laundry soap bottle???
Wendy,
Yes, you can put in old bottle.
Nina
I have been making this soap for a few years and love it, if you use the whole bar of soap it makes 5 gallons of concentrate….so you get 10 gallons of laundry soap. I just use an old detergent bottle and fill it with half concentrate and half water, along with a few drop of lavender oil. After a good shake the soap will jell with the water. Also, hot water works much better in the process than cold.
Teressa Matz,
Thanks for the suggestions. My mixture makes about half of a 5 gallon bucket.
Everyone makes theirs a little different.
Nina
I tried this today before I saw your recipe here today. I must agree that it is very simple to make and I can’t wait to see how it works on the laundry.
How cool is this! I am wondering though how this would fare in a HE machine… I guess I will find out. I have the ingredients, and with 5 kids this would really be helpful if it works out. Thanks for this.