I am a thrifty person. I used to buy my laundry soap whenever there was a bargain---Buy 1 Get 1 Free plus stacking with a coupon. Or I would buy off-brands in large containers. I did everything from powders to liquids and switched brands a lot. I thought I was doing the least expensive route until I discovered making it myself was infinitely less expensive.
Making homemade laundry soap isn't difficult and it works really well. I do a lot of laundry in my house---6 loads a week, bare minimum. I wash bedding every weekend and then whenever my foster son has an accident in bed (usually once a week...) I have clothing to wash. Towels. Friends use my machine as well. So my machines get a work-out!
This soap is made in a 5 gallon bucket and lasts me anywhere from 4-6 months. I don't really pay attention but I know I have made this 2-3 times over the last year.
Each bucket will cost about $2.00-3.00 but is 5 GALLONS of soap compared to the little bottles we buy in the store for $3.99 which last a week or two.
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
5.5oz Fels Naptha soap
7 oz Zote Soap Bar
HOT water
5 gallon bucket with a lid
essential oil for scent (optional)
Pure Castille Soap (Can be purchased online in many scents!)
Where to find the ingredients:
You can buy all of these ingredients at Walmart. I found the Arm and Hammer Washing Soda at REAM's which is closer to my house than walmart. Some Smith's\Kroger's do not seem to have them so shop around.
The Borax and Washing Soda are about 3-4 dollars each. However, the box of them will last 3-4 rounds of making this soap. I have just finally finished using the first box of Washing Soda. I still have borax left.
The Zote and Fels Naptha can be purchased in most Walmarts for .50-1.00 each. You need about 6 oz of grated soap, so I use half of each. This means that two bars will last for two rounds of the soap.
I bought a brand-new bucket at Lowe's for $3. It comes with a lid and you will need a lid.
Instructions
Making homemade laundry soap isn't difficult and it works really well. I do a lot of laundry in my house---6 loads a week, bare minimum. I wash bedding every weekend and then whenever my foster son has an accident in bed (usually once a week...) I have clothing to wash. Towels. Friends use my machine as well. So my machines get a work-out!
This soap is made in a 5 gallon bucket and lasts me anywhere from 4-6 months. I don't really pay attention but I know I have made this 2-3 times over the last year.
Each bucket will cost about $2.00-3.00 but is 5 GALLONS of soap compared to the little bottles we buy in the store for $3.99 which last a week or two.
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
5.5oz Fels Naptha soap
7 oz Zote Soap Bar
HOT water
5 gallon bucket with a lid
essential oil for scent (optional)
Pure Castille Soap (Can be purchased online in many scents!)
Where to find the ingredients:
You can buy all of these ingredients at Walmart. I found the Arm and Hammer Washing Soda at REAM's which is closer to my house than walmart. Some Smith's\Kroger's do not seem to have them so shop around.
The Borax and Washing Soda are about 3-4 dollars each. However, the box of them will last 3-4 rounds of making this soap. I have just finally finished using the first box of Washing Soda. I still have borax left.
The Zote and Fels Naptha can be purchased in most Walmarts for .50-1.00 each. You need about 6 oz of grated soap, so I use half of each. This means that two bars will last for two rounds of the soap.
I bought a brand-new bucket at Lowe's for $3. It comes with a lid and you will need a lid.
Instructions
- Grate the Fels-Naptha and Zote soaps. You need a total of about 6 oz so half of each bar works. I bought a cheap 50 cent grater at DI just for my soap. I do not use it for food. Add it to an older pot. I bought one for about a dollar at DI. Add the soap shreds to a pot with 4 cups of hot water and melt while stirring. This takes about 10 minutes. You want to make sure it is melted thoroughly.
- Fill up a 5 gallon bucket halfway with hot water. I use my deep kitchen sink for this. Add the soap mixture to the hot water. Stir quickly. Add one cup of Borax and one cup of Washing Soda. The mixture might get bubbly. Add essential oil or pure castille soap. I never measure either... I use a tablespoon or two of the castille soap and about 20 drops of essential oil. Today I used Lavender and Lemon.
- Fill up the bucket with more hot water, all the way to the top... and stir! I stir with a paint stirrer from Home Depot. They're free so might as well!
- Snap on the lid, & let it sit for 24 hours to gel up. I usually try not to disturb it at all.
- After 24 hours, you can stir. It will be very gelatinous on top. The bottom might be more liquidy. If it is clumpy or very liquid, thats fine. It will work regardless. Mine usually becomes a consistency of half-set up jello.
- Some people recommend dividing it into empty laundry detergent bottles. I honestly leave it in the original bucket with the lid on. I have a measuring cup with a handle. I use that to measure the amount I need. It saves me the hassle and mess of dividing it into smaller containers. The bucket fits perfectly on the floor of my cleaning supply closet in the laundry room. Why should I create more work for myself?
Seriously, that is IT!
So simple but effective. And it saves a lot of money.