How to make your own laundry soap

Here at our household, along with an array of many other things, we make our own laundry soap. Why, you ask? Well, because we can. There are other factors like thriftiness and not having to rely on manufactured goods, etc. But primarily, we make our own laundry soap because we want to.

Here are the pros:

1. It's cheap.

2. It's extremely hypoallergenic.

3. It does not leave any stinky artificial perfumes on your clothing.

4. It does not use artificial dyes.

5. It does not pollute the environment.

Here are the Cons:

1. It does take time to make and special equipment (equipment should NOT be shared with equipment you intend to use for food).

2. It does not remove heavy stains.

So, if you think the pros outweigh the cons, here is the recipe and instructions:

1 bar of Fels Naptha soap, shaved (or you can use Zote soap instead of Fels)
4 cups of hot water to melt the soap
3 gallons of hot water
1 cup of borax
2 cups of washing soda
1 cup of baking soda
1 large pot about 4-5 gallons size 

Container(s) to hold soap (I use recycled milk jug style containers)

Grate the soap into the pot (not one you plan to cook with). You can use a box grater or just rough chop with a knife. Do not use whatever tool you use for grating soap with food.

Add 4 cups of hot water to the pan. Simmer on low until the soap melts completely into the water.

Add borax, washing soda and baking soda to the hot water. Simmer on low until it dissolves with the soap. If the mixture is not melting, add more water if needed.

Add 3 gallons of hot water. Mix with a large spoon until it completely dissolves (Again, do not use a spoon you intend to use for food).

Pour into containers. As the mixture begins to cool, it will turn into a thick gel. 

Use 1 cup of this homemade laundry detergent per load of laundry!

Because this laundry soap is perfume free, I sometimes add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to eliminate any stubborn odors. It does NOT make your clothes smell like a pickle, it DOES eliminate odors, and is a NATURAL fabric softener!

Let me know how it works out for you!