Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap (for front or top loading machines)
Ingredients
4 c. hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 c. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/2 c. Borax
Directions
-Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-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 dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
Yield: 10 gallons
-Top Load Machine: Use 5/8 c. per load (approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machine: Use 1/4 c. per load (approx. 640 loads)
Update: We have been using this recipe for the past year and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the initial cost for all the ingredients, including 3 additional Fels-Naptha bars, was around $11. I have only made this recipe once since it makes such a large quantity. The next time I make the laundry detergent I will not have to buy anything since I have plenty of left-over ingredients. So this recipe allows me to spend less than $11 a year on laundry detergent, cleans our laundry, and leaves our laundry smelling nice and fresh :)
