The more people you have in your home, the more laundry. As the family grows, there is a need to save money. Where to cut? How many things can you shave off the budget before life is bleak and boring? I won't give up satellite television, heat or bike 15 miles to work. I decided to try the home made laundry detergent, because I don't really care where my soap comes from or what brand it is, as long as it works. This is a recipe I found on www.houselogic.com and I recently made my second batch of soap so I feel confident in sharing with all of you and at 7 cents per load, its a great

Tools

  • You will need 1 clean 5 gallon bucket with a lid
  • A 1 gallon or larger cooking pot
  • A grater and large bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon

Recipe

  • 1/2 Cup Borax
  • 1 Cup Washing Soda
  • 1 Bar of Fels Naptha
  • 3 Gallons of Water

All of the items were available at both Walmart locations in Owensboro, KY.

Grate 1 bar of soap into a large bowl. Put 4 cups of water into the cooking pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat until it is simmering. On my electric stove this was from High to about 6.  Add all of the soap pile handful by handful, stir with a wooden spoon until all is dissolved (no idea why wood spoon?).

Pour 3 gallons of water into the bucket. Pour in the Borax, Washing soda and pot of soap. Stir until all powders are dissolved. I used a whisk to do this. The mix will be clumpy so stir well before each use. The globs will be dissolved in the washer anyway. Use 1 Cup of soap per load of laundry. See globs in the photo below.

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Because this is soap I used my kitchen items except the wooden spoon and a cheap pot I bought at the Dollar General Store. I put that aside for soap making. I also prefer to use a funnel to pour the soap into a re-purposed laundry soap container I saved. This allows me to shake the soap before each use instead of stirring the bucket each time. I just stir before I refill my container. Your home will smell awesome after you make soap!

 

 

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