Homemade Laundry Detergent - Laundry Soap

There is lots of talk these days about budgeting and saving money. Trying to find any way to cut back spending, pay off some debt, or save for that vacation you’ve been planning. For many this could be making simple lifestyle changes like not going out to eat as much, or brewing your own coffee in the morning. Well, hear is one homemaking project that will not only save you money, but makes a much safer product that the entire family will benefit from, and that is making your own laundry soap.

Making your own laundry soap is simple and very affordable. No lye or nasty chemistry involved I promise! There are many recipes available, just ask Mr. Google, or get any good recipe book on making natural cleaners. Many store bought detergents and soaps have harsh ingredients in them that contribute to many skin irritations and allergies. This is a major reason why Mothers are recommended to wash their infant’s cloths and blankets in a mild soap instead of detergents. So not only are you saving money but using a safer product as well.

Here is a recipe that I and my family have been using for years. I get pretty dirty just about every day from working outside and this laundry soap recipe does a great job keeping my cloths clean. I figure this recipe will get between 60-70 loads per batch for less than $1.00. Now if you are a large family, you know how often clothes need washing and let’s just face it, laundry detergent doesn’t last very long and it’s certainly not cheap.

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

All you need is a 2-5 gallon bucket with a lid, 1/3 bar of Fels Naptha, ½ cup of washing soda, and a ½ cup of borax powder.

1. Grade the Fels Naptha and add to 6 cups of water in a sauce pan- heat until soap begins to melt.

2. Then add ½ cup of washing soda and ½ cup of borax and stir until it has dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and pour 4 cups of hot water into your 2 gallon bucket, add your soap mixture and stir for a little and add another 6 cups of water and continue stirring.

4. Let sit for 24 hours, when laundry soap is ready it will have gelled up. Perfectly normal, just use a long handle spoon or whisk, and stir it up until the clumps of gel are gone and it is liquid.

This laundry soap is unscented and you could use essential oils to add your desired scent if you like, and also we often will add some Oxy clean to those very tough stains. For the most part this laundry soap get’s most of it done on its own. All you need to use is just a 1/2 a cup of laundry soap each load.