Tuesday's Tip

***Updated Post

A friend shared this with me a couple months back, and I've been using it ever since. Because I don't want a huge 5 gallon bucket sitting in my utility room, I choose to leave it in dry form. I used a fine microplane to grate the soap. I use a 1 TBL for each load of laundry, and that is for a front-loader. What a great way to save money!

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

 

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- 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)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Fabric Softener

1 Gallon White Distilled Vinegar

1 Tsp. glycerin

20 drops essential oil (I use fragrance oil and more of it because I like my laundry to really smell good!)

Add glycerin and essential oil to the vinegar and shake vigorously before each use.   Use approx ½ cup per load (Since I have a front loader, I am limited to whatever size the dispenser is and it works great!)

When selecting your essential oil make sure not to choose a darkly colored one.

My new favorite homemade laundry soap mixture:

Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 bar Laundry soap (Zote, Fels-Neptha,Castile)
4 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
4 c. Borax

2c. all fabric bleach(non- chlorine)

1c. baking soda

Using a food processor or a Microplane, grate your soap and mix with remaining ingredients.  Store in an air-tight container.  I use approx 1 TBL of this detergent per load, although I might be able to get away with less.