Do you ever watch a YouTube video, and think to yourself “that looks really cool” yet you’re completely skeptical that it will actually work? Well folks, that’s exactly where I found myself a few weeks ago when I watched a video on making homemade laundry soap.
Low and behold…it’s AMAZING! And the best part?? No extra chemicals and it’s extremely inexpensive. Even better? From start to finish, it took me all of 30 minutes to make.
What is the end result? You can make enough laundry soap for 160 loads for $2.00…total! You read that right, I repeat two bucks!!
So, how do you accomplish this easy task?
Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda (not baking Soda)
1/2 cup Borax
2 soap bars (I used ivory, approximately 8 ounces).
Grate the bars and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until it dissolves and is melted (takes 10-15 minutes at a continuous stir)
Fill a 5 gallon pail half full of hot water (heated it on the stove until hot but not boiling) Add the melted mixture, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
Let it sit (covered) for 24 hours. It will form gelatinous clumps. Stir it well to break them apart, then store in containers.
You can either take a second 5 gallon bucket, split the batch in half and add more hot water(fill close to the top) to make 10 gallons or leave the batch concentrated at 5 gallons.
If using 10 gallons (diluted mix):
Use 1 cup per load
Or concentrated 5 gallon batch:
Use 1/2 cup per load
You can add a few drops of essential oils into the batch if you would like (citrus is popular), but I think it smells good without.
Now, if you have a rough and tough hard working hubby like I do, you might have some clothes that have heavier stains than normal wear. If you add a little oxyclean in with the soap, it still works really well to get the stains out.
So, after making it, I seriously want to shout from the rooftop “why didn’t I start making this years ago”!!! It is really easy, really inexpensive, and gets your clothes clean without all the unnecessary chemicals.
Check it out!!!
Katie