Making your own laundry soap is quick and easy but the best part is that it's very very cheap. You can easily make 3 gallons of soap for about $3 and have virtually no waste whatsoever. Here's the info:
Make Your Own Laundry Soap!
Ingredients
1 bar soap
1 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda!)
1 five gallon bucket with a lid
3 gallons of water
Grate the bar of soap into a sauce pan. Heat up some water in a kettle and cover the soap with boiling water. Leave overnight to melt. If there are still chunks of soap in the morning add more boiling water until all chunks of soap are gone. Pour melted soap mixture into the bucket. Add enough hot tap water to make 3 gallons of liquid and then add the washing soda. Stir well and let sit overnight. Use from ½ cup to 1 cup of detergent per load of laundry at a total cost of approximately 3 cents per load!
You can often find a bucket for free at any industrial kitchen or grocery store where they make things from scratch or a place that sells honey in bulk. You can find washing soda at the Ballard Fred Meyer (so far the only place I've found it).
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10 comments:
This sounds like a great idea! Can I ask where you buy the washing soda? I've never heard of it so not sure where to look. Thank you!!
Nevermind, I didn't see it the first time, but I see now that you mentioned that washing soda is available at Fred Meyer. Thanks, and sorry for not reading it thoroughly the first time. :)
Give your local Fred Meyer a call first to make sure they have it. Other stores used to carry it but in my area it's only Fred Meyer at the moment.
Hi,
That is certainly a great idea! I had been looking all over the net to make a laundry soap... Thanks a lot for sharing the info...
The Fred Meyer in Monroe also carries the washing soda. i can't wait to try this. Thanks for the info.
Will this work for high efficiency washers? my sister has one, and says she has to buy special soap for it so it doesn't clog
Lin,
According to this site :http://natural-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/washing_clothes_for_pennies this works for high efficiency washers but do look at the notes included there... stir up the chunky liquid before putting it in. While the recipe posted doesn't use the borax there shouldn't be a problem caused by not using this since everything else is low suds anyway. I would test it out before making an entire batch just for giggles so maybe you can give her a small jar of the stuff you make and she can give it a go? Let us know what she finds out!
Hi,
How big is your bar soap (how much does it weigh rather)? Some are bigger than others... thanks!
Perle, Usually I (Jessica) use Fels Naptha soap which is 5.5 oz. If you use smaller soaps just add less water.
thank god! looked all over town for washing soda, then I found this. Bless!
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