Making your own Laundry Soap

10 + 1 LAUNDRY SOAP RECIPES –
These were found online by searching for Laundry Soap Recipes
Before I share what we have done with the making of our soap. I wanted to share that these recipes were found by searching. I felt instead of only sharing our Recipes, I would search and share more and give that op for them. So this way you have a choice. This was an easy recipe for me; I already had most on the ingredients at home. In fact I did some research myself. I found that many sites said there was a difference between washing soda and baking soda, but in fact – I read different. I couldn’t find the washing soda here on the shelves of our stores in the laundry isle. I thought, maybe it was the same thing, baking soda and washing soda, so I used baking soda. To be frank - I am not the type of person that will take the time to order it online. So, with further research, I found the reason the soap came out well and worked well. So – here’s a tib-bit of information for you when it comes to the washing soda verses baking soda.
Here’s what I found on more than one web site.
I found that if you heat baking soda to 350 - 400 degrees it quickly turns into washing soda. I boiled my water while watching the temperature, once the water heated to 355 I added baking soda. Much to my surprise it quickly became soapy but it also swelled and erupted like a volcano. I have made a mess not remembering this tiny bit of information too So, always if you are using baking Soda you need to have a deep boiling pot because when you add the baking soda it reacts like a volcano. Other than this my recipe came out great and my clothes are CLEAN. I have been doing this from the first time I started making soap and with no problems.
We have been making our own laundry soap for one year this month. This was my new years resolution for the year 2009. We bought laundry soap every two weeks, as well as dryer sheets, and fabric softener which cost us approximately $40 to $50 each month. So, I saved $50 each month which saved us $600 for the year. With the savings we bought the kids a PS3.

With that said here is our recipe and the other recipes we found:

KNIGHT CABIN HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP RECIPE

5 gallon bucket
Large boiling pot
2 cups of borax
2 cups of Baking soda
1 bar of Zote (79 cents from local grocery store)
2 to 3 bars of Glycerin Dial bar soap OR
Essential oil approx. 25 to 35 drops (can be found in the craft area of Wal-mart for about $2)
*We add Oxy Clean as well and we put in one to 1 ½ cups of Oxy Clean per 5 gallon bucket*

1. Grate your soap bars – Either by peeling it like a potato, using a grater or food possessor
Add the pieces of soap to the very large boiling pot with about 5 cups of water and heat to boiling
2. Stir constantly and make sure the soap melts completely. Be sure to have a large boiling
Pot because the Baking Soda will erupt like a volcano when you add it to hit water. If you have a cooking temperature then you can make sure the mixture has reached at least 355 degrees to make the baking soda do what it suppose to do.
3. Add the Borax, Baking Soda, Oxy if you use it to your liquid mixture in the boiling pot and stir well to make sure the entire mixture is mixed well together.
4. Pour the mixture into your 5 gallon bucket. Stir well.
5. Add water to fill the 5 gallon bucket up
6. Do Not add the essential oil drops until the mixture has cooled.
7. The bubbles will take a little while to go away so check back a few times and you may have to add more water to fill the bucket.
8. Allow the mixture to cool overnight or for about 6 – 8 hrs. The mixture will gel, and when you stir it may be lumpy. This isn’t harmful. We have an extra large hand held mixer we use. So, we are lump free, but I wasn’t for the first few sets. You can use a blender, your mixer even to mix it well and take out lumps.
9. To Concentrate or Not to Concentrate: This is for personal satisfaction. Once the 5 gallon bucket has cooled and gelled and you make your mind up - at 5his state it is concentrated, you can use it concentrated or you can stretch the dollar and make 10 gallons of this 5 gallon bucket. Obviously if you add more water to it – it will last longer.
10. Containers: If you have empty containers and you want to dilute it, simply fill the container half full of the mixture and make sure you have smoothed it out with a hand held mixer, a blender, something along those lines and then add water to the other half and fill it up. It will be ready to use immediately.

o We don’t dilute it. We smooth the mixture and use it concentrated. We believe it cleans the clothes better. This is just our personal preference.

In these recipes the Bar Soap refers to Laundry Bar Soap: Zote, Fels, Naptha etc.

Recipe 1
1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated) (Laundry Bar Soap – Zote, Fels Naptha etc. Found in laundry isle)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda
1. Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
2. Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
3. Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).
Recipe 2
Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar (Laundry Bar of Soap – Zote, Fels Naptha etc.)
1. Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
2. Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
3. Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe 3
Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)
1. In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
2. In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
3. Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).







Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe 4
2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated – you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1. Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
2. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.
Recipe 5
Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap – grated
1 cup Washing Soda
1. In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
2. Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
3. Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)
Recipe 6
2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin
1. Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
2. In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
3. Use 1/2 cup per full load.
Recipe 7
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 – 2.5 gallons hot water
1. Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
2. Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
3. Use 1 cup per full load.
Recipe 8
2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)
1. Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
2. In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
3. Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
4. Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.
Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe 9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)
1. Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
2. Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.
Recipe 10 – (Powdered)
1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
1. Mix well and store in sealed container.
2. I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.
LIQUID DETERGENTS NOTE
Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.
*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon). Zote Laundry Bar Soap can be found in the laundry area and works as great as Fels-Naptha. I personally use the Zote bar.

OPTIONAL
You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.
Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil
*Admin Update: clarified instructions for Recipe #10 and liquid detergent notes.