Here is Candycanes' recipe for the Homemade laundry soap!
This is a way to save $$ on that expensive laundry detergent you buy in the store. I would like to share this recipe with everyone. It is low-cost, easy to make, does a better job (my opinion) than brand name detergents.
You will need:
A very large pot (use and 8 or 10 qt)
A whisk or mixer
A paper mask
A cheese grater
One bar Fels-Naptha Soap – grated ($1.40)
1 ½ cups 20 mule team borax
1 ½ cups arm and hammer washing soda these are less than $2.00 per box
Put on the mask and grate the bar of soap into a bowl. Pour grated soap into the pot and add 12 cups of water. Cook and stir until boiling and the grated soap dissolves. Add the borax and washing soda and stir until dissolved, remove from heat. Put 8 cups of HOT water in a 5-gallon bucket and then add the soap mixture, stir well again. Add 2 gallons and 12 cups of water and stir well again.
Let the mixture set for 24 hours and it will kind of jell – like egg drop soup. Use a whisk or mixer to make it smooth again. (my brother uses a paint mixer you can attach to an electric drill). This makes around 4 gallons of laundry soap. You will have enough
Borax and washing soda for a few more batches, you will just need another bar of Fels-Napatha.
When you do your laundry, if you have a load that is extra dirty let is soak for 1/2 hour before completing cycle. Pre-treat stains with a few drops of the detergent. I saved an old lid from a store brand and just use the same amount that I used before.
We have good well water but it is very hard. So this soap is wonderful….. I hang my clothes out (weather permitting). I noticed right away that my clothes were less stiff….. I no longer put my towels in the dryer to fluff, they are a little rough but not like before. Whites are white etc…