gmaybee

This cost saving formula for laundy soap makes 2 gallons for about $.77. Takes less than 1/2 hour to make and uses only 3 ingredients that you can find in the laundry section at the store.

Ingredients:
One bar FelsNaptha Soap (Cut into thirds)
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

Step 1:
Grate 1/3 bar of Soap into a sauce pan. Add 6 cups of water, heat and stir until soap is all melted. Remove from heat and pour 4 cups hot tap water into the pan. Stir.

Step 2:
Add 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup Borax to the pan and mix well.

Step 3:
Pour mixture into pail fo some sort and add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of tap water. Let stand 24 hours in pail, stirring a couple of times during that period.

Soap will be the consistency of an "egg noodle soup" Pour into containers to store. I use a funnel to get it into my containers. Use 1/2 cup per load. You can add a little bleach to your whites in addition to this. This will not make suds in the machine so don't think you need to add more. I have been doing this about one year now and still have Borax and Wash Soda. I've had to buy the FelsNaptha.

amma

Thank you for sharing this with us :D:D:D

littlehud

That sounds great. Is it fragrance free. My DD can not have any fragrance in her soaps.

gmaybee

It is just the natural smell of the ingredients used. Not much a smell. The box of Borax and Wash soda say all natural. (Don't they mine the Borax out of the ground??) I don't have the wrapper off the FelsNaptha but I think it is all natural. I know these product have been around since I was little girl, and that is a long time ago.

KatFish

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to try this, it sounds very cost savings. :thumbup:

ptquilts

wow, making our own laundry soap and using treadle sewing machines -- our grandmothers would be proud!!

I save old hand soap scraps, add to water (on top of wood stove) add to wash--smells great

NancyG

I'm going to try this recipe. I like natural products, and this sounds like it will fit the bill. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.

Tumdarra

wow. 77 cents...I need to try this

montanablu

I have also been doing this for quite awhile now -- LOVE the savings! And it really does clean. My recipe called for only 1/4 cup & that amount works fine. I've also used just the slivers of leftover bar soap instead of the Fels & it works just fine. Only problem is slivers are hard to ome by as only DH uses bar soap - all others use body wash:)
Beside the savings, there's something special about the feeling you get using something you've made (even simple laundry detergent). Yes, our grandmothers would be proud!:)

RedGarnet222

I checked the bar of Fels-Naptha I have on hand and it says it has perfume as an ingredient. (FYI)