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  • Homemade Laundry Soap

    Old 09-19-2010, 10:45 AM
      #1  
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    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.
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    Old 09-19-2010, 10:50 AM
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    Thank you for sharing this with us :D:D:D
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    Old 09-19-2010, 11:33 AM
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    That sounds great. Is it fragrance free. My DD can not have any fragrance in her soaps.
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    Old 09-19-2010, 11:50 AM
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    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.
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    Old 09-19-2010, 12:10 PM
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    Thanks for sharing. I'll have to try this, it sounds very cost savings. :thumbup:
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    Old 09-19-2010, 01:10 PM
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    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
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    Old 09-19-2010, 02:53 PM
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    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.
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    Old 09-19-2010, 04:13 PM
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    wow. 77 cents...I need to try this
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    Old 09-19-2010, 05:10 PM
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    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!:)
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    Old 09-19-2010, 07:59 PM
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    I checked the bar of Fels-Naptha I have on hand and it says it has perfume as an ingredient. (FYI)
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