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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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!:)

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