Homemade laundry soap

Well-it's been almost a year now and the recipe is perfected! Not only does it leave our clothes feeling soft and smelling great, but it cleans them very well! (that's the most important!)

I thought I would post pics and a step by step process because of how many people have asked!

The cost breakdown:
3 bars ivory soap (for a triple batch) $1.18.
1 box of borax (3 cups-triple batch) $2.28
1 box super washing soda (3 cups- triple batch) $2.50
1 bar fels naphtha (whole bar-triple batch) $.98

Total cost= $6.91

This last us 2 months. We do laundry every day! You only use one tablespoon per small load and 2 tablespoons per large/very dirty load. So it goes far.

The best part for me (besides the cost) is that there's no cooking. It takes 30 minutes (of uninterrupted time) to grate the soap and measure the powders. For a momma with three kids and an in home daycare-time is precious.

You can use a cute glass container with a lid or a gallon sized plastic bag-the choice is up to you! I found cute jars at Walmart with the highest price at $8.97. I chose a side facing one that I could reach-it was $5.97.

Here's the directions-
1. Gather all the ingredients together.
2. Grate 3 bars ivory (or any organic/free bar) soap into a large bowl.
3. Grate whole fels naphtha with ivory.
4. Measure 3 cups super washing soda and 3 cups borax. Pour into large bowl with soaps. Mix well. Pour into glass container or gallon ziplock and...
Done!

We still buy fabric softener (because we are Downey junkies) but using a 1/3 cup white vinegar would do well for static cling!

Here are some pictures of the process-although I'm sure my phone will select a random order for them :)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gentry Zoo

Image
To celebrate H-bugs first birthday, we went to the Gentry Zoo on Monday! She loved it. Both her and Malachi are big time animal lovers. I'm not sure where they get that from ;) Haly kept her eye on the Emu's the entire drive. She did not like them. There's this look she gives when she's not sure of a situation, and the birds definitely got that look. We named this guy Ted. Doesn't he look like a Ted? We aren't sure what he is, so we named him. The kids and I flipped out when he decided to stick his entire head in our car before we could roll up the window. He drooled on my skirt. The nerve! This Camel also stuck his entire German Shepherd sized head in our window! The best experience by far was the Zebras. Malachi just puckered up and laid a smooch on this guy. When we told him to do it again he informed us that it was "yucky" and then proceeded to scream "IT'S A WOLF"-or an Alpaca...with his head in Donovan's window with the most hil...
Read more

A whole year with the little ladybug

Image
I know this is a little late, but we've been a little busy :) July 10th, 2009 at 12:36 a.m. 6 lbs, 12 oz. I cannot believe my little girl is already one! It seems like she's still just a baby, and she is my baby! Going through the parenting with Malachi, I didn't realize how much they really change. It seems like in just a few weeks, she exploded into a new person. *She is 18.4 lbs. and 27.5 inches long. *She has a head full of hair now that can be fashioned into rubber banded pigtails (horns). She will NOT keep bows in. She will eat them. *She is walking all the time and everywhere. *She is climbing on the couch, our bed, up stairs and any chair she can reach. *She has 6 teeth, 2 bottom and 4 on top. *She has kicked the bottle except for night time. Even then, sometimes she's so tired she just rolls over and goes to sleep. She's having a hard time drinking from a sippy cup because of how fast it comes out-she always spits it everywhere. *She eats ever...
Read more

Random thought

Image
I have been thinking a lot recently about my husband. It seems as life gets busier with school, work, kids....life-that my appreciation for him gets put aside. It's tough to think about all the good he really does when I am overwhelmed or stressed out because we are so rushed or so busy. It seems like even though I am home all day, I can't wait to see him and spend time with him, but frequent plans are made otherwise. I act unappreciative and not understanding. I become selfish and am over taken with my own emotions. More recently, as my spiritual life has been growing, I've realized that....it's kind of NOT all about me :) I am not here to be served by my kids, my husband or anyone else for that matter. I am here to serve. I am here to be the best wife and mother possible that God has allowed me to be. My life is so full of blessing. I am so loved and taken care of yet sometimes I lose sight of this and get caught up in the moment. It's not fair to those around me ...
Read more