Homemade Laundry Detergent

You need a big pot and a large container with a lid to put your detergent in (about 5 gallons)

I use a large wooden spoon to stir.

Soap option: 1 Bar of bath soap (Ivory is good). Lye soap is used in some.

1/3 cup Fels Naptha
3/4 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
Water

Grate bar of soap
Put in pan with 6 cups of water, melt on medium heat (about 30 minutes)

After all the soap is completely melted add Super Washing Soda and Borax. Continue cooking until all is dissolved (about 3 minutes).

In your container with lid, add 1 quart of hot water.

Add the melted soap from pot to your container. Stir. Add another 1 1/2 gallons hot of water. Stir.

Cover and leave set overnight. It will be a watery gel-like consistency. Use 1/2 cup per load.

Note: This is how I first learned to make laundry soap, but I now use 1 bar of Fels Naptha, 1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 1 cup Borax. You can adjust it to your own preferences. I never break out from laundry deterent any more!


Links

Nice tutorial: http://sarraht.blogspot.com/2009/02/laundry-soap.html

http://www.radicalfrugality.info/make-your-own-laundry-soap.html

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/colthing/qt/Laundry_Booster.htm