Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Something I've been wanting to try for a long time is making my own liquid laundry detergent. The recipe we decided to use was the Duggar family recipe. (The directions in italics are their property that I simply followed.)

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax


- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water.

-Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

In the beginning it looks like this:

 

After about 7-10 minutes it looks like this:

Finally, around 12-15 minutes later, it starts to look like this:

 

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax.

Here's the 1/2 cup Borax:

 1/2 cup of Borax to 1 cup of washing soda:

 -Stir well until all powder is dissolved.

-Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap...

and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Something we decided would be a good idea to do is to mark the wooden spoon we were using to stir the soap with a "laundry soap only" spoon so someone wouldn't end up with soapy tasting baked goods one day.

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.


-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.


-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)


-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)


*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!" Check out this information on using baking soda to make washing soda.

NOTE: ™ = Trademark. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Results may vary. All recipes are valid for non-commercial useotherwise written permission must be obtained from the The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family. © Copyright 2011

Have you ever tried making your own laundry soap?
	Yes, and I enjoyed it.
	Yes, but I wouldn't do it again.
	No, but I would like to.
	No and I'm not interested.
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