DIY Laundry Soap Recipe

They removed the video from Metacafe of the recipe I used to make the laundry soap. Fortunately, though, I wrote it down & will include it below:

You Will Need:

a) 1 bar of soap, grated up into a pot that holds 6 C of water ( I used Ivory once and Fels-Naptha once

b) 3/4 C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (It is specific for laundry not regular baking soda - the Super Washing Soda is difficult to find. You may have to order it on-line if your local grocery doesn't carry it)

c) 3/4 C Borax ( I use 20 Mule Team in the laundry aisle)

d) 6 C + 1 QT super hot water

e) 1 1/2 gallons of regular temp water out of tap


In the pot, grate the entire bar of soap. Add to it 6 C of super hot water. Stir it and heat it on the stove until all of the soap is completely melted & you cannot see a single shred of soap. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir it until it is not gritty. This will take just a little bit of time. While the mixture is dissolving in the water, add 1 qt of super hot water to the bottom of your laundry soap container. I use a 5 gallon storage container with a lid from Wal-Mart. It's a Sterilite or Rubbermaid type of container. Once the mixture of soap, water, washing soda, and borax is completely dissolved, slowly stir into the container of 1 qt hot water. Stir well, then add 1 1/2 gallons of water. The laundry soap is ready to use at this point, but is best left to sit 24 hours to gel up. The water will separate from the gel consistency, which is okay. Use 1/2 c per load of laundry. Homemade laundry gel does not suds up like store bought laundry detergent. It does work, though. I love it and have been using it for a few months now.

Other items I use include white distilled vinegar in a liquid fabric softner dispenser ball for fabric softner (I use this instead of Donwny type of softner)

Wash cloth soaked in liquid laundry softner to put in the dryer instead of fabric sheets (Bounce type sheets)

If anyone else has any other cost saving, frugal laundry tips, please send them my way!