DIY laundry soap

I posted this on my personal blog a while back - but this is the soap that I use on our clothes as well as our diapers, so I figured I would put it up on here too.

Yes, I make my own liquid laundry detergent. Does that make me a super mom? Probably. 

Okay, not really. It's like the easiest/cheapest thing ever. I just finished typing this up for my sister so I figure I would post it on here in case anyone else is interested. And if you are thinking: I don't have time for that/It's too hard/I've never heard of those ingredients, here is a list of why you should try it:

1. Its easy and it took me and my sister 30 minutes total to make up two batches.

2. It lasts about 6 months.

3. Everything will cost you around 8.50 and you won't use up all the stuff which means you can make more than one batch for 8.50

4. Winco carries washing soda and borax, and Macey's has the Fels Naptha soap. I've also seen Borax at Target and I'm sure its a lot of other places too.

5. When it's all said and done, it's less than .01 cents per load. Yes, per load. 

6. There is a recipe for the powder detergent but it doesn't last as long and I think this one works better anyways. But if you want the other one I can get it for you

6. You should just try it.

Here is the recipe:

4 Cups hot water

1 bar Fels Naptha soap

1 Cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/2 Cup Borax

1. Grate soap and add to saucepan with water (we started heating the water first)

2. Stir continually over medium heat until soap dissolves

3. Fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water. Add the melted soap/water mixture, washing soda and borax

4. Stir well until powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water

5. Stir, cover, and let mixture sit overnight to thicken (it will gel at the top and look gross when you first open it)

6. Stir the best you can and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and the rest of the way with water

7. Shake before each use - for a load of our clothes, i use 1-2 capfuls depending on how big the cap is. For the diapers i usually only use 1/2 - 1 capfuls.

optional: add 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil per 2 gallons once the soap has cooled (try lavender, lemon, lime, tea tree, etc) - be careful with how much of this you use when using it on the diapers though.. too much will cause repelling and leaks. no fun.