Homemade Laundry Soap - I've used this recipe many times even in my HE machine!
You'll need:
-- 1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated *
-- 5 Gallon Clean Bucket with lid.
-- 1 Cup Washing Soda**
-- 5 Gallon Clean Bucket with lid.
-- 1 Cup Washing Soda**
-- 1/2 cup Borax
-- 4 1/2 Gallons Water
Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water, and add soap.
Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools it will thicken, cover and leave overnight. The next day you will need to mix it as a large gelled mass will appear in your bucket. (Kids love to use their hands to stir!) Use 1/2 cup per load.
-- 4 1/2 Gallons Water
Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water, and add soap.
Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools it will thicken, cover and leave overnight. The next day you will need to mix it as a large gelled mass will appear in your bucket. (Kids love to use their hands to stir!) Use 1/2 cup per load.
*Pretty much any bar soap can be used, I have also seen ivory mentioned. In our area, you will find Fels Naptha with the body bar soap despite being a laundry soap.
**Washing soda is hard to find in this area, but it is the chemical sodium carbonate, which is 1/2 of what is in oxyclean and sodium carbonate is also used in swimming pools. You can find it in the swimming pool section of major stores like Walmart in the Spring and Summer (and it's usually clearanced out in the Fall!). I have both used Oxyclean in place of the washing soda and used pure sodium carbonate, either one works just fine!
**Washing soda is hard to find in this area, but it is the chemical sodium carbonate, which is 1/2 of what is in oxyclean and sodium carbonate is also used in swimming pools. You can find it in the swimming pool section of major stores like Walmart in the Spring and Summer (and it's usually clearanced out in the Fall!). I have both used Oxyclean in place of the washing soda and used pure sodium carbonate, either one works just fine!
Homemade Foaming Soap Recipe - A cheap and easy way to stretch your hand soap!
- 2 Tablespoons liquid hand soap (Any non-creamy kind will work. I used Mrs. Meyer’s because I had some on hand.)
- 1 empty foaming hand soap bottle
Squirt the liquid hand soap into the bottom of the foaming soap bottle. Carefully fill the rest of the bottle with water.
Put the lid on and slowly swish the water and soap together. Note: do not shake vigorously or you may end up with a sudsy mess. Pictures available at original source, Money Saving Mom!
