Sunday, January 29, 2012

Homemade laundry soap: One year later. . .


Almost one year ago we began making our own laundry soap and I haven't looked back. It is simple to make and I have been very pleased with the results. I have not any issues with stain maintenance, and I have even been washing muddy play clothes with it. . .manure has yet to be tested. 

I had come across some old pictures from the day we made it for the first time that Farmboy never got around to adding to the origional post, so I thought I would let you all in on the process he documented here on that February day at Grandma's house


- Supplies:  soap, borax, washing soda, and a bucket with lid = $12.51

- Time to complete: 20 to 30 min. (including cleanup)
- Difficulty:  1 easy to 5 hard  = 1


F.Y.I. I have not had to purchase any more of these supplies since the first batch, 
so the $12.51 has lasted us for the whole year!


For the recipe you will need:

1/3 bar soap
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
water

The first step was to grate the soap.



Add it to 6 cups of water and heat it until the soap melts.


It should look like this.


Next add the washing soda and borax and stir until disolved.


Pour 4 cups of hot water into your 2 gallon bucket, add the soap mixture and stir. 
Then add 1 gallon and 6 cups of water. 


If you do your math right you will end up with 2 gallons of laundry soap. 
You will need to let it sit overnight while it thickens. 


It will be kinda lumpy, but I pour it into an old detergent container and then 
just shake before each use. You will need to use about 1/ 2 cup per load. 
It does not get sudsy, so it is perfect for use in HE washers as well!

So the bottom line is that you get 2 gallons of soap that does what it is supposed to do for about $0.70.

I like them numbers!






Link to Homestead Revival


2 comments:

  1. Ummmm, inspired!!!! Love it! I was going to make my own handsoap (the pumping kind, not the turns black on the sink kind) last summer. But, alas, 4 kids and well, you know the rest. If this will last me a year, I can definitely put in the time. :)

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  2. There's only 3 in our family, so a batch lasts a LONG time. My recipe is similar, but makes 10 gallons and cost me $1.21 in supplies (not counting the bucket). 15-20 minutes of work for a batch of soap that will last 2 years is definately worth it!
    Stopped by from the Barn Hop.

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