How to Make Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

Liquid laundry soap is a nice convenience but can be very expensive. You can make your own for just over $2 for five gallons! The ingredients can be found in most grocery or discount stores such as WalMart.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 cups of very hot water
• Fels-Naptha soap bar
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup Borax

1. Grate the bar of Fels-Naptha soap. Start heating the water and add the bar of soap. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is all melted.

2. Fill a five gallon bucket half full of very hot water. Add the melted soap, washing soda, and Borax. Stir well until all of the powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

3. You can add about 30 drops of essential oil once the soap has cooled. Nice scents to use are lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil, etc.

4. 

   Pour into old liquid laundry soap or milk jugs for easy use. Label clearly. Use 1/2 cup for top load machines (approx 180 loads) and 1/8 cup for front load machines (approx 360 loads).

5. The approximate cost of supplies:
   
   Box of Borax - $2.50 (this will make 5 batches or 25 gallons)
   Box of Washing Soda - $3.00 (this will make 5 batches or 25 gallons)
   Bar of Fels-Naptha soap - $1.50 (you need one bar for each batch)

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you label all containers clearly and keep out of the reach of children.

[honeypale]

on 10/25/2009 5*'s Great article! Can you make the HE kind for the new washers?

[sbarry77]

on 10/12/2009 Wow great idea! 5*

[sbarry77]

on 10/12/2009 Wow great idea! 5*

[maryanne09]

on 10/9/2009 Great idea for How to Make Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap! 5*'s :o)

[sanderdoe]

on 10/5/2009 If I can find the ingredients I'm going to try this! Great tip! 5*