Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Homemade Laundry Soap

I've been making my own powdered laundry soap for almost a year now. I happened across a blog (I don't remember which one at this point) that had a recipe for homemade liquid laundry soap. It sounded like a good idea to me because my son has very sensitive skin, I like the idea of knowing the ingredients in the products I use and gosh dang it, it's really cheap and I'm super frugal. The recipe for the liquid version was a little too involved for me so I searched around and found a recipe for powdered laundry soap. It's very simple and quick to make.

UPDATE: I have switched to a new, easier recipe that I found on Pinterest (oh how I love Pinterest)
You can find the new recipe here:
http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2013/02/no-grate-no-cook-liquid-laundry.html
I have been using it for about a year now, it's fabulous!

Here is how I ~used~ to make it:
2 4.5oz bars Ivory Soap
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (Not baking soda)
1 Cup 20 Mule Team Borax

First Grate the 2 bars of Ivory into a bowl, the smaller side of the grater works best since we are trying to make a powder. Some people use Ivory flakes but I haven't tried it.

Break up the grated soap a little more squishing it through your fingers, we want it to be as small as possible.

Then add in the Borax and Washing soda and stir stir stir.

For a normal size load add 1 tablespoon of soap, more for larger loads less for smaller. This amount does about 45 normal size loads.

Thats it, easy peasy.


Side notes:
~You can use other soaps, but from what I've read you need to be careful of the oil content, you don't want to add a bunch of oils to your laundry soap.
~I usually wear some kind of face cover when I'm making a batch because it makes me sneezy and it cant be good to be inhaling a bunch of it.
~This is where I found my recipe---> http://diynatural.com, they also did the math on the price difference. $$$
~When I buy my bars of Ivory I open them up before I store them, so when I get around to grating them they are a bit more dry and that makes it easier.
~This does not suds up in your washer, suds do not = clean.
.

4 comments:

Jaime Haney said...

Hi Lynn! I'm so glad you're back in the land of posting!! This is a fabulous "How To" post with great pictures and I've thought of making my own soap in the past. You've spurred me on. I am super frugal too, always clipping coupons. I just bought detergent last night from Walmart and it was 4.97 for only 32 loads! You make it look easy and make it sound worth while. I wonder if you could add fragrance? I have a few of those blue containers too, my grandma used to come home from the hospital with them. That was a flashback. ;)

Thanks for the tutorial!
Jaime

Anonymous said...

Alright! Thanks for that recipe- I like to be tight with money and also know what is in it. Probable wont stain or new linen sheets like the last commercial detergent did- grrrrrr!

Sidereal Day said...

Jamie: Ya, I have read that you can add fragrance but I haven't tried it yet, maybe some lavender would be nice, something that compliments the ivory soap smell.

Don: Your welcome! I will not be held responsible for any stains on your new linen sheets =)

Anonymous said...

Bought the ingredients today- washing here I come!