Never in a million years, did I ever think I'd be making my own laundry soap! With all the modern conveniences out there today, it seems like a step backwards. It is indeed a step back in time, but a good one! When I told my 84 year old mother what I was doing, she asked what I was using to make the soap. I gave her the ingredients and she laughed and said, "That's the same way your grandmother made laundry soap!" If it was good enough for my grandmother, (almost 100 years ago) then it's good enough for me! Not to mention the fact that using this detergent ends up costing only $.05 a load!
(Some things were better left alone!)
Find the ingredients at your local grocery store.
Grate the Fels-Naptha, mix it up with the other ingredients, and fill up some mason jars.
You want to put the soap in airtight containers to keep the humidity out.
Make a fun little tag holding simple directions, and tie it up with a spoon.
Here is the recipe in case you'd like to make a batch! I walked into our local grocery store and expected to have a hard time finding these, but they were ALL in stock! The supplies pictured below will last a long, long time!
2 cups Fels Naptha soap - finely grated
1 cup washing soda
1 cup Borax
essential oils (I have read that you can add this to the recipe if you'd like
to have scented laundry soap. I haven't tried that yet.)
Mix well and store in an airtight container.
Use 2 teaspoons per load.
Do you have any idea how this works in the new high efficiency machines? I would love to try it, but would hate to mess us a new machine. It seems that the old (sudsy) liquid and powder detergents can't be used as they mess up the pump.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea but have the same question as Lindy. I'm wondering if you would just need to put this directly in the washer instead of in the detergent bin? That's how I do oxyclean if I add that to a load.
ReplyDeleteOk, just found this person's blog post and she was looking for a low-suds version for a HE washer. Her recipe is exactly like yours! so, it sounds like this would be safe for HE washers. http://condo-blues.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-make-powdered-high-efficiency.html
ReplyDeleteI have been using this laundry soap recipe for about three months now in my brand new high efficiency washer - it is amazing! I love the clean scent and our clothes have never been cleaner. I was amazed (I'm 62 and have done lots of laundry in my life!). The commercial products are detergents rather than soaps, so they leave residues, but not this "recipe" :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have already tried it by now.