*Homemade Laundry Detergent*

My sister-in-law, Michelle, taught me how to make my very own laundry detergent. It is a recipe she got from the Duggar's book (TLC’s 19 & Counting). I found lots of similar recipes for homemade laundry soap online as well http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/  I have been using this now for 1 month. With the new baby, I do at least 2 loads of laundry a day.
Recipe:
Hot Water
1 cup Washing SODA
½ cup Borax
1 Fels Naptha Bar Soap
*5 Gallon bucket with lid*

Makes approx. 10 gallons of Laundry Soap-depending on how concentrated you want to make it.

Directions:

1. Grate the Fels Naptha bar and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
2. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot water.
3. Add the melted soap, Borax and washing soda. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill the pail up with more hot water.
4. Stir and let it sit OVERNIGHT. Stir again and it is ready to dilute and use. You will smell a scent from the concentrate, but there will be no scent on your clothes.
YOU NOW HAVE A 5 GALLON BUCKET OF CONCENTRATE. The recipe says to dilute it 1 part water to 1 part soap. I like to put it in a smaller [USED] laundry soap container. I dilute about 1 part soap to ½ part water. Play around with it and see what works best for your laundry needs.
*STIR OR SHAKE soap before each use since it will GEL.
Top loading: Use 1 cup per load
Front Loading (HE included): 1/3 cup per load (I fill mine up to MAX line)

The cost for all my supplies was less than $8.00. With the amount of borax & soda used for recipe the cost is under $3.00 for 10 GALLONS of SOAP!!
Our clothes, especially the towels, are so SOFT!! Some recipes say to use Vinegar as a softener, but I still use my Downy, since I like just a little scent : ). But I have even diluted that down to 1 part softener to 1 part water. Look at all the money saved!

I purchased all my supplies in Utah at Macey's in Pleasant Grove. I haven't tried to find here in Southern California, but if anyone knows...please leave a comment.

HaPpY wAsHiNg!