I think my sister and I are channeling Laura Ingalls these days.
We totally made our own clothes soap.
It was really cheap. Under $7 and this will last forever!
You can totally do this too, it’s super easy.
To make about 4 mason jars full you will need:
6 cups Borax
4 cups baking soda
4 cups washing soda
4 cups Fels-Naptha bar soap (almost 2 bars)
~
UPDATE: This is totally your decision, but some new studies are showing that Borax powder fumes may cause reproductive harm in men. You may try adding more baking and washing soda instead of the Borax and see how you like the results. Another commenter made her’s into a liquid, which would cut out the fumes of the Borax:
“I have made as a liquid. I grate one bar of soap, melt in a pot of water (even let it boil for just a second, but not bubble over!) Add 1c borax, 1c washing soda, mix, make sure it’s all incorporated, and put in three different gallon containers. Add water to top and shake hard. Use around 1c per load”-Melissa
Grate the bar soap, I have read that you can use Dove or some other soap if you can’t find this particular one.
But I will say…
I live in the city.
The C.I.T.Y.
No chickens. No cows.
And my Publix sold all this stuff.
Now put it all in a bowl and mix it really well.
Also, you should know, this is very powdery and was starting to go everywhere.
Up our nose, in our mouth.
Just sayin. Try to mix carefully.
Now put it in jars or an air-tight container.
Done.
You will need 2 tablespoons per load.
OK, here’s the deal on the HE washing machines.
HE washing machines need special soap that is low-sudsing.
And this is, so you really should be fine.
It’s totally safe in mine and my sisters.
Also the Duggars have a recipe that’s similar and they use it in HE. So there ya go.
You can make a sweet tag if you want to give as a gift.
I used cotton butcher twine to attach a clothes pin.
Then added a homemade tag that you can download here.
(Thanks Graphics Fairy for the label border)
I thought later that I should have included instructions on how much to use.
I think it would be cute to write it on the clothes pin.
Or you could attach another tag.
Happy Little House on the Prairie!
And happy saving a lot of money.
:)
I am linking to Saturday Night Special!
PS…want about 50 tips and tricks for this recipe?
The comments are worth a read:)
oh and also…
I really really want to respond to every single amazing comment. But truth is…it’s getting really hard!
So know that I love you and I love that you are here and visited my blog and took time out of your day to comment:)
Christine
I will try this recipe. I currently make liquid very similar. When making the liquid I put the fels napath in my food processor with a little bit of cornstarch to prevent it sticking together. Melt the soap down add my ingredients and use my hand mixer to get it good and smooth. I keep it in a 5 gallon covered pail in my laundry room. I also put glycerin in it. I actually use about two of the glycerin suppositories and melt it down with the soap. It acts to help soften the clothes. Thank you for the powder recipe I have been wanting to make some of this!
Instead of cornstarch use 1 c of Borax with the grated soap ( commonly called soap flakes) in your blender to cut down on clumping.
I have found that if you leave the bar of Fels-naptha out and unwrapped for a few days or so, the bar dries out nicely. This helps to avoid sticking and clumping when putting it in your food processor or blender.
I have been looking for washing soda for a while with no luck. I decided to go to Google and figure out what was so special about it and it is simple to turn regular baking soda into washing soda!
The difference between baking soda and washing soda is water and carbon dioxide. Baking soda’s chemical makeup is NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). Washing soda’s chemical makeup is Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it releases steam and carbon dioxide, leaving you with… washing soda!
The process is really simple. Just heat your oven to 400 F (or 200 C), sprinkle some baking soda on a shallow pan, and bake it for about half hour, until it changes composition. You should also stir it up occasionally, just so that it bakes more evenly.
How do you know when it changes into washing soda? Baking soda is powdery, crystallized like salt, and clumps together. Washing soda is grainy, dull and opaque, and is separate grains. Once you know the differences between the 2 sodas, you’ll be able to tell in no time.
Jaime,
You are fantastic. Thank you for sharing your research!
Bridget
Awesome!!! This really will help me to make the washing soda. I live in Mexico and I’ve been having a hard time finding washing soda. I was trying to find a recipe that does not include it but I’ve had no luck. So thank you for the tip!
Washing Soda is sold at Walmart in laundry isle .
Hi I just love the idea of home made laundry soap, your Jar is so cute and would make great gifts too, thanks for sharing your idea, I was guided to your site via Bloglovin Kindest Regards Marie
The Borax now has a warning on it, you should wear a mask when you’re handling it.
There are two different types of borax. This one you do not have to wear a mask, however I wouldn’t want it up my nose.
http://pinterest.com/pin/79727855876774811/
at the end of that video it will explain it all.
I don’t think you should put ANYTHING that’s going on or in your body (such as “clean” clothes with something that requires you to wear a mask in order to handle it. May I suggest adding 3 cups OxyClean, plus 1.5 additional cups of both the washing & baking soda. Safer; just as clean.
If you microwave the soap for about 15 seconds it softens slightly and makes it a lot easier to grate as well.
So only 2T per load? Does it matter hot or cold wash? And is this a stand alone detergent or must it be used with existing detergent?
Hello!
Yes 2T, nope doesn’t matter, yes it’s stand-alone (hooray!!)
Hope you enjoy it!
Christine
Hi Christine… Love your webpage and info… I have made my own laundry detergent and it works wonderfully…BUT I do NOT use the soap and all the grating and cooking mess!! here is one that is easier and cheaper (since there is no soap to buy)~! I never use fabric softener with this either!!
karen
3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap
Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Let liquid cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.
I love this because you can pick an awesome scent with the Dawn dish soap. This dish soap works the best because it gets grease out. :o) I use about 1/2 to one cup per load… so cheap!!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I prefer liquid detergent, but all other recipes made 9 gallons or more! Idk where I would get the jugs or the storage space.
Hey guys I have used cat liter jugs to put both dry and liquid soap in. If you don’t have a cat run a ad on Facebook for them and the fact you want to recycle them. Pay or free some one will text u back!! ;-) I go through 6 a month because my cat is so picky and has to have clean liter. So I always have them. I hate to send them to the land field, So I also Send what people don’t get to the Recycling center. ;-) They have a built-in handle and most are see thru. Thank You Tidy Cat!!
Can I use Gain dish soap instead of dawn due to allergies?
I would suggest that if you’re going to use cold water, you should begin to fill the empty washer with water, add the laundry soap and let the tub fill up while sorting or spot treating the load. After the washer is full and begins to agitate, add the clothes. I find this works better for both cold and hot water because it allows the soap (I did this when I was still using regular detergents, also) to be distributed through the water instead of just on top of the clothes. I’ve been using this soap for several months and love it. I have given the recipe to several friends who now love it and will never switch back to regular detergents. I have had no problems with the borax…in fact, I drink 1/8 tsp in a liter of water every day (throughout the day). It has many beneficial qualities. Borax is a form of boron, which is vital for health and no longer as available in our food as it once was due to chemical fertilizers, etc. Borax is just boron in powdered form. It probably isn’t all that healthy to breathe in a lot of it, but it isn’t dangerous. I wouldn’t want to breathe in a lot of anything but clean air and clean water vapor!
I grate the soap, let it dry out in an open container for a week or so, then whirl it around in a food processors until it’s very fine. I used the liquid recipe for years and only switched to the powder because it was easier to make and takes up less space.
I’m sorry…you don’t want to breathe it in, but you’ll drink it?!
Powiązane strony www kajaki wda czarna woda http://pinterest.
com/splywy/pins/
is this safe for babies ???
Substitute a castile bar soap (such as Dr Bronner or Kirk brands) for the more chemical laden Fels-Naptha and you are good to go. As with all detergents, don’t let baby play in it.
I believe this version (using castile soap) is safer than most detergents, including those formulated for baby clothes.
My daughter began getting rashes from our store bought detergents and when I switched to this, her rash cleared up. Had to wash ALL her clothes, sheets, towel, etc. in this to get rid of traces of the old soaps but it was well worth it. This is much more economical, too. This is the only laundry detergent we use now and everything is coming out really clean.
my child uses it. He is 7 months old and has a really bad reactions to a lot of different types of soaps
I use my food processor to grate. I do one bar at a time. Then I whir the grated soap with a cup of the baking soda to make it fine. I’ll layer the ingredients in my bucket and give it a good stir to mix it all up. Works great!
Being the nice mom and listening to my daughter whine about not making it because she couldn’t grate the soap, in her care package, I sent her grated soap. She laughed.
I have a kitchen aid and had the shredding attachments, I ran two bars through twice in under ten minutes.
I’ve been making my own laundry soap, fabric softener, and dishwashing soap for years. Dishwashing soap (for automatic dishwashers) is almost the same as laundry soap. I use 1 cup washing powder, 1 cup borax, a small amount of grated bar soap and two pkgs of lemon kool-aid (non-sweetened). That makes a jar that lasts a long while. I use about a tablespoon in each of the two dispensers in my washer door. I use vinegar in the dispenser for spot free glasses. This does a great job, is less gummy buildup to my washer, and gets the glass-ware spotless. Try it. It’s much cheaper than the products in the market. Although I use liquid form for laundry I use the powder form for dishes as it does better in my automatic dispenser in the dishwasher.
I wonder if it has a smell to it or how do you get it to smell like tideor gain laundry detergents
I add something like Unstoppables into the mixture and use pink Zote rather than the Fels-Naptha bar soap. I also add some form of Oxy cleaner to mine… whatever I find the cheapest and/or have coupons for.
I was curious if you ever thought of changing the structure of
your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say.
But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better.
Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or 2 pictures.
Maybe you could space it out better?
Hi there to all, how is everything, I think every one is getting more from this website, and your views are pleasant for new visitors.
I still believe that the best washing tool is liquid. Just because it doesn’t leave any spots and you need much less of that washer! For example I always buy only this one- skysti skalbikliai Fine , just because of the low price, high quality and ecology. In my opinion there is no better washing fluid than this one! And no one home made cleaner will not replace this one
I just halfed the recipe and did it all in the Ninja blender. Took 5 mintes!
Was wondering if anyone answered Amber Smith’s question on what the smell is like and is there a way to make it smell like tide or gain?
Have made this recipe for several years, the scent is unique, fresh and light. Not strong like commercial detergent. Does a super job on clothes, especially fine for lingerie and delicates. After blending all of the ingredients, process in a food processor for a finer mix. Dissolves well in hot or cold water.
I add Downy Unstopables scent pellets: I can choose my own scent and it doesn’t change the composition of the mix (ie., dry to liquid, etc.
I had to quit using this homemade type of detergent a year ago after I found that it was the culprit to my HE washing machine leaking from the drawer and door. I had to keep cleaning both of those in order to fix that. I have since read that it’s best to throw the detergent straight into the HE machine instead. I’m sure that this will be a much better option. Haven’t been brave enough to try that yet though. I can say that the bar soap should be FINELY grated. Not grated cheese grated. (if I made that clear) If you don’t do this, it will NOT thoroughly dissolve in your HE washer, since it does NOT use a lot of water. It took me a year of using my homemade detergent to figure all of this out.
I added 2cups Oxyclean and 1 bottle of fabric softener pellets. I blended everything in the blender to make it fine and we’ll blended. This stuff is Great!
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Really when someone doesn’t understand then its up to other users that they
will help, so here it happens.
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her
ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it
pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally
off topic but I had to tell someone!
I make my own soap. Could I use my own soap to make this?
i make this and love it, my grandkids have sensitive skin and regular detergent breaks them out. My husband, on the other hand, needs more scent killing power. I add more baking soda, some lemon zest and a few drops of essential oil for a stronger scent.
Wow! I live with sons and hubby lol
Does the 2T. DRY OR LIQUID?
Thank you, your gift looks great!
Oh! What’s the shelf life…?
You can eliminate the grating of the bar of soap completely by microwaving it. Put it into a LARGE bowl and microwave (I don’t remember how long, just watch it). It will puff up A LOT. You might have to take it out and take out the puffed up part, put the remainder back in, several times, and continue microwaving until it is all puffed up. Once it cools it just disintegrates into a powder. Much easier than grating.
I wonder, my washing machine water drains into my yard (gray water). It goes into my ditch where I have collected a lot of minnows. I also have some flowers there. I wonder what the effect of borax and washing soda has on this. I know it can’t be as bad as tide or arm and hammer. Thoughts?
Good morning, I found a snippit of your post on Tip Junkie this morning, came right to the source. I love mason jars but even more what you have created;;-) I would love to have you stop by my weekend party to share. I have pinned to my huge Mason Jar board.
On another note, I have made detergent only I did not add water kept it in dry form, I set my washer on small load, I add the dry mix and when washer is filled, I agitate, then change setting to full load, add clothes and wash!! Works great!!
Now I am going to look around a bit more!!
Hope that you will stop by………Have a great weekend!
Karren xoo
Where do you buy and what is washing soda ? Thanks–can’t wait to try
I found washing soda in the laundry detergent isle. Arm & Hammer make a super washing soda that I use in my dishwashing detergent and laundry detergent.
Arm & Hammer washing soda is in the laundry isle your grocery. I don’t use Borax, I use All free and clear laundry booster instead.
Jodi,
Do you have sensitive skin? I wanted to know if the all free and clear instead of borax keeps the skin from getting irritated.
Thanks!
Hi, how many mason jars did this recipe fill? I’m looking to mass-produce this project for my church’s craft day. Thanks :)
I have used other soaps for this. My homemade, and Ivory. I grate the soap and then let it dry out for a day or two before mixing with the other ingredients. You can also add the laundry softener beads to your soap if desired. Or use white vinegar instead of fabric softener.
Washing soda is baking soda that has been heated. Don’t know about borax though.
I use my laundry soap all the time. I do have some liquid, but rarely use it. It’s here for an emergency, in case I run out of my powdered soap.