Stuff I Love- Homemade Laundry Soap

I love to share a good thing.  I'm happy to hear that many of you have tried some of the "stuff I love" and that you are loving it too.  I feel a little like Martha Stewart, sharing her "good things".  And I'm a Martha wanna-be (no snide jokes about prison now).

Today's "stuff I love" is a recipe given me by my friend Lisa.  She mentioned she was making her own laundry soap and that it worked great.  The cost per load- a mere two cents- and the ease of making the recipe were all the incentive I needed to give it a shot.  It has only 3 major ingredients, each found in the laundry soap section of major stores like Super Walmart: Fels Naptha soap, which comes in a bar, washing soda (Arm and Hammer is the most common brand), and Borax.  You'll be amazed how far these three items go to make loads upon loads of fresh, clean laundry!

Homemade Laundry Soap

You will need a bucket or container that can hold at least 2 gallons as that is how much detergent this recipe makes.

1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated or chopped up finely

1 cup washing soda

1 cup Borax powder

Heat grated soap in a a large sauce pan with 6 cups of water until the soap melts.

Add washing soda and Borax and stir until dissolved.

Remove from heat.

Pour 4 cups of hot water into bucket. 

Add soap mixture to bucket and stir.

Add 1 gallon PLUS 6 cups of water to the bucket and stir.

Let the soap sit for 24 hours. It will gel.

Use 1/2 cup per load.

You may also had some drops of essential oils if you would like to add more scent.

I put the soap to the test with some chocolate stained pants of mine and a bib covered in smooshed chocolate.  The results:

After:

The one spot remaining is a stain that has been on the bib for quite a while- ink I think.  I'd say the proof is in the pudding- this stuff works- and I love it!