How to Make Homemade Laundry Soap
Knowing how to make homemade laundry soap can save you considerable money, especially when name brand detergents are increasingly more expensive. Making your own detergent can be achieved in under a half hour and done completely in your kitchen.
You will need access to a stove, a large pot for combing ingredients, a large mixing bucket, a grader for grading the soap, and finally, a storage receptacle for your homemade detergent (reusing one of the expensive name brand detergent bottles works nicely).
As for ingredients you will need a box of borax, a bar of pure soap like Fells Naptha or Dove (you are looking for a soap without artificial fragrances and lotions), and washing soda. All of these items are typically found in your grocery store’s laundry isle/cleaning isle.
To start, place a large pot on the stove and combine the following:
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup borax
- ½ cup graded soap
- ½ washing soda
Stir the entire mixture until it is well blended and bring to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Initially the mixture will be very watery, so allow it to cool until it reaches a viscosity similar to honey; this may take several minutes.
In a 3-5 gallon bucket, pour a quart of hot water, and add in your slightly congealed detergent mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed, and add in enough cold water to bring the total volume up to 2 gallons.
Store the mixture in an old laundry detergent bottle with a cap. You want to be able to shake the mixture prior to each use, as the homemade detergent will tend to separate while left standing.
Making your own detergent is an easy way to save a few dollars on your monthly expenditures.
