Homemade Laundry Soap

I have made my own laundry soap awhile back. I think I like the process of doing a project and that is why I liked making the laundry soap. But I did get out of it for awhile because of the process! It isn't time consuming, just takes a few steps. 

With everyone being broke asses due to the price of gas, this laundry soap is very cost effective. It smells delicious, is gentle, better for the environment and easy to make! There are so many homemade cleaning supplies that you can find online. You may already have the ingredient in your house! And if you don't, the ingredient are so cost effective you have them to make multiple laundry soaps and/or cleaning solutions.

Homemade Laundry Soap

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup baking soda
-1/4 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate)
-1/4 cup Borax
-3/4 cup unpacked soap flakes*

*You can use pretty much any soap that you have, but I like using Zote soap. If you live in Indiana you can get this at any grocery store and even big lots.

Tools:

You will need a grater, measuring cups, chopper or butter knife, bowl,  plastic tub with lid, and scoop.

Directions:

1. First you start off by grating the soap into a bowl (I prefer a glass bowl). I have found that the Zote soap tends to be a little more damp than dry when you first take it out of the package. If you let it sit out in the open a day or two and let it dry it, it is so much easier to grate!

I like Zote soap because it is made specifically for laundry and it is larger than normal soap.

The smell is nice too.

This is what your soap will look like after grating. I use the smaller grate size, but there may be some bigger chunks or pieces. This is where the chopper or butter knife comes in. If your soap is too wet let it dry a bit and then chop, it will be much easier. After chopping I let my soap flakes dry out more on top of my fridge (or a place where the kids won't get at it or I won't spill it)  with no cover over the bowl. I just like he flakes drier because they break into smaller pieces and mix better with the next ingredients.

2. Get your plastic tub with the lid and measuring cups ready. Then grab the Borax, washing soda, baking soda and soap flakes.

Now the above recipe calls for a small amount of each of these ingredients. I end up doing one round of adding all of the ingredients to plastic tub and then I keep adding until I do not have anymore soap flakes. You end up using 3 or 4 times the amount of the above recipe. I have not added it all up and made the exact ingredient amounts because I go by how much soap I have grated up. Plus, this just works for me and I stick with it!

3. Once it is all mixed I put the lid on and shake up the mixture or if your tub is large enough you can mix it with a spoon. Ends up looking like this:

I used a 1/4 cup measuring spoon, that I was actually going to take to Goodwill, for scooping.

I use one scoop in my laundry and that's it! It will not suds up like a "traditional" laundry detergent, but that does not mean it isn't working. The suds in your "traditional" laundry soap are just chemicals added for visual effects anyways!

I have also gone to using vinegar as a fabric softener. So cost effective and it really does make my clothes really soft!

Hope you try this out! If you do, let me know!