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I’ve been making homemade laundry soap off and on for about 18 years now. I don’t always make my own laundry soap, but when I do this is my favorite recipe. I buy laundry soap when it is on sale and when I can use a coupon on top of the sale. I rarely pay more than $2 a bottle when I do buy it.

This recipe makes 5 Gallons, it’s really easy to make and use. You can cut the recipe in half if you don’t want to make so much. 

Homemade Laundry Soap

What you need:

• • • • Large Saucepan – 4 cups boiling water
      • Cheese grater or food processor
      • 1 Bar Fels-Naptha soap or approx. 5 oz. Zote Soap, Castile, or Ivory Soap
      • 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super washing soda
      • 1 cup Borax
      • 5-gallon bucket / Hot Water

    • INSTRUCTIONS

      -Heat 4 cups of water until boiling.
      -While the water is heating grate your preferred bar soap ( use a cheese grater or food processor) and add to the boiling water. Stir continuously over medium/low heat until the soap dissolves and is melted. I have used both Fels-Naptha and the white Zote soap, and they both work really well. The Zote soap is softer, easier to cut, and melts faster in boiling water. You can also purchase the Zote soap in the flakes so you don’t have to grate it.
      -Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, washing soda, and borax, and stir well until all powder is dissolved. Stir in the hot melted soap mixture.
      -Fill the bucket the rest of the way with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
      -The next day it should be lumpy with a partial gel-like consistency, stir well. The finished soap will not be a solid gel. It will be more of a watery gel.

    • 
      You can add a few drops of essential oil for scent if you like. Another option is to add 1 cup of Oxi-Clean as a cleaning booster.
      Fill old laundry detergent containers, clean milk jugs, or whatever empty containers you prefer.
      -Shake well before each use. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cups per load. Safe for HE Machines, The requirement for HE machines is that it is a low sudsing which this is. If you have hard water you may want to add white vinegar to your rinse cycle, just add 1/4 cup to your softener cup. 

      

      Print Recipe

      Homemade Laundry Soap

      Ingredients

      • 4 cups boiling water
      • 1 Bar Fels-Naptha soap or approx. 5 oz. Zote Soap, Castile, or Ivory Soap
      • 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super washing soda
      • 1 cup Borax
      • 5-gallon bucket / Hot Water
      • essential oil for scent (optional)

      Instructions

      • Heat 4 cups of water until boiling.
      • While the water is heating Grate your Preferred bar soap ( use a cheese grater or food processor) and add to the boiling water. Stir continuously over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
      • Fill your 5-gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, add washing soda, and borax, stir, add melted soap mixture, and stir well until all powder is dissolved.
      • Fill the bucket the rest of the way to the top with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
      • The next day it should be lumpy with a partial gel-like consistency, Stir well and fill old laundry detergent containers, cleaned milk jugs, or whatever empty containers you prefer. You can add a few drops of essential oil for scent if you like.
      • Shake well before each use. Use approx. 1/4 cup per load. If you have hard water you may want to add 1/4 cup white vinegar to your rinse cycle.