There are many recipes available online, but this is the one I use. I was VERY skeptical at first, but I wouldn't go back to regular laundry soap now.
Ingredients:
1 bar Fels-Naptha, Zote, or Ivory soap (I prefer the Fels-Naptha, but I've used Ivory, too.)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT BAKING SODA)
1/2 cup blue DAWN liquid dish soap (optional, but I ALWAYS use it)
I buy all the ingredients at Walmart or Winco.
Supplies:
1 stock pot (like for a big pot of soup)
1 5-gallon bucket
6 100 oz laundry soap bottles (I saved my old ones for a month before I made my first batch.)
Instructions: (THIS ONLY TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES TOTAL)
1.) Use a cheese shredder and shred the bar of soap into the stock pot.
2.) Add HOT water to the pot to fill it half-way.
3.) Heat the soap/water mixture on MEDIUM HEAT until the soap melts. Stir it every few minutes. This usually takes about 10 minutes or so.
4.) Once the soap is melted, add 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of Washing Soda, and 1/2 cup of Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Continue stirring it all together for a few minutes over medium heat until everything is dissolved.
5.) Pour the pot of soap into the 5-gallon bucket and add hot water to the 5-gallon line (or just below the top if you're using an "exactly 5-gallon" bucket).
6.) Let it cool for a couple of hours. Maybe stir it once or twice, if you're around the house while it's cooling. I often leave it for the day.
7.) When it is cool, stir it once, and then USE A FUNNEL AND A PITCHER to fill the 6 containers with the soap. I usually have a family member hold the funnel over the container in the kitchen sink while I fill it. This part can be a little messy, but it takes all of about 10 minutes to do.
8.) Wipe the containers off and store them somewhere until you need them. Use about 1/2 cup of soap (one capful, generally) per load.
TIPS:
1.) Put two marbles in each of the containers with the soap, and shake the bottle a little before you use it each time. The soap can "gel" sometimes. If it's "clumpy," that's okay, just shake it up. It works the same.
2.) Add a few drops of essential oils before you put it in the containers, and you can have whatever lovely smell you prefer. This adds to the cost, though.
3.) Use vinegar instead of fabric softener. It works just as well, removes odors, cleans your washing machine, and won't clog your pipes. Oh, and it's a LOT cheaper!
Ingredients:
1 bar Fels-Naptha, Zote, or Ivory soap (I prefer the Fels-Naptha, but I've used Ivory, too.)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT BAKING SODA)
1/2 cup blue DAWN liquid dish soap (optional, but I ALWAYS use it)
I buy all the ingredients at Walmart or Winco.
Supplies:
1 stock pot (like for a big pot of soup)
1 5-gallon bucket
6 100 oz laundry soap bottles (I saved my old ones for a month before I made my first batch.)
Instructions: (THIS ONLY TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES TOTAL)
1.) Use a cheese shredder and shred the bar of soap into the stock pot.
2.) Add HOT water to the pot to fill it half-way.
3.) Heat the soap/water mixture on MEDIUM HEAT until the soap melts. Stir it every few minutes. This usually takes about 10 minutes or so.
4.) Once the soap is melted, add 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of Washing Soda, and 1/2 cup of Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Continue stirring it all together for a few minutes over medium heat until everything is dissolved.
5.) Pour the pot of soap into the 5-gallon bucket and add hot water to the 5-gallon line (or just below the top if you're using an "exactly 5-gallon" bucket).
6.) Let it cool for a couple of hours. Maybe stir it once or twice, if you're around the house while it's cooling. I often leave it for the day.
7.) When it is cool, stir it once, and then USE A FUNNEL AND A PITCHER to fill the 6 containers with the soap. I usually have a family member hold the funnel over the container in the kitchen sink while I fill it. This part can be a little messy, but it takes all of about 10 minutes to do.
8.) Wipe the containers off and store them somewhere until you need them. Use about 1/2 cup of soap (one capful, generally) per load.
TIPS:
1.) Put two marbles in each of the containers with the soap, and shake the bottle a little before you use it each time. The soap can "gel" sometimes. If it's "clumpy," that's okay, just shake it up. It works the same.
2.) Add a few drops of essential oils before you put it in the containers, and you can have whatever lovely smell you prefer. This adds to the cost, though.
3.) Use vinegar instead of fabric softener. It works just as well, removes odors, cleans your washing machine, and won't clog your pipes. Oh, and it's a LOT cheaper!
MAKE SURE AND VISIT Tobee's Blogs! 
with an average cost, provided you purchased the whole chicken on sale for $.99 a pound, based on a 3 lb chicken costing approx. $1.25 per meal per person!
Comment