Liquid Laundry Soap

I posted about my dry laundry soap, now for the one I started with originally.  I remember being very unsure of this when I first made it.  How could I make 5 gallons of laundry soap that would actually clean for under $5.00 when I would pay over $50.00 to buy an equal amount of "loads".  Just like the dry soap, you don't use near as much soap.  I use 1/4 cup (which is actually more than it calls for). 

***Warning, this post has picture overload***

 

So...Let's get started.

You will need (all found in the laundry detergent isle)

 1 bar of fels-Naptha soap

1 cup borax

1 cup arm and hammer washing soda

2 cups baking soda

and a 5 gallon bucket for mixing and storing

 

 

 

You'll start by filling a pot with water and adding a bar of grated fels naptha soap.  *Hint  the smaller you grate the soap the faster it will dissolve.  I use my salad shooter and use the tiny grate. Also, like I mentioned on my dry soap post, I grate a bunch of bars into individual bags to save time on the next batch of soap I make. 

 

 

 

 

While this is dissolving, add all of your powders into a 5 gallon bucket.  I like to use a gamma lid on my bucket (that has a center piece that screws on and off).  They are much easier for things you get into more often. 

 

 

Fill the bucket about 1/4 the way up with hot water and stir so all of the powders dissolve.  Waiting for the cheese soap and powders to dissolve is the most time consuming part.  Once both are dissolved, pour your fels naptha/water mixture into your bucket and stir it up good.

 

 

Next you are going to add hot water to just above 3/4 the bucket and stir good (leaving room to add a liquid soap if desired and to be able to get your arm in mix good without spilling)

 

 

Now you place the lid on and wait for the "soap fairy" to come.  She's kind of slow so give her a good 6-8 hours.

 

 

Open your bucket and ta-da!

 

 

Yes, it's thick.  This is where you have 2 options.  You can either dilute it 1/2 soap and 1/2 water, I don't prefer this method.  It's still kind of clumpy and I'm lazy I have to have 2 buckets or mix it each time I fill my soap dispenser.  So instead, I add 1/2 a container of liquid Tide. 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know why, but adding it changes the entire state of this soap.  It goes from thick and clumpy to liquid - instantly (And I like the smell it adds too)! The bad part of this is that you really need to get it mixed and mashed good and the best way I've found is with my hand.....

 

 

 

I use one of my old spigot laundry soap containers to put the soap in and it works great.  I would use a cute drink dispenser, but it stays in my cupboard and out of sight.  Like I said, I use 1/4 cup of soap per load.  I use my liquid for towels and darks (no oxy clean).  I could use it for everything and just add oxy, but my kids and husband think it's much easier to just add one thing.  I have been going to try to dissolve a container of my favorite Downy Unstopables in my liquid but haven't tried that yet.  I have been know to add some essential oils to add to the smell.  Have I mentioned that CLEAN LAUNDRY IS MY FAVORITE SMELL! Yep even better than homemade bread.....