11.17.2007

The Laundry Soap Experiment

© shoutingforha
A few weeks ago, I decided to try an experiment. I wanted to test the cleaning power of homemade laundry soap vs. the standard detergent you can buy at the store.

I know it sounds completely insane. Why would I waste my time making detergent when I could simply buy a bottle at the store? The answer is simple.

I saw a recipe for laundry soap several months ago and had always wanted to give it a try. After watching the bottle sizes continue to shrink at the store, I decided that it was time for a little experiment.

The laundry soap was surprisingly easy to make. I even added some lavender essential oil to my concoction for a nice fresh scent. I have to tell you that I am thrilled with the results. My clothes have never been so clean or smelled so fresh. I see no reason to go back to the old stuff.

You can increase the amount of washing soda and borax or reduce the amount of water to create a more concentrated detergent. The finished product will have a consistency ranging between egg drop soup and jelly depending on how much water, soda and borax you use. One thing to note... this is a low sudsing soap. The ingredients do all the cleaning, not the suds.

I was also surprised by how inexpensive the soap was to make. According to my calculations, my first batch cost $0.85. What a bargain!

Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated (you can also use Zote)
1/2 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 c. 20 Mule Team Borax
1 tsp. essential oil of your choice
2 gallon container

Put soap and 6 c. water in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and borax, stirring until it is dissolved. Remove from the heat.

Pour 4 c. hot water into the 2 gallon container. Add the soap mixture and the essential oil. Stir to combine. Add 1 gallon + 6 c. water, stirring again to combine. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours to allow it to gel before using.

Use 1/4 - 1/2 c. of the soap per load of laundry.

3 comment(s). Leave yours!:

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

Does that realy work??

Michele B said... Best Blogger Tips

Was it difficult to find the Arm and Hammer soda? Is that a detergent in itself? I would like to try it. thanks for posting how well it works.

shoutingforha said... Best Blogger Tips

You should be able to find the Washing Soda at your local grocery store. I don't think it's a detergent, per say. It is more like a laundry booster. In my store it is located right on the shelf with the Borax in the laundry detergent aisle.

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