Duggar Laundry detergent

One way we cut down on cleaning supplies is to make them.  Here is one of my favorite, price reducer, recipes.  I invited my friend, Noreen, over to help document the process.  It is really simple to make! The hardest part, in my opinion, is grating the soap into the pan to melt it!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

(Front or top load machine-best value)

Ingredients: 

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar*
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda**
½ Cup Borax

Directions: 

-Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Visit the Fels-Naptha website to find a store in your area that carries the product.
**Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Stirring and stirring and stirring our soap!

This is how the melted soap and water should start to look!  I wish you all could smell my house when I make this....could almost claim that I have been cleaning all day!

transferring to the 5 gal bucket

adding the borax and washing soda

This is how it looks as it sets up overnight.  When they say shake or mix before using, they mean it!

So, Shipley Donuts, sell their almost 5 gal buckets with lids for $1.  This is a great investment if you need to store bulk items...just saying:() This is 5 gal concentrate ready to go and should last me a year and all for a whopping $9!!!