DIY Laundry Soap
With the new year and my Budget Challenge in full swing, I am looking for ways to save money, while we still have some laundry soap on the self I don't plan on buying any more. I will be making it! This recipe has been used by every from the Duggars to many other bloggers who do DIY laundry soap! Amazon does sell a Laundry Soap Kit with these ingredients and I have priced it out it is cheaper to buy them separately by about $10!!
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 the 4 cups of 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.
Related: 13 Uses for Zote Soap
How to Use
- Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
- Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
- Works well in traditional or HE machines.
- Low sudsing. It is the ingredients in the soap, not the suds, that does the cleaning.
- Clumping and gelling of the detergent is normal. Stir before putting in dispenser, and shake before each use.
I REMEMBER MY MOM TELLING ME THAT WHEN I WAS LITTLE ( 60 YEARS AGO ) SHE MADE THIS …. AND SOLD IT AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT THOSE STORIES AND NOW SHE IS GONE, SO GLAD TO HAVE FOUND YOUR SITE & THIS RECIPE.
THANKS FOR DOING ALL THE HARD WORK FOR US !
I ade my own castile soap. I used 2 4 oz bars and 8 cups of water. Can I use that instead of Fels Naptha? If so, how much?
I would assume it would also be 1 bar of soap but yes it can be used.
I made the dry version of your laundry soap recipe. How much do you use of the dry laundry soap per load?
Would you share your recipe of her laundry soap only dry? Thank you
I have to use free and clear detergent. Is the fels naptha ok to use or is there an alternative solution
Kim, for sensitive skins, try replacing Fels-Naptha with Ivory bar soap. It will work just as well but won’t irritate the skin.
My husband’s skin is very sensitive. Been using the All free and clear. Is this for sensitive skin as well. Body wash is also hard to find. Was able to use the equate brand from wal Mart but they quit selling it and can’t find it anywhere. Any suggestions?
Ida, for sensitive skins, try replacing Fels-Naptha with Ivory bar soap. It will work just as well but won’t irritate the skin.
Do you know of anything that can be added so the mixture will not jell so that I can use it in a gallon laundry soap dispenser (the kind with push button nozzel)?
I’ve never had it gel on me so I’m not sure. When is it turning to a gel?
It says right in the directions that clumping and gelling is normal so why isn’t yours gelling???
I let it sit overnight to thicken and you just need to mix and shake before each use.
For a while the borax was being used the homemade slime. I’m guessing that ingredient is what causes the thinking/gelling.
I’m just using it in my forst load now. Fingers crossed!!
When you say to. “Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser”
What exactly are you talking about? I have a soap dispenser in the washing machine, but I am sure you do not mean it. I buy my soap ( powder) in a five gallon bucket, surely not that?
Whatever you sue to hold your soap. I use an old bottle of soap if I have one.
I am wondering if I have to add the water to the laundry dispenser. Could I just leave that out and use 1/2 the amount of detergent per load?
Yes you can. My kid won’t remember to do that so I add more water.
How much water did you use when you were melting the soap bar? Part of the 4 cups? Or something else?
The 4 cus of water is used in the pot to melt the soap
Do you just store the extra in the 5 gallon bucket that you mixed it in until you need to refill the soap container?
Yes with the lid that comes with the bucket.
I have a similar recipe that I started making as a liquid laundry soap recipe. Since you don’t use baking soda in your recipe, does it make a better difference in cleaning your laundry?
I’ve never had any problems. The Fels Naptha is a huge help.
She does use baking soda, but it is specifically “Washing Soda” from Arm & Hammer.
Believe Washing Soda is slightly different than Baking Soda. You can convert Baking Soda to Washing Soda by spreading the Baking Soda on a tin sheet and heating in an oven at 400 degrees for an oven for an hour, remove from the oven, stir, re-spread and heat for an additional hour.
My grandma made this. My question is I only have my self to do laundry, how can I make smaller batch, say 5 gal?
I would simply half the recipe. Or you can make the full recipe and store it in old detergent containers.
What do you recommend for storing the soap? Is there a laundry dispenser style you prefer?
I’m so excited to find this, thank you for posting!
An old detergent container is a great choice as it already has a spout. Otherwise, a regular bucket with a lid is a great alternative.