Making laundry soap...yes, you read that correctly!

I have a fascination with large families. I love to watch Jon and Kate Plus 8 (Though I do think Kate can be a bit over the top.) and 17 Kids and Counting (the Duggar family from Arkansas), which are both on TLC. Some of the most valuable info I get from these shows has to do with how they save money and provide for their LARGE families. The Duggars do about 5 loads of laundry a day, and they make their own laundry soap. It saves them hundreds of dollars each year. I looked up their recipie and decided to give it a try. I bought the three ingredients for about $8, two of which will last me for YEARS, and the girls and I made soap in the kitchen this morning. I do about 15 loads of laundry a week, and I typically buy a container of laundry soap (128 loads) every 2-3 months at Costco (cost: $22). The homemade laundry soap will last for approximately 640 loads, and I'll probably be using it now for about a year (providing that it works!). I can save about $100.

We are grating the Fels-Naptha soap into a saucepan that has 4 c. of hot water in it. (My mandoline will never be the same! Next time I'll use an old cheese grater.)

Lily is stirring the soap. This process takes about 20 minutes, and in order for the soap to melt, you do have to stir constantly. Good thing I have my little helper.

The girls stop here for a short wrestling match, right in the middle of my work space.

Here's the finished product. It sits in a covered 5 gallon bucket in my storage room. I am going to try it tomorrow on Charlie's dairy clothes.

Here's the recipie:

4 c. hot water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 c. Washing soda (I had to get this and the Fels-Naptha bar at Winco. Check smaller, local supermarkets if you can't find it right away.)
1/2 c. Borax

Grate the bar of soap and add to a pan with the water. Stir constantly 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 everything is disolved. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover, and let it sit overnight.

Stir the soap and fill a used, clean laundry soap dispenser half full with soap, then fill the rest of the way with water. Shake before each use. It will gel a bit.

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add this once soap has cooled. Suggestions: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Top load machine: 5/8 c. per load (approx. 180 loads)
Front load machine: 1/4 c. per load (approx. 640 loads)