{Recipe of the Week}

Homemade Laundry Soap

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap (which we could not find at Wal-Mart, but the smaller chains like Price Cutter carry it) but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. Washing Soda and Borax (the Borax also was found at Price Cutter) can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap - Front or top load machine- best value
4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax
- 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 kind of like egg drop soup)
-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)

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax
-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients.
For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons.
Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

Inexpensive Fabric Softener Recipes
1 Cup White Vinegar
Add vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Sets colors to prevent fading. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half
Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

Recipe Courtesy Morgan Mangum