I Make it Myself Guest Blog: Laundry Soap

I would like to introduce you to my friend Sandy Gaboury.  Sandy and I go way back.....

Sandy Gaboury here...you can read about me in my profile on the right side of the blog page.  Recently, Amy and I decided to guest blog and share some of our ideas on each other's pages.  It makes sense.  Amy and I have a lot in common, in many ways...we both blog, we have kids (although I also have grandkids!), we love Jesus, and we do a lot of things ourselves.  We learned to make soap together, and enjoy swapping soap ideas and sometimes materials.  I am enjoying Amy's series "I Make it Myself" because it is a great how-to for folks who are just getting started or who need some encouragement to try new things...like baking bread and making mayonnaise.  For me, making soap and my own deodorant turned into a home business, but that is a topic for another blog!  In this entry, I will show you how to make liquid laundry detergent.  The packages you see in the pictures are from my home business, as I have a pre-measured kit (here) but the recipe in this blog is exactly the same as the one I sell.  So...you will be learning my "secret" which is not really a secret!  Enjoy...and let me know if you try it.

Make-Your-Own Laundry Detergent...

Step by Step

Commercial laundry detergent is expensive.  And has a LOT of chemicals.  
As one of those "crunchy-granola-people" I like the idea of an all natural laundry detergent that WORKS. There are a few options for those who are looking for natural laundry detergent. 

Soap nuts are an organic alternative--you use them with hot water, smallish loads, and use a separate stain remover.  On the plus side, they are extremely gentle and totally organic, and the best for the earth as no chemicals enter the waste stream from their use.  They are also reusable, so they are very cost effective.

A mixture of Borax, Washing Soda, Baking Soda, and Soap is natural because it uses oils and minerals (the minerals make it not strictly organic but they are from the earth), and works well because the ingredients react with water and fabric to remove dirt and some stains.  One recipe (the recipe used here) consists of 1/2 cup Borax, 1/2 cup Washing Soda, 1/4 cup Baking Soda, and 1/2 cup shredded soap.  Always use soap with organic oils, no synthetic fragrances, and food grade lye.  That way you know you have the purest, gentlest soap possible.

Shepherd's Harvest makes a laundry kit with all of the ingredients pre-measured (see it here).  The reason I decided to make the kit was that there were so many people who wanted to make their own, but Borax and Washing Soda come in huge boxes...they cake after a while.  There is a commitment to purchasing huge amounts, and what if you don't like the result?  Also, it is nice to have a little natural fragrance, but really expensive to purchase essential oils.  And what about set-in stains?  A stain stick would be nice... So the laundry kit has everything pre-measured, with some essential oil for fragrance, and a stain stick.

If you want to make your own, go for it!  Use the recipe above, and mix the powdered ingredients together before you begin.  Here is the how-to:

You will need:
Bucket that holds more than 2 gallons of liquid
Large pan
Measuring Cup
Hot Water

Pour soup shavings into a pan.

 

Boil 6 cups of water and pour over the soap shavings.  
 

  

Heat on low setting, stirring occasionally, until soap is melted.  

Add the powdered ingredients and stir until all ingredients are dissolved. 

Pour 4 Cups very hot water into bucket, then Add soap mixture and stir.  If you have a large enough pot, you can just add the water to the pot and bring it to a low boil.  This will ensure a good gel.  (My pot was not quite large enough for all the water.)

 Add 1 Gallon plus 6 cups very hot water and allow to sit overnight.  The mixture will be thick and gel-like, and may be used as it is, or you may add additional water if desired.  Shake well before using, and use the same amount you normally use of non-concentrated detergent.

 

 

After the detergent gels, you can either leave it in the bucket (you will want to cover it) or you can fill old detergent bottles with the liquid.  The detergent will be brownish with a gloppy "wonton soup" consistency.  Always stir or shake it before using, and use the same amount that you would use of a non-concentrated detergent.

Have you ever made your own detergent?  What was your experience, and how well did it work?