LAUNDRY DETERGENT 2.0:
½ cup bar soap grated (I have used Fels Naptha, but it’s still store bought soap with potential cruddy stuffs in it, now I use my own bar soap that I make so that I know exactly what’s in it, If using homemade soap or castile soap I tend to use a whole bar to get the same gelling effect)
½ cup washing soda
½ cup borax powder
~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~
Two one gallon jugs to put your detergent in, or a bucket with a lid. ( I use old Arizona Tea Jugs they work great!)
*** Video Coming Soon***
Put about 6 cups of water on to boil, add the grated soap, and washing soda and borax to the water, Stir continually this mixer will begin to foam, just keep stirring by the time the soap and powders dissolve I pour this in to the bucket of one gallon HOT water and then Stir until well mixed it starts to thicken just a little, I then add 6 Cups of cold water, stir vigorously.
Pour in to the bucket, it will gel up as it cools, after it cools for a few hours I blend it with a stick blender until smooth, I then let it sit overnight and blend again in the AM. At this point it should be just pour-able so pour into jugs, you use about 1/4 to 1/3 cups per load.
I also add Essential oils depending on what’s going on at the time in my family, for normal every day I add 5-10mls of Lavender and the same of Tea tree oil to each gallon, If it’s cold & flu season I add 5-10mls of eucalyptus to each gallon as well. Another option would be to add a Thieves oil blend 10-15mls to it for that extra cleaning factor.
**Side Notes about the soap**
~The finished soap will not be a totally smooth gel, but it is pretty close, I still have to give it a shake before I pour it in the washer most of the time, because it still settles a bit.
~The soap is low sudsing soap. Which means it’s totally ok to use in Frontload/HE waters that require low sudsing soap, and really it’s not the bubbles that clean your clothes that is only true of washing skin ;)
It works great and even our gym clothes smell good once they are out of the wash, I also add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the wash and rinse cycles :) Perfectly clean and no gross detergent leftovers and I wear A LOT of black so I would know .