This is a side step from the normal food I have on my blog...but a fun step none the less. Today at 9:45 on Fox 10 I'll be sharing a way to cut your laundry bill in half (or less) using homemade laundry soap! It takes literally minutes to make and is something that tons of my dear friends have been using for years! In fact when I mentioned it on Facebook a ton of them commented and offered their wonderful recipes for perfect homemade laundry soap that they've used for years. True confession...this is a "so I put it to the test" kind of segment. I made it for the first time yesterday. I tried a couple different soaps as the base...but I have to confess...I'm freaking impressed! It cleaned, it removed odor...it was totally inexpensive! Will I be making it all the time...probably yes! Why has it taken me so long to try this...especially after years of my friends telling me that I needed to? I have no idea. I was perhaps a little skeptical. There...I said it. I didn't think it would really be that great. I stand horribly corrected...and gloriously relieved! Thank you ladies for the amazing insights! Sally, Bobbi, Christine, Beth, and Colby especially for the great insights yesterday! Your feedback has been most epic helpful! Angela Paskett, writer of Food Storage and Survival.com first opened my eyes to this idea back in September of '09...Yup...and I was a chicken. So thank you Angela (even though it took me so long to jump on this)...I used Angela's recipe here today and I am very excited to share it! The base ingredients cost me right around 5$ and for the most part I will only need to get the bars like this...for the next 300 loads...
What do you use? These Basic natural ingredient and a cheese grater.
You will need: 1 bar Fels Naptha or Zote soap 1/2 cup Borax natural laundry boost (about 3$ a box but it will last a long time) 1/2 cup WASHING soda Natural essential oils for scent if desired (totally optional) A word on the washing soda from all of the ladies: Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate while washing soda is sodium carbonate
Directions. With an old cheese grater, fine shred the bar of zote or Fels Naptha. I used both brands yesterday in two different batches. The Fels Naptha has a nice light lemon scent to it. The Zote is a little more perfume. I hear tell that there are organic soaps for this without scents. My friend Colby uses just uses grated non scented dr bronners soap for the non scented version and has for a few years.
You want a fine grate. Some even go so far as to use their food processor. I just did it by hand. It took about 3 minutes.
Combine with the powders and essential oils...This is the Zote base.
This is the Fels Naptha...
I added 10-15 drops of lemon, orange, rosemary and oregano essential oils to the soap. Then to make it cute put the portions of the soap in baggies inside a plastic Chinese take out box.
The remainder I put in this 32 oz plastic container. It will do about 30 loads.
The Zote took on the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla really well...so I used them for laundry soap too. Shoot me. I'm a chef. I wanted some of my towels to smell like a sugar cookie. I dolled up the labels...
The only complaint I did hear was that sometimes if you didn't use enough of the soap or use essential oils that there was some issues with odor (see my notes on Beth's recipe below for odor issues). On whites use a little oxy-clean and it will boost the whitening power of the detergent. There you go. If you want details on how to make homemade liquid laundry soap go see my friend Sally's blog here . Bobbi Jo shared her recipe for the liquid with me and it's the same one. So thank you ladies! So awesome! Another helpful article on this liquid soap (using regular soap) with cost break downs I found here. My friend Beth has a different recipe that she says works perfectly and has used it for a few years now...and to quote her exact words, " Odor? Not a chance! I've got 2 football players & 1 in marching band w/ 2+hr daily practices (& it's HUMID here in the South). My laundry's NEVER been so fresh" Here's her recipe in her own words: "I've done liquid and powdered versions - MUCH perfer the powder since it's not messy. I use Fels Naptha, I think it's better at stain removal. The recipe I like is 6 c. Borax, 6 scoops oxy-stuff, 2 small boxes Baking Soda (or about 4 c.), 4 c. Washing Soda, 1 bar Fels-Naptha soap (grated). Mix together and it lasts for a REALLY long time. I use 1/8 c. per load. To prevent build up of the powdered ingredients, I also use vinegar (about a 1/2 c) in a fabric softener ball for the rinse cycle. The vinegar is a GREAT fabric softener in addition to keeping the machine clean. For whites, I use Mrs. Stewart's bluing. "
Thank you again all my wonderful Urban homesteading women who make laundry soap! You're so inspiring and frugal...and awesome!!
On Fox I will also be sharing homemade natural toothpaste! I'll add the details for that recipe later today.
Your Friend,
Chef Tess
2 comments:
Is the homeade laundry soap safe to use in High Efficiency front-load machines?
I have been using it in my LG front loader for about 2 years with no problems. I use 1T-2T per load depending on size and how dirty the clothes are.
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