Make Ten Gallons of Laundry Soap for $1.69

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Make Ten Gallons of Laundry Soap for $1.69

Submitted by: Gale Osborn 06/16/2009 10:17 AM

I started making my own laundry soap for quite some time now. I also make dish soap and cheap fabric softner. Yes, it's VERY good.

I couldn't find Fels-Naptha at my local stores so when we made a trip to SC I found it at Publix Grocery for 99 cents. I bought two cases to bring home. I also found washing soda and borax on sale. Here's my recipe

1 bar Fels-Naptha soap

1 cup Washing Soda

1 cup Borax

grate the bar of soap(I used a food processer) into 4-6 cups hot water and cook over med,

heat until all soap is melted, take off burner and add the soda and borax, stir until dissolved,

place a 5 gallon (a clean paint bucket)into the sink and fill half full with hot tap water, add the soap mixture, rinching the pan.

Stir to mix really good.

Cover and leave until next day.

Next day it will be gelled.(this is the hard part) It has to be stirred really good, It's slimy. I use a paint stirrer that fits on a drill, If you don't have that use a wooden paint stick to get it broken up and then little be little I used my mixer.

Pour into gallon jugs( the kind with screw on tops are best), fill half full and finish with hot water.

Shake really good before each use. I use 1/2 cup for not so dirty and 1 cup for dirty. It cleans wonderful!And you have enough to share.

For fabric softner add a 99cent bottle of hair conditioner to one gallon of white vinegar. I added scent to my soap and fabric softner but you don't have to. It smells really clean.( 6-9 drops essential oils)

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Comments:

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PS forgot to add filling the bucket all the way with hot water after adding the soap mixture,sorry , hope this follows my recipe

Posted by gale osborn on June 16, 2009 2:08 PM

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Just a tip from my personal experience...don't try this recipe with regular soap shreds made from handmade soap bars. It just doesn't work...ask me how I know. Fels-Naptha and Zote soap are the soaps I've used with success, however.

Posted by ZS on June 25, 2009 10:46 PM

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I'm interested in your idea, but I have never heard of Fels-Naptha or Zote soap or Washing Soda.
Batting a thousand here...lol

Help !

Posted by Maddie on June 28, 2009 11:56 AM

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Google the soaps and washing soda and you'll learn what they are,Big Lots sells Zote and IGA sells washing soda and borax. They are natural cleaners that come from the soil. Fels-Naptha and Zote are soaps not detergents. No chemicals.These soaps don't suds and that's great for laundry but I like a little suds for dishes so I added some Dawn but it isn't necessary. I'll never go back to the expensive stuff, I'm hooked on( was told not to say CHEAP!)LOL inexpensive!

Posted by gale osborn on June 28, 2009 6:37 PM

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Hi!
I have been making my own detergent for about a year now! I love it and will never go back but I have now started making just a powder formula. It's easier to make and store, in my opinion and does as good a job. Here's my recipe:

Powdered laundry detergent

1 Cup Grated Soap *
1/2 Cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)
1/2 Cup Borax

Mix together and use 1 Tablespoon per load, 2 Tablespoons if it is a really soilded load.

I use this in a front loading washer and I only use 1/2 a Tablespoon and it works great! Good luck!

Posted by anonymous on July 09, 2009 1:44 PM

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I have been using a fabric softener receipe I found here on Tip hero. 1 bottle of fabric softener (I used Downy the first time and a cheaper store brand this time) I pour the bottle of fabric softener into a 5 gallon bucket then fill the empty bottle twice with water and add to the bucket. Stir and then I put the liquid into 2- 4.5 qt ice cream pails with lids and then I stack them on top of each other inside my empty 5 gallon bucket which sits right next to my washer. (I don't use the 5 gal bucket for the fabric softener because its too hard to get the lid off. I took 4 brand new sponges and cut them in half and I keep them in the pail of fabric softener that I am currently using. You wring out 2-8 pieces of sponge and throw them in the dryer. I started out tossing just 2 of the sponges in the dryer, but I am happier with the smell and the feel of my clothes using 6 sponges. I am also using the home made laundry soap recipe stated here, and am very happy with it except it doesn't remove stains very well. I use Tide mixed with some water in a spray bottle to spray on the stains and that usually works. I think the receipe I am using now only calls for 1/2 a cup of soda and borax, so maybe thats why it doesn't work so well on stains. The next time I make some up I will use the full cup.

Posted by Robyn on July 09, 2009 1:45 PM

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How much of your homemade fabric softener do you use in each load?

Posted by Robyn on July 09, 2009 1:52 PM

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I use straight white vinegar as fabric softener. My husband developed a rash in his very-sensitive-area as a reaction to commercial fabric softener and so i switched immediately, and as soon as i did his rash cleared up. It also makes his clothes softer than the commercial fabric softener did!

I dumped about 1/2 cup into the washer with the detergent, but when we used the laundrymat i put it in the fabric softener section for the front loaders. 1/2 cup is probably alot, but i wanted to be sure it was soft. Anyway, it works great, and is cheap and hypoallergenic.

Posted by heather on July 09, 2009 3:17 PM

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Do your recipes work in he machines?

Posted by Andie on July 09, 2009 3:19 PM

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The homemade laundry soap is low sudsings and therefore what the He machines use. I won't say to use it though because you're supposed to use their detergents. I read a lot about He machines and people who used the soap said the soap works great in their He machines. It's up to you.

About the homemade fabric softener, I use about 1/2 cup per load, but if I have a very heavy load(as a load of jeans) I use a cup. My last batch of soap I made I added 1/2 bar of grated Zote and it's VERY thick. I really like it. Gale

Posted by Gale Osborn on July 09, 2009 4:20 PM

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add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the homemade laundry detergent. It helps with disinfecting the laundry,and an added boost to cleaning as well. I don't put water,etc.. to make it into a gel type detergent. I leave it in a dry powdered mixture and use half a cup per load. Extra dirty loads I add a little bit more. I also use white vinegar I buy in the gallon jugs,and add it to the final rinse of my wash. No need for fabric softener,if you do add the vinegar. Cheap alternative to store bought washing detergent also. And better for you and your clothes. Try it, you'll like it, lol.

Posted by laura on July 09, 2009 11:59 PM

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Hi,

I only use cold water in the washing machine so I need to know if the laundry soap will dissolve and be effective in cold water.

Thanks.

Posted by Inge on July 10, 2009 9:32 AM

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Look for Felds or Zote soap in the bar soap section if you cannot find it in the laundry aisle. Zote, a Mexican soap, works as well and is less expensive than Felds. Both soaps are great at pre-treating stains. I've used the dry soap on delicates, but since there is not a lot of agitation and the water is cold for delicates the larger bits of soap do not dissolve and therefore leave a few white bits of soap on dark clothes. The solution (pun)is either to keep a small batch of disolved soap on hand or strain through a nylon. I've calculated the cost is 1/2 or less per load and the cleaning is equal to or better than store bought. Any chemistry teacher will tell you soap is soap. Borax and washing soda make it detergent. By the way, salt is salt no matter if you get it for 29 cents or $18 a pound.

Posted by james77777 on July 10, 2009 11:16 AM

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I have a front loader and when I used the vinegar for fabric softener I really disliked the odor. I ended up having to rinse the load of clothes again. anyone else have that problem? I assume it's because of the low amount of water used in the he machines. I love the idea of saving money on fabric softener but not with that vinegar smell.

Posted by marilyn on July 10, 2009 12:04 PM

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I have a front loader and I was lucky enough to have someone give me a box of soap scents and I put scent in mine and my clothes smell really good.

I use hair conditioner and white vinegar to make my softener. I got my conditioner at the .99 cent store, Try adding some water to your mix to tone it down some. Vinegar is so good for the clothes, your drains and pipes. It removes all residue and leaves fabric naturally soft.

Don't give up and check the smell AFTER they dry.Good luck, Gale

Posted by Gale Osborn on July 10, 2009 11:14 PM

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I have a front loading washer, I have been using the dry homemade laundry soap for years. I normally use the dry powder to wash, but for a pretreater I make a liquid out of the same soap, just a stronger formula.

I place 4 scoops (from a coffee measure, 1/8 cup) into a large saucepan filled with hot water and heat till the soap melts, once melted I pour the mixture into a spray bottle and any leftovers into a Ice Cream bucket.

I spray all stains with the pretreat prior to washing and I don't have any issues of stains left behind, I also use vinegar as a fabric softner. When I wash a load, I only use the one coffee measure scoop per load, it cleans nicely and once the clothes are dried they don't smell of vinegar.

Another good thing about the homemade soap is that I will make a liquid form in various stregnths and make all purpose sprays from them and clean bathrooms and kitchen counters and such with them, it cleans nicely and doesn't leave a film behind, something about the mixture seams to repell water marks from my chrome sinks.

If your the type that doesn't think it is clean unless you see suds, well then add a drop of Dawn or any other dish detergent to the surface or a few drops to the bottle.

for heavy cleaning jobs I make a mix of Dawn and baking soda and make a smooth paste then use as soft scrub cleaner, this also works on clothes for really bad, left a week stains.

I had someone tell me to add salt to the laundry and use it as a fabric softener, although I haven't used it. I would be very interested in how it worked in comparisment to the vinegar if anyone has tried it.

Posted by Crystal mom to her 7, 3 step kids and 4 grandbabies on July 14, 2009 8:00 AM

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Can someone post a link for where one can buy "1 bar Fels-Naptha soap"

Posted by anonymous on July 16, 2009 3:48 PM

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I just found out Kroger sells Fels Naptha soap. Here in Texas it is $1.19 a bar. Still a bargain to make the laundry soap. The last soap I made I added a bar of Zote to the mix and I love it!That's .80 cents at Big Lots. Good luck, gale

Posted by Gale Osborn on July 16, 2009 11:30 PM

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For those of you who can't find Fels Naptha soap locally, go to www.soapsgonebuy.com. They currently have Fels Naptha on sale for 99 cents a bar and you can purchase a single bar. However, I don't know how much shipping and handling costs are...

Posted by RuthM on July 17, 2009 6:28 PM

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i have been a waitress many years ago.i had used fels naptha on all my white shirts to take out grease and ink. it worked very good. i still use it till this day. ty f.wolfe

Posted by frances wolfe on July 19, 2009 11:11 PM

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I can't find Zote, Fields or Fels Naptna soap anywhere!! I live in a small area where there isn't a whole lot of variety!! I was able to find Colgate's Octagon Soap and was wondering if anyone knows if this will work just as well???

I also can not find the washing soda and was wondering if anyone had any tips on that as well. I have to "go to town" tomorrow so I am hoping that Publix will have it but I would love it if anyone had suggestions! Thanks bunches! Can't wait to save some money!! :)

Posted by Cari on July 28, 2009 12:57 PM

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smaller hardware stores sometimes carry it.like ace or tru valu hardware.

Posted by anonymous on July 28, 2009 1:26 PM

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Attn Cari - try soapsgonebuy.com, that's where I get mine. super cheap. shippings about $5 for me so I buy a bunch at once.

Posted by jeanie on July 29, 2009 5:25 PM

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For those of you looking for Fels-Naptha soap call 1-888-468-6673 and tell them what your looking for and your zip code. They will look up the nearest store to you and tell you were you can buy it.

I bought mine at Publix's in South Carolina. I could not find it here in North Texas. I now have found it at Kroger but .20 cents higher. Still a good bargain for laundry.

Publix's also had the washing soda and borax. If they don't have it on the self, ask them to order you a case and they will. Don't order on line unless it's absolutly necessary. Shipping is $7.00 per 7 bars at soapsgonebuy.

Posted by Gale Osborn on July 29, 2009 11:03 PM

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Here's another tip: I use a paint stirer that fits on the end of a drill to stir my soap. It works perfect. I also use it to make my homemade bar soap. I actually have two of them. Both are stainless steel and one is quite large. Makes short work of stiring the soap.

Posted by Gale Osborn on July 29, 2009 11:10 PM

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Thanks for the tip on fabric softener - I'll try it! Vinegar as a fabric softener (put it in the receptacle or a Downy ball) works great on whites or just once in a while to clean out the works on your washer.

Here in Illinois a bar of Fels Naptha is about 75 cents. Found at Woodman's.

Anyone know of a recipe for dishwasher soap?

Posted by Mia on July 30, 2009 4:37 PM

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Thanks!! I was able to actually find EVERYTHING (side by side on the shelf) at the Publix in Savannah! Couldn't believe it I felt like I hit the jackpot! Ive been using it since July 30th and LOVE it!! It works great on smells, it actually got the smell of Iraq out of my hubby's uniforms and thats a hard thing to do! It also got pet odor out of a rug! Degreased my kids and hubby's jeans! I am not sure if I will ever go back!! :) Plus I saved a bunch of money! I used the powdered version!

Posted by Cari on August 23, 2009 7:42 PM

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For the person looking for dishwasher soap....
I fill up one "compartment" with baking soda almost to the top. Then put a little bleach on top of the baking soda. I don't measure any of it. Just experiment. Wash as normal. (I use a small bottle of bleach so it is easier to handle and reduces chance of it splashing and ruining your clothes) Works great and no taste or smell of detergent on your dishes!

Posted by anonymous on August 31, 2009 8:27 AM

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FOr dishwasher soap- I use baking soda & Borax equal amounts of each. I premeasure & mix it. I believe bleach evaporates at 170 or 180 degrees, not sure how hot the dish washers get.

Posted by Maggie on October 02, 2009 4:57 PM

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I also use the mix of baking soda/borax a 50/50 blend for dishwasher soap; cheap and easy. I also use white vinegar in the compartment for rinse aide instead of expensive Jet Dry. Works beautifully and is inexpensive. You can also use white vinegar in lieu of fabric softener in your clothes washing machine. The towels and sheets come out so soft. The towels actually absorb water too vs.commercial softeners.

Posted by Becky on October 11, 2009 3:47 PM

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