Picture Our Day

Mar. 6, 2008 - Laundry

I have had a few people inquire about making my own laundry soap so I thought I would post about it. We have been using homadmade soap since the end of January with great results. I find it to be extremely inexpensive even when I am able to get premade soap with coupons. Somewhat like my 30 day cooking, I thought about trying it for a long time, I read up on it and over-planned. Once I actually made the first batch, it was quite simple and quick. I made another batch this morning and took pictures to share. I have kept track of the cost and now that I am confident of what I am doing and what to look for I will be able to get the supplies even more cheaply. My only problem finding the ingredients (there are only 4) was the soda ash (a.k.a.. sodium carbonate or PH Up among other names). After researching, I found that it is the same ingredient sold at pool supply stores to balance the ph levels. Then I had to find a pool supply store around here open in the winter:). There is one on the bypass that is open every Tuesday and the gentleman is very helpful. To make your own soap all you need is: 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of oxy clean (I got a two pound container of the generic brand at the grocery for $1.00) , 1 cup of soda ash, and I bar Fels Naptha soap (found with the bar soap). Use 1-2 T depending on the need. I find that I spend about .06 cents per load!!! Along with that, I use white vinager for my softner (this by the way is not only cost effective it is much better for your dryer). No, it does not leave your clothes smelling like vinager and I have no problems with static cling.The vineager adds about one penny per load so for all my laundry needs: soap, stian remover, and softner I spend about .07 a load and I forsee this becoming even cheaper. Use a grater to grate the Fels Naptha, mix in the other three ingredients and tada, you have soap! I saved the little piece of soap that was leftover (too close to my fingers to grate) to treat stains- it works better than store bought, just wet the bar and apply to the stain. I used it on Brilynn's pink pants, she had fallen on her bottom in the mud, I thought the pants were ruined, after laundering they are fine, you cannot see any of the stain.

Supplies (the nifty little measuring cup came in the oxy, it is the perfect size for this)

Grated soap, notice the little piece leftover, that is my stain remover.

Add one cup of each of the others, put on the lid, shake, tada you have enough soap to wash approximately 60 loads of laundry!

This really does make the chore of washing clothes better somehow.

Have a great day!

~Tammy

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Comments

Mar. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Oh, Tammy! That looks so interesting. I have wanted to try this for a long time but I never could find the funny named soap. See I can't even remember the name from reading your post. Maybe that's why I never was able to find it. I had only seen posts on making a liquid soap with these ingredients and I wasn't really looking forward to that so this way seems much easier. I have recently decided I was going to use vinegar for a softener also. Well, with our kefir and your homemade soap we should not only be healthier but cleaner and have more money in our pockets!!

Thanks for posting all the pictures makes it seem much easier.
~Robin

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Mar. 12, 2008 - no more ring around the collar?!

I can't wait to try your homemade laundry soap! (Funny thing how your mom had to wait for her daughters to get grown to learn neat stuff!) Of course, in the old days, we did laundry by going down to the creek and beating each piece of laundry with a rock. However, it was easy to tell who had the cleanest laundry---it was the stuff with the most holes! We've come a long way, baby!! AND, speaking of daughters growing up---did everyone know to wish you a HAPPY birthday Tuesday, March 11th?!!!! Your #1 fan loves you! ~Mom

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