Great for HE washing machines too!
If you read my previous post about my washer and dryer you will understand my great joy in finally getting my new-to-me set squared away. (that story is here) However, my new set came with a requirement...only use HE laundry soap. Hmmm. I buy my laundry soap at the Dollar Store and buy the least expensive that I can and HE detergent is not cheap! What's a girl to do? Well, I also happened to learn something really neat when visiting with friends. I had to do a quick load of laundry while out of town and was able to use our friend's washer and her super nice smelling laundry detergent. Funny thing was the detergent was not in a storebought container so I asked about it and was advised that she made it herself and then added lavender oil. And it worked really well! (she also had an HE washing machiene). Hmmmm. I'm going to have to try that. So, when I returned home I looked up the Duggar family (you know 19 kids and counting) recipie which you can find here. I admit I was still a bit intimidated but, I should not have been. The whole process, start to finish took less than 30 minutes. And, I used only 3 ingredients to make the laundry detergent. There will be 4 ingredients when I add the essential oil for scent at the end. My total out of pocket at Walmart? $8.97. I did not use but a fraction of the Borax and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda- those were $3.97 per box and the Fels-Naptha bar was 97 cents). I currently have enough of both of those boxes to make this recipie 7 more times and each recipie makes 10 gallons!
Following the Duggar recipie I grated my soap to add to a saucepan with water and stirred it until it was disolved. (kinda looks like cheese)
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After the soap was melted I added it to a 5 gallon bucket that was half full of hot tap water. Then I added the 1 cup of Arm & Hammer and the 1/2 cup of Borax. Gave it all a stir and then added more hot tap water until I got to the top of the 5 gallon bucket.
Now I just had to wait as you let the soap sit overnight to form a more gelled consistency. Then I removed the amount I want to keep available in the laundry room. 1/2 gallon of concentrate and I added 1/2 gallon of water to dilute (a full gallon for the laundry room) Viola!!!
I am not at all kidding, I did the math and the breakdown is 30 cents a gallon or $3.00 for the 5 gallon bucket (just remember that 5 gallon bucket actually makes 10 gallons because you are once again cutting it in half with water when you use it). WIN!
I am not at all kidding, I did the math and the breakdown is 30 cents a gallon or $3.00 for the 5 gallon bucket (just remember that 5 gallon bucket actually makes 10 gallons because you are once again cutting it in half with water when you use it). WIN!
