Green Cleaning: Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

Homemade laundry detergent made from natural ingredients allows you to control the ingredients while saving a bundle at the same time. Although early Americans saved wood ashes to make lye for their laundering needs, there are easier ways to get the job done without the risks associated with handling lye.

You will need:

• 4 oz Washing Soda
• 4 oz Borax
• 1/3 bar Fels-Naptha
• Large pot
• Bucket
• Recycled Detergent Bottle

Grate the soap with a vegetable grater or chop it into small pieces with a sharp knife. Fels-Naptha is a good choice and can be found in the laundry section of your grocery store. If you cannot find Fels-Naptha any mild soap, such as Ivory or other non-perfumed soap, will do.

Place 1-½ quarts of water in the pot and place it over medium heat. Add the grated soap to the water as it warms. Stir with a long-handled spoon until the soap dissolves completely.

Add the washing soda to the mixture and stir until it dissolves. Washing soda can be found in the laundry section and should not be confused with baking soda - although some recipes do substitute baking soda if washing soda is not available.

Add the borax to the solution and mix well until it is totally dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly to avoid injuries with pouring.

Pour 1 quart of hot water into a 2 gallon bucket and add the heated soap mixture. Stir to mix. Fill the remainder of the bucket with cool water. Stir to thoroughly mix all ingredients.

Place the bucket in an area where it will not be disturbed and allow to set for 24 hours. As the mixture cools, it will form a gel.

Stir the gelled laundry detergent with a wooden spoon and pour it into recycled detergent bottles. Label the bottles with a permanent marker to avoid confusions.

Shake the bottle before each use and measure ½ cup of the liquid for average-sized loads of laundry.

Making your own laundry detergent is an effective way to save money and go green at the same time. This natural formula works well in both cold and warm water. Many feel using homemade laundry detergent produces results to rival or surpass commercial products while costing a mere fraction of the price.