$10 dollars for a years worth of laundry soap?! Not only are you re-using your bottle and bucket for laundry, you are saving the earth by not buying all the bottles and boxes of laundry soap!
A popular liquid brand states for 32 loads, it costs $8.49. That 32 loads price is just $1.50 under a whole year's supply of the make at home stuff! Crazy!!! (Info For Popular Brand)
This laundry soap is all natural, it takes maybe a half hour to make! It's fun, easy and even the kids can enjoy helping! My 4-year-old enjoyed it!
***While it is non-toxic, it still cam be harmful if swallowed...use caution with little ones.***
Here's what you need:
- 4 cups of water
- 1/3 bar of grated soap. Grating is important, as it melts faster. Pick a scent! What ever the soap smells like is what your laundry soap will smell like. I chose a Dove fruity smell. Light and pleasant. (2 bars for $3)
- 1/2 cup of baking soda (a HUGE box for $2)
- 1/2 cup of Borax 20 Mule Team (Huge Box for $3)
- 5 gallon bucket and lid for storage ($2 bright orange one at home depot. I chose the bright orange as to show a big difference from anything else! A lid is only important if you have little ones that you are afraid can fall in.)
- A small resusable pourable container
Mix grated soap and 4 cups of water in a sauce pan on LOW HEAT. This is critical as it heats and boils will gets sudsy and over-flow. At low heat, it doesn't bowl. This is the longest part of the active process, stir occasionally. It take about a half hour if the grating is a fine shaving. May take longer if soap is chunky.
In the 5 gallon bucket, mix Borax and Soda. Add the melted mix. Mix well. Liquid will be thick, no worries. Then, add 3 gallons of cold water. Mix well! Liquid will start to have a corn starch like texture when stiring.
Without the lid, let the solution stand over night. With little kids, make sure to put it up where they cannot get it.
Viola! You're done! Store in a cool place (ours is in the laundry room). Take the smaller container (we use an old juice bottle) fill it up and use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of solution. I use the smaller container so I don't have to keep dipping into the big one.
The made up solution will remain in a liquid form. Make sure lid is always tight especially with little ones. The solution will leave your clothes smelling good (a light pleasant smell, nothing over-powering, great for those with allergies!). This also lasts for about 2 months (a family of three with a load a day). And with the $10 you spent on supplies, those supplies should make at LEAST 6 batches. Which in turn, should last you about a year.
We're saving the earth and our wallet one load at a time!!!
Chelle }}i{{
