Homemade Laundry Soap

At the onset of our first encounter with Pinterest we came across our first project.

The original blog can be found here: http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html#comments

Here are the items needed:

1-4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) laundry detergent isle
1-3lb 7oz box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55 oz) laundry detergent isle
3 bars - Pink ZOTE Soap (can also find @ Home Depot if not in your grocery store) laundry detergent isle
              OR Fels-Naptha laundry detergent isle
1-4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg)  cooking isle
Aprox. 3.5 lbs-Oxy Clean (optional) laundry detergent isle
1-Large Canister or several medium for storage
1-Scoop or Tablespoon for measuring

**Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I know that does not seem like enough but this recipe does not have fillers like the store bought detergent so you only need 1-2 Tablespoons.** 

1. Take all powder components and mix them together in a large bin, I lined mine with a trash bag to keep the detergent from being contaminated.
2. Grate the Pink ZOTE Soap or Fels-Naptha with a cheese grater, If you are fortunate enough to have a food proccesor than use that it will take much less time.
**Note: You may want to grate the Zote Soap separate to let it dry out a bit before adding to the powder mix. Otherwise you may have to take an Ice pick to the mixture as it hardens in to a solid block and not a powder form

3. Then mix in the grated soap to powder.

4. Now you are set to store your detergent and use as needed!!

This detergent is fairly mild smelling, it is not over powering. If you love a strong scent you may have to add a fabric softener to each load.

*We have seen that people with sensitive skin and many allergies be able to have their skin calmed down when they started using this mixture.

This first batch was made on 3.22.12 and is being used by 5 people I will update on how long this lasted the 5 people. Update! this batch lasted until 11-15-2012. So that's about 8 months! holy cow, so that comes out to be about $2.50 a month for laundry soap FOR 5 PEOPLE!

Started a new batch this time (11-15-2012) only 3 people will be using it so lets see how long this one lasts!!!