Making Soap Recipes

Making Soap Recipes

Making Soap Recipes

Three Easy Ways to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent Using One Simple Laundry Soap Recipe

Making your own homemade laundry detergent is a great way to save money, support the environment and reduce your exposure to unhealthy chemicals. It's also a lot easier than you might think. With a few basic ingredients and a simple homemade laundry soap recipe, you're ready to get clean and green!

Why Make Your Own Homemade Laundry Detergent?

Commercial detergents often contain harsh chemicals, toxic ingredients and harmful synthetic fragrances. Homemade laundry soap cleans just as effectively, and since it's made with natural cleaning ingredients, it's easier on your clothing, your skin and the environment.

Store brand detergents also cost a lot more than homemade laundry soap. Today, a 32-load bottle of a popular laundry detergent costs $8.99 at Amazon.com. That's 28 cents per load. Homemade laundry soap costs about 2 cents per load. Think about how many loads of laundry you do per year. The savings can really add up!

Commercial detergents can cause skin rashes and asthma attacks in people who are sensitive to the toxic ingredients. Far fewer people experience allergic reactions to homemade laundry detergents. Even if you're not allergic to commercial detergents, you're doing your health a favor by not exposing yourself to the chemical cocktails present in many brands.

How to Make Homemade Laundry Detergent

You need a 5 gallon bucket for this homemade laundry soap recipe. You might try asking a restaurant for their empties (fat for deep frying comes in huge buckets.) I got mine from my local bulk food store.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups hot boiled Water
  • 1/3 to 1 natural Soap Bar (see the directions below for tips)
  • 1 cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda – see below)
  • 1/4 cup Borax
  • One of the Essential Oil Blends below (optional)

Directions

  1. Grate the soap bar using the fine side of your cheese grater. I use pure vegetable glycerin soap bars, and many web sources suggest using Fels Naptha or Ivory soap. The stronger your soap bar is, the lumpier your homemade laundry detergent will be. I use a whole bar of vegetable glycerin soap, but only 1/3 of a Laundry Soap bar such as Fels Naptha.
  2. Combine the soap flakes and hot water in a large saucepan. Stir over a medium-low heat until the soap is melted.
  3. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of very hot water. Add the melted soap, the washing soda and the borax. Stir until all the powder is dissolved. Note: Washing soda is made from Sodium Carbonate and is not the same as Baking Soda. You can usually find washing soda in the laundry area of your department store or ask for it at a pool store. It will be in the water softeners section.
  4. Fill the bucket to the top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
  5. Next morning, stir the essential oils into the homemade laundry soap. It will be a watery gel with lumps in it – this is fine. Just give it a good stir. I use a potato masher to break up the lumps.
  6. Transfer your homemade laundry detergent into clean used laundry bottles.

Shake the bottle before each use to dissolve any lumps of gel that might have formed between uses. Use 1 cup per load for top-load washing machines, and half a cup for front-load washers. This recipe makes enough for 45 top loads or 90 front loads.

Handy Hint: I also use this homemade laundry soap recipe to soak stains out of my tea towels and whiten my whites. I just leave them to soak in the detergent for about a week, and they come up beautifully, with no wear and tear on the fabric.

Essential Oils for Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipes

Power up your homemade laundry soap with one of the following essential oil blends. Not only will they make your clothes smell nice, but they have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties – great for killing germs while washing out dirt and grime. If you're exceptionally sensitive, you can leave out the essential oils – you'll still get a good laundry detergent with strong cleaning powers.

Lavender Essential Oil Blend

  • 40 drops Lavender
  • 30 drops Lemon
  • 20 drops Clove

Citrus Essential Oil Blend

  • 30 drops Grapefruit
  • 30 drops Orange
  • 30 drops Lemongrass

Tea Tree Essential Oil Blend

  • 40 drops Tea Tree
  • 30 drops Lemon OR Lemongrass
  • 20 drops Palmarosa

Expanding Your Green Cleaning Repertoire

Homemade laundry detergent isn't the only natural cleaning product you can make to save money, safeguard your health and support the environment. Look for recipes for dishwashing detergent, floor cleaners, stain removers and cleaners for every room in your house. Once you try a few of them, you'll never go back to store brands again!

Making Liquid Dish Soap from Scratch - Recipe Link


Wilton 6-Cavity Silicone Heart Mold Pan
Wilton 6-Cavity Silicone Heart Mold Pan
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Description

Discover the convenience and easy release of Wilton's flexible silicone bakeware! Make wonderful treats for school parties and more! Freezer, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher safe-oven safe to 500 degrees.

Serve all sorts of petite treats with Wilton's adorable heart mold pan. A perfect addition to Valentine's Day, anniversaries, or brunches, the silicone baking tool features six heart-shaped cavities with cheerfully full curves and well-defined outlines. Simply pour in a favorite recipe and bake or cool, then flip and decorate-it's so much more fun than traditional squares or circles! Silicone is ideal for baking because it handles temperatures up to 500 degrees F and goes safely into the oven, microwave, and freezer. Lightweight yet durable, it is also flexible for easy food release, and it resists stains and odors. Each cavity measures 2-1/2 across, and one cake mix makes 20 to 24 mini hearts. The entire pan measures 10-5/8 by 7 by 1-1/4 inches. Here's another bonus: because the pan is dishwasher-safe, there's less time spent in the kitchen washing up and more time sampling the goodies. Wilton's silicone bakeware comes with a limited lifetime warranty. --Kara Karll

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Rina's Garden - Culinary Lavender Flower Buds - 1/2 Pound Bulk
Rina's Garden - Culinary Lavender Flower Buds - 1/2 Pound Bulk
Sale Price: $9.99
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Description

Receive 1/2 pound of pure lavender buds imported from Provence, France. Each bud is about the size of a rice grain. Deeper blue color. Very aromatic with many different uses both culinary and craft. Seep to make a tea beverage and add to recipes for a unique, flavorful taste.

Features

  • 1/2 lb. of pure lavender buds - Bluer colored - Grade 1 for culinary use as well as crafting.
  • Nice fragrance and taste. Imported from Provence, France
  • Great for baking, tea, ice cream, cake decoration
  • Also usable for potpourri, sachet, soap making
  • Volume weight = approx. 6 cups
ICE CREAM CONE PRETZEL Kids Candy Mold Chocolate
ICE CREAM CONE PRETZEL Kids Candy Mold Chocolate
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Description

This is a first quality, tough plastic mold. It is durable and reusable. It is not machine washable. Suitable for chocolate and soap making as well as plaster and concrete crafting. FDA approved.

Features

  • Size: 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 3/4 deep Weight: 1.2 oz.
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Bialetti Moka Express 3 Cup Espresso Maker 06799
Bialetti Moka Express 3 Cup Espresso Maker 06799
List Price: $25.00
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Description

With all the expensive espresso makers sold around the world, native Italians prefer espresso from stovetop espresso makers and more Italians use Bialetti for their stovetop Italian coffee. For an excellent cup of Italian coffee, the classic eight-side household coffee-pot is considered a true italian tradition. The Moka Espress boasts a lot of records and, as such, is the most copied coffee-maker! With sturdy aluminum construction, the Moka Express is a product that actually improves with constant use. The unit is extremely simple to use. Just fill the lower chamber with water and the filter with ground espresso coffee. Place the pot on the stove and heat until the water boils. As it does, the liquid espresso moves to the upper chamber of the pot, ready to be poured into an awaiting espresso cup. After that, all you need to do is enjoy the delicious nectar of coffee.

Features

  • Makes three 2-ounce servings
Rina's Garden - Culinary Lavender Flower Buds - 1/2 Pound Bulk
Rina's Garden - Culinary Lavender Flower Buds - 1/2 Pound Bulk
Sale Price: $7.99
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Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description

Receive 1/2 pound of pure lavender buds imported from Provence, France. Each bud is about the size of a rice grain. High quality lavender has a bluer color than lower grade greyish colored lavender. Aromatic with many different uses both culinary and craft. Seep to make a tea beverage and add to recipes for a unique, flavorful taste. One of the key ingredients in spice mix, Herbes de Provence.

Features

  • Volume weight = approx. 6 cups
  • 1/2 lb. of pure lavender buds - bluer colored - grade 1 - top quality (culinary)
  • Great for baking, tea, ice cream, cake decoration
  • Also usable for potpourri, sachet, soap making
  • Very nice fragrance and taste. Imported from Provence, France
Rival IB954W Ultrablend 2-Speed Handheld Immersion Blender
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Description

This is a perfect sized blender for small cooking needs. Make delicious gravy, mashed potatoes, or even frozen treats in just minutes with hand held blender. 2-speed blender Pulse/on control Stainless steel cutting blade Shuts off automaticallly when released Cushioned hand grip Easy to clean Recipe booklet

Features

  • 100-watt immersion-style handheld blender with 2 speeds
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  • Measures approximately 3 by 3 by 15 inches

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