From My Laundry Room to Yours

I thought I would share some laundry room recipes. Sounds weird I know! I have been making my own laundry soap for at least a year and a half. It makes a 5 gallon bucket so it lasts a long time and is inexpensive to make. Cleans clothes just fine. I will also share how to whiten whites and how to remove perspiration stains from white shirts.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4 cups hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha bar soap

1 c. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)*

1/2 c. Borax*

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.

Stir soap and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: Lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

For top load machines use 5/8 cup per load

For front load machins use 1/4 cup per load.

This soap doesn't get the water sudsy like commercial laundry soap.

*Borax softens water, is a multipurpose cleaner and a deodorizer. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans walls, tiles, sinks, and tubs.

Fels-Naptha soap, Borax, and Super Washing Soda can be found at Ace Hardware. Some Super Walmarts carry them.

To Whiten Whites

Soak for 1/2 hour in 2-3 ounces 3% hydrogen peroxide per gallon lukewarm water. Rinse, then launder. If still dingy, repeat process.

To Remove Perspiration Stains*

Dissolve 1 cup automatic dishwashing granules in 1 gallon hot water. Soak white shirts overnight in this solution. Pour solution and shirts into washer and wash as usual with your regular detergent. You may want to rinse one extra rinse cycle.

*This was amazing! I had shirts that I thought I would have to throw away and the stains came out.