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Homemade laundry detergent ingredients

Liquid Homemade Laundry Detergent (5-gallons)

Make this once and it will last you roughly year or more. Containing only 3 ingredients and safe for septics this is a go-to for fighting stains and grime from everyday laundry.
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Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Bar Fels-Naptha
  • 1 Cup Super Washing Soda
  • 1 Cup Borax you can leave this out for baby clothing or a milder laundry detergent
  • 5 Gal. Very hot water

Equipment

  • 1 5-Gallon bucket with a lid
  • 1 long handled spoon or or something long enough to reach the bottom of your bucket
  • Optional long stick blender This makes mixing so much easier and I strongly suggest it.
  • Measuring Cup
  • Funnel
  • Airtight gallon jug or nice glass dispenser Used to hold your monthly supply in a smaller location. Though this isn't necessary it is helpful. I have taken detergent straight from the bucket, and it worked out just fine.

Method
 

  1. Start by grating your bar of Fels-Naptha directly into your 5-gallon bucket or grate it with your food processor. Then, put it into the bucket.
  2. Add one gallon of hot water to the bucket to dissolve the soap. Once it is dissolved add one more gallon of hot water. make sure most if not all of the soap shavings are dissolved. this is a total of 2 gallons of water.
    Note: You can also melt the soap over the stove. Put the grated soap into a pot with 1 qt. of water. Boil this until all of the soap flakes have been dissolved. Be careful that it doesn't boil over and keep mixing. Adjust the water amount if you do it with this method.
  3. Next, add 1 cup of Super Washing Soda to the mixture and give it another mix dissolving it into the soap mixture.
  4. Add in 1 cup of Borax to the soap and washing side and combine evenly.
  5. Then, add 2 more gallons of hot water and stir again until everything has mixed together evenly
  6. Add in 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil and mix thoroughly
  7. Finally, add in one last gallon of water and mix again.
How to Use the Liquid Laundry Detergent
  1. After 24 hours you can now fill your gallon jug or dispenser halfway with detergent. Fill it the rest of the way with warm water and shake it to mix evenly.
  2. Small loads: 1/4 to 1/2 cup
    Medium loads: 1/2 to 3/4 cup
    Large loads: 3/4 to 1 cup