homemade liquid laundry soap (recipe by Kathy Russell)

ingredients: 

• 4 cups hot water
• 1.5 cups grated laundry soap (5 oz bar Fels Naptha)
• 1 cup super washing soda (Arm & Hammer)
• 1 cup borax (20 Mule Team)
• (optional) 1/2 oz essential oil (lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil) 

makes: 

• 10 gallons
• 256 loads (top loading machine)
• 640 loads (front loading machine)

to mix:

• add grated Fels Naptha Soap to warm water in non-aluminum saucepan.
• stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves.
• fill a clean 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water.
• add melted soap, washing soda and borax powers and stir until all powder is dissolved.
• full bucket to the top with more hot water.  stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
• after soap has cooled, you can add up to 1/2 oz essential oil).

to use:

• stir thickened soap.  fill a used, clean, laundry soap bottle half full of the liquid soap.
• then fill the container to the top with hot water.
• shake before each use.
• (the soap will thicken as it stands.)

laundering:

• top load machine - use 5/8 cup per load.
• front load machine - use 1/4 cup per load.
• this laundry soap will not produce suds as it cleans (perfect for front load machines).

Autumn Hills Farm sells ready-to-make kits for $10, containing everything you need for this, available at the Calhoun County Farmer’s Market.