Liquid Laundry Detergent

I know I'm supposed to be posting Mexico stuff, but I'm a bit overwhelmed with my pictures and all the stories and information I want to share. So, I'm avoiding it. Instead, I wanted to share a liquid laundry detergent recipe. I used to make a dry laundry detergent and used it for years. When our front loader died about a year ago, and we inherited our ancient $20 top loader (which I love way more than the fancy and expensive front loader - mostly because of cloth diapers as well as my love of dying things), I discovered that the dry stuff didn't work well with the top loader. Since then, I've done a few different versions of a liquid soap, made in smaller batches and nothing I really loved. We've also resorted to using some really crappy store bought liquid detergents over the past year. Then, I found a great liquid laundry detergent recipe through a friend. I made a HUGE batch the other day because I really like it. I love this recipe because it uses the exact same ingredients as my dry recipe and I had them all on hand. It's actually a pretty standard liquid laundry detergent recipe from what I've researched and works really well. I was happy I didn't need to go to the store to get any ingredients and it took me only about 20 minutes to make! Try it.

Gather these items:

1. A 5 gallon bucket. I went to Burgerville several months ago and picked up a few empty 5 gallon buckets that were previously used for pickles. They gave them to me for free of course. Many, many uses for 5 gallon buckets.
2. Cheese grater, measuring cup, whisk and a big pot
3. 1 bar of soap. I use Phels Naptha or any brand of Castile soap. Any kind will work though.
4. 1 1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda. Fred Meyers is the ONLY place I've seen this at. Located in the laundry soap isle.
5. 1 1/2 cup of Borax
6. Optional - A few drops of essential oil. Pick any scent you like - lemon, lavender, orange, rose, eucalyptus, etc. I didn't add any to this last batch. 

Instructions:

1. Shred the bar of soap using a cheese grater.
2. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot and heat up. Add the shredded soap, whisk it together until it melts/dissolves. 
3. Add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir it up with the whisk until it dissolves. The mixture will thicken.
4. Pour the hot mixture into the 5 gallon bucket then fill the bucket up with water, leaving a 5 or 6 inches at the top.
5. Stir and let sit for 24 hours

When you go back to check on it, it will be super thick! The texture is just like jello with a lot of foam on top. Stir it up and do a load of laundry. About a 1/2 cup for each load. You can leave it in the bucket or pour it into milk jugs, empty laundry detergent containers or whatever else you may have on hand. Just be sure to mix or shake it up before each use. I poured some into a laundry detergent container, left the rest in the bucket and will fill the container up as needed. Also, you will notice that this detergent does not create suds. Don't worry, suds don't clean your clothes, the ingredients in the soap does.

Happy Laundering! I did 5 loads today! Now to fix my clothes line that broke the other day.