Laundry Soap Update

Back at the end of December I wrote about using homemade laundry soap. At that time I had been using the powdered version and had decided to try the liquid version. Well after about 6 weeks of using the liquid version I must tell everyone that I love it. It does a very good job of getting our laundry clean and the clothes do smell fresh. I only need to use a small amount of liquid fabric softener with this laundry soap and when I say small, I am talking less than 1 tablespoon.

For anyone interested in making their own laundry soap, I use the first recipe found on Soaps Gone Buy for the liquid soap.  I can buy all of the ingredients at my local grocery store cheaper than what I can buy on line. 

There are certain tests that I do to see if a laundry soap/detergent is working. My husband sometimes wears white dress shirts and the collars get dirty.  I have been pouring some of the liquid soap on the dirty collar and I scrub it with a clean toothbrush, I bought for just that purpose. Then I toss the shirt into the washing machine. It does help to remove that “ring around the collar.” Remember that old Wisk t.v. commercial?

One other benefit I have noticed is that my skin doesn’t itch as much in the winter time now. Could it be from using a milder, laundry soap? I think so. Our towels are much softer too.

One recipe of liquid laundry soap filled 5 – 32 load size jugs, that I had saved, for a total of 32 cups. Since you only need ½ cup per load this turns into 64 loads for only 65 cents (per the prices in my town). A word of warning, the caps of the store bought detergent are different in size so I keep a 1/2 cup measuring cup near my detergent bottles.  There isn’t a coupon in the world that would bring me this kind of savings on good quality store bought detergent.

When I bought store bought detergent, I would only purchase it when there was a sale for $3.00 for the 32 load size. Normally (but not always) I would have a coupon for at least 50 cents off. This would last me anywhere between 2 to 3 weeks. So I figure that two jugs would cost me about $5.00 with a coupon.  I save about $4.35 every 6 weeks by making my own laundry soap or a total of $37.70 saved annually.  Money saved, is money earned.

I know that this may sound weird, but this is one more item I have learned to make and it makes me feel independent. I don’t have to wait for laundry detergent to go on sale. I have the supplies in my house and I can make a recipe any time I need it, which brings me great satisfaction.

I’ll never go back to buying store bought laundry soap. I’m sold for sure.