Save $117 a year making Laundry Soap

Once a year a make a 5gal bucket of liquid laundry soap for $3. The $3 is after the investment of the purchase of a $5 5 gal bucket and the initial purchase of the soap products. Initially I spent about $15 on 4 items that will last me about 5-10 years! Each year I purchase a new bar of soap for less than a dollar and divide my initial investment of  $20 by 10 to get $3. Make sense?

Normally laundry soap costs around $12 for 30 pods, or the same for regular soap (not pods) 60 washes. Depending on what you buy you can save $117 or more in a year on soap alone to put towards another expense. Over the course of 10 years I'll be saving nearly $1000 on detergent. Is it worth it? It think so :)

Most people think they don't have time to make soap. If you have 15 min to spare then you have time because that is literally all the time it takes to mix, melt and make soap. I like liquid soap but there are solid recipes too for about the same cost and simplicity to make. I found putting a soup ladle in my bucket to scoop out soap into a smaller glass jar works great. Then I scoop with my 1/4 or 5/8 cup right into the washer from my smaller glass jar.

Let me know in the comments if you try this money saving tip and if you found creative ways to change the recipe. It's fun to learn new tips :)

Happy Washing,
Mrs. Green Jeans

*if you are using cloth diapers, do NOT add the fels Naptha soap in your recipe as this will deteriorate the waterproof protection of the diapers. I make a separate smaller dry jar just for my diapers and label it clearly*

Here's the recipe I use (credits go to the Dugger family recipe):

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

(Front or top load machine-best value)

Ingredients: 

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar*
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda**
½ Cup Borax

Directions: 

-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 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.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)