When I say it's cheap, I really mean it! I bought all of the ingredients for under $10.00 (including the 5-gallon bucket) and there's a LOT of washing powder and borax left - so factor that in, when you figure out the cost per load!
It's so easy! I got the recipe from the Duggar Family website.
You'll need a new/clean 5-gallon bucket with a lid (to store the liquid soap concentrate). I purchased mine at Home Depot - with the lid, it was right around $3.00.
Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 bar Fels-Naptha soap
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
1/2 c. Borax (20 Mule Team)
Grate bar of soap (the finer the better) and add to large saucepan with the hot tap water. Stir continually over medium-low heat, until soap melts and dissolves.
Fill a 5-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add the melted soap/water, washing soda, and Borax. Stir well, until powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir. Cover and let site overnight to thicken (I will say it does thicken to a rather gelatinous consistency- and it rather grossed me out the first time I dipped out the first batch!).
After it sits overnight, open bucket and stir. Fill a used, clean laundry soap dispenser half full with hot water. Then, fill the rest of the way with liquid soap concentrate. Shake before each use to break up the gelatinous goo! I've been using my old gallon vinegar container and it works great!
YIELD: 10 gallons
Top Load Machine - 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads)
Front Load Machine - 1/4 cup per load (approximately 640 loads)
