DIY: Powdered Laundry Soap and Washing Soda

Laundry Soap

Why Homemade laundry soap.....    It's economical, I can use my homemade soap in it, and there is no added chemicals that can irriate the skin!   The basic ingredients are:

1/2 of Borax, 

1/2 cup of washing soda, 

and 2 cups of grated soap.  

Making Washing Soda

I had no problem finding the borax... but the washing soda, I couldn't find to save my life.  You would think in an urban setting, I would have no problem finding it.  So with a little research I found out you can make it!  Washing Soda is Baking Soda cooked.  By baking baking soda for about 2 hours on 400 degrees, the baking soda becomes washing soda.  If you are interested in the chemistry of it... google it....  but I must say....  I am now a proud maker of laundry detergent.  Two tablespoons of detergent into the load... and I have clean clothes!

(After 3 months of doing laundry)

My review for the powdered laundry soap is in...  it gets clothes clean, but I feel like I always need to add more than 2 tablespoons.  This is purely a "me" thing... because the clothes are clean!  I think it's because after using name brand laundry detergent over my lifetime, I must be brainwashed that I have to use more (like a 1/4 cup or something).  More is better right?  So, I found myself doing laundry sprinkling in a little more washing soda or borax.  I was also at times putting 3 tablespoons of the laundry soap in.  So, I'm moving on to liquid laundry soap. This recipe definitely is MORE!  It makes 10 gallons!  I'll be having Liquid laundry soaps for years!