I love making my own natural products. I have for many years (close to 20 years) and they are always loved by my family, friends, clients and customers. It can save a lot of money so you can put the savings towards something that really matters to you. Two days ago, I was having fun making a batch of laundry detergent and I snapped a pic and posted it on Facebook. I had no idea my friends would go bonkers for a bucket with some suds on top! Very quickly I had inquiry after inquiry about my recipe and requests (and some demands!) to share, share share. So for the second step after letting the solution set for 24 hours, I decided to go live (view the FBlive video) and share the recipe and show what the gel looks like and how to break it up and make the detergent ready for use. Well, in about 15 hours the video had reached over 1200 people and had 739 views! OH MY! This post is in response to the requests on the live video to please post the recipe somewhere for quick reference…You asked, so shall you receive:

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 bars of Soap (Fels Naptha or your own – this is really up to you and your personal preferences)
• 2 cups Washing Soda
• 2 cups Borax
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup Baking Soda
• Essential Oil of your choice
• 5 Gallon Bucket
• Cheese Grater

Here’s what to do:

1. Grate the 2 bars of soap, place in a pot of about 10-12 cups of water on the stove. The smaller you grate the soap, the quicker it will go into solution in the next step.

2. Bring soap to a boil on the stove and mix until soap is dissolved. Watch your solution! When the solution starts to boil, it can overflow very quickly, so don’t turn your back on it.

3. Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water from the tap

4. Add the soap mixture from the stove to the bucket

5. Add Washing Soda, Borax and Baking Soda to the bucket & mix until dissolved

6. Add Essential Oil(s) of your choice for fragrance if desired. I usually don’t add the essential oils to the entire batch because I like variety so I add to smaller alloquots of the batch as I go.

7. Fill bucket with warm/hot water, mix well and cover bucket with the lid

8. After 24 hours, break up gel, mix well and detergent is ready for use! I like to use a hand mixer that I have designated for my laundry detergent and my soap making. You can use your hands, a paint mixing stick or something else that you think will work out for you. Once the gel is broken up, you can fill your laundry room containers over and over again from this bucket.