What's that you say? Milk and Store bought fabric softener? Wrong! Lol.
That is my new HOMEMADE laundry soap & fabric softener (in a milk jug and store bought fabric softener container)
The most important part of this lesson is how cheap it is!! It was cheap, fun, & relatively easy. Here is how to do it:
Gather Your Ingredients:
1 Box of Borax
1 Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (found both next to each other in the laundry isle)
1 Bar of Fels Naptha
Essential Oil Drops for Smell. Completely Optional. I used a small bit on a half gallon to be sure I would like it.
Large Pot (like a soup pot or something)
Funnel
Empty Milk or Juice Jugs
Laundry Soap:
Fabric Softener:
1 Smallish Bottle of White Vinegar (you will use 3 cups)
1 Large Bottle Suave Conditioner (in your choice of scent. I used Lavender)
6 Cups Boiling Water
Over all I spent about $15 including the Oil Drops I found at our local drug store. The rest of the items I found at Wal Mart. This made enough to fill 3 1/2 Gallon Milk Jugs and Two Jugs of Fabric Softener. Not too shabby!
Here's how its done kids:
1. Grate the Fels Naptha Bar using a cheese grater or one of those fancy silver shredders that my grandma uses for potatoes. Not sure the name but they are amazing and SO fast.
2. Heat 4 cups of hot water on the stove and mix half of the shreddings into the pot until it is all completely melted on medium-high heat. It will foam a little but keep continuously stirring it and be sure ALL the flakes are melted.
3. Add 1 cup of the Arm & Hammer Washing Soda and 1 cup of Borax, I found it easier to add 1/2 cup at a time and stir, then add the next and stir. Be sure it is all completely dissolved.
4. Then fill pot to the top with water. In the pan I used it took almost a gallon of water to add in here. There will be a little of the soapy stuff on top so you can stir it in if you want but it all ends up mixing together and will be safe on your clothes. If you dislike this, reheat it until it melts the top portion.
5. Grab your filter and empty jugs and fill 1/2 full of the soap mixture and 1/2 full of water and give a good shakin! This is where you would add the oils into the jugs. Start off with a few drops and if you feel it needs more then add it to it, so the smell is not too overwhelming.
Then feel free to wash away!! This uses 1/2 less than what you would use with normal laundry soap because its concentrated.
For the Fabric Softener:
Mix 2 cups of the Suave Conditioner of your choice and 6 cups of hot water in a medium sized pot. Mix until conditioner is completely dissolved in the water. Add 3 cups of white vinegar to the mixture and stir.
Let cool a little, use your funnel and pour in your container of choice. Use 2Tablespoons or half of what you normally would and wash wash wash away!!
Feel free to decorate your bottles or at least label them to keep older children or husbands out of them. I didn't feel the need to decorate since they stay in my laundry room where no one goes anyways. Lol.
This was a super fun & easy project. Thanks to the help of my LOVELY sitter who has done this already and is a Pro!
