homemade laundry soap

This is another feature as part of my effort towards green living. I did some research and finally decided on a liquid laundry soap recipe, although there are so many different variations out there! I had to make an initial investment of: small pot, plastic spoon, grater, 5 gallon bucket, and measuring cups. I wanted to use separate things for any cleaning products I make, even though I run them through the dishwasher anyways. Total, I spent $15 ($10 of that was a 5 gallon bucket...those are nearly impossible to find for a good price, with a lid). The cost per batch, which makes 2.5 gallons is about $4 (I'm no good at math so I can't attempt to figure out the exact amount per batch). This makes double the amount of what I was buying in the store for $10 a bottle (we were using All Free Clear). I've used this soap for darks, lights, towels, and W's clothes with no problem. There is no lingering stink, no smell at all as I used a scent-free soap and I don't notice my clothes being dingy, stained, or dirty still.

Here is the recipe I used:

• 2.5 gallons of hot water (our tap water gets really hot, so I just used that instead of trying to boil that much water)
• 1 bar of soap (4.5-5 oz) grated (I used Dr. Bronner's Mild Baby Organic Bar Soap which was $4 off Amazon but I found it Publix for a better price for the future especially I don't seem to be saving too much with this expensive soap, although I love that it is mild and organic)
• 1 cup of washing soap (Arm & Hammer brand was $4.50 at Walmart)

Directions are to grate the soap, put it in a pot with enough water to cover the soap, and heat it up until the soap melts (stirring occasionally). It took awhile for the soap to melt, but it wasn't a lot of work. Once the soap is melted you pour it into the bucket which has 2.5 gallons of hot water and stir until combined. Once that is stirred well add in the washing soap and stir again. Let cool before using.
1/2 cup of mixture is needed for a full load. I was nervous at first because we have a front-loading, high-efficiency washer and 1/2 cup of the liquid goes slightly above the "max" line, but I haven't noticed this being a problem. Most of it is water anyways. This is perfect for high-efficiency washers because it produces low suds (the reason why you need special soap for HE machines). I'm going to experiment with a scented soap for my next batch or adding in essential oils (I'm kind of nervous to venture into the realm of essential oils). Overall this has been a success, with no complaints from A! The only thing I'm not sure about is how long it will last/if it will become rancid. I couldn't find a conclusive answer when I was researching so I'll update later if I notice it only lasts for a short period of time.

We are still using a Bounce dryer bar, but once it is finished, I plan to try out wool dryer balls (especially if I can figured out how to make them well). We also use Seventh Generation Free & Clear Natural Laundry Stain Remover which we love so far. A always gets something on his shirts, and this has been a lifesaver for getting stains out (W's shirts are permanently stained anyways so I don't even bother with them most of the time).