Homemade Laundry Soap

While poking around Pinterest today I came across an awesome tutorial on how to make homemade laundry soap. Hmmm......interesting, I thought. How could I not try this?! After reading all the comments after her tutorial I went down to Superstore and picked up a box of Borax and a box of Washing Soda....seriously I have never heard of Washing Soda before but yeah it's there in the laundry aisle.

To make this home made laundry soap you'll need the following

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Washing Soda
• 1 bar of soap (I used Ivory)
• 4 litres hot water
• 4 litres cold water
• big pot
• funnel
• big pail (or something that will hold 8 litres of water)
• Containers to store the finish product in (2 - Milk Jugs should fit it)

This is how I did it:

1. Put 4 litres of hot water into pot on stove, set on high.
2. Grate your bar of soap and add it to your pot of hot water

3. Once the soap has melted, add 1 cup Borax and 1 cup Washing Soda and bring to a boil.  This took about 5 minutes or so.

4. After it's come to a boil, carefully pour it into a bigger container and add 4 litres of cold water and stir.

5. When slightly cooled pour into containers. A funnel helps with this part.

Once this cools it will coagulate!! It gets thick like gelatin. That is ok.

This is how much I got out of one batch. 

When using it in your washing machine you only need 1/2 cup. I have a front load washer...which takes "special" detergent. Apparently because it does not bubble it is safe for front load washing machines. If I do find a problem I will be sure to update.

I am so amazed right now.  So my son (who would kill me if he was older and could read) soaks through his pull-ups at night and it takes about 2 rounds in the washer before the smell comes out of his sheets. I just went to throw the first load of clothes I washed with this in the dryer and had to check if his sheet still smelled. Nopa..nothing...no pee smell at all!! And only one wash!! YAHOOO!! (Sorry for some reason I thought I had to share that!)

This is going to end up saving us a ton of money.  The laundry soap we usually buy is $8.99 for 64 loads. 

The Borax cost $5.99 and the Washing Soda was $5.69 and the bar of soap...lets say $1.00. That's it. I'll round up the numbers, so $13.00 for I don't even know how many loads of laundry...over 600 for sure. Wahoo!!  I would love to hear your comments on this.

Thanks again to Erin @ Why Not Sew for posting this great tutorial!!


Up Next.......Homemade Fabric Softener!!!

Vintage Candle Holder Re-Newed

A few weeks ago I was browsing through my local thrift store when I came across an old mirror. All the different ideas on what I could do with it were running through my mind but decided against buying it. It would have been nice if there were a pair of them.

Well, as I was standing in line to pay, it kept calling my name. "Sarah, come on Sarah, take me home". So I did.

Before

Doesn't it remind you of something you would have seen in your grandma's house years and years ago.

The first thing I did was tape the mirror off. I didn't want to get any of the spray paint on the mirror.

all taped up

 Next it was time to spray paint.  I did 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of gloss white.

Don't forget to spray paint your lawn so when people ask what happened you then have a reason to show your project!

After the paint was dry (well actually it sat for a few weeks, until I got around to it again) I glued a small candle holder onto the newly painted candle holder. I first tried my hot glue gun, but that didn't work. So I got out my Amazing Goop!! This is the best glue ever (well it's worked for any test I've put it through). This is what I used to get my Garden Markers to stay on the sticks.

I hung my Re-Newed Candle Holder in my dining room. This is how it turned out.

After

I'd love to know what you think. Leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading!!

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