Homemade Laundry Soap

​I had one of those crazy days where I bit off more I could chew, and then I decided to make laundry detergent! At this stage in the pregnancy game, I tend to forget I'm pregnant until I'm exhausted and my back hurts, then I remember to breathe and rest, and eat vegetables... that's all I have to remember, right?
 
Anyway, back to the laundry detergent! I've been wanting to make my own for years. With three basic ingredients, it's healthier and has fewer chemicals. It's incredibly cost effective, and can be tweaked for your family’s needs, so what's not to love?
 
For this recipe, I followed Wellness Mamas laundry detergent instructions for powdered soap. It calls for washing soda (not baking soda), borax, and a shredded bar of natural soap.
 

​For the soap, I chose an amazing smelling natural bar of soap I had received from the Wow Bloggers conference. This bar held a special place in my heart after its beautiful fragrance soothed my first-trimester morning sickness. Yes, I'd smell the bar every morning and it would help squelch my queasiness.
 
Now, my food processor went caput about a year ago, so I spent way too much time hand grating this bar of soap. I have a whole new level of admiration for pioneer women after this task… and sore fingers. I highly recommend popping your soap in the food processor for a few minutes, or be forwarned that grating soap is quite a task!
 
The ratio is simple 2 parts borax, 2 parts washing soda, 1 part shredded soap. This bar produced about 2 cups of shredded soap, so I ended up with a large batch that should hold us about 6 months!

Someone...who will not be named...spilled half of the laundry soap... and that someone will be grating soap next time ;)

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​I’m thrilled with the smell, and the finished results. I simply add one tablespoon to each load of laundry, maybe 1 ½ if it’s extra dirty, and enjoy fresh clean clothes without breaking the bank or exposing my crew to harsh chemicals.
 
I’m even considering trying it out on our cloth diapers… any thoughts on if it would work without causing issues?
 
Have a great week!
Alex