The Layers will separate after a few hours:
Then the bottom layer will become very, very thick, like so:
Step 8:
There are two ways to do this next step, depending on what you have for equipment. Here’s how I like to do it- unscrew the blade and bottom from your blender and screw them onto your regular mouthed mason jar containing all of your ingredients.
Place the entire mason jar on the blender and whip until smooth and creamy throughout, about a minute. Flip back over, unscrew the blender blade, attach a cover and seal.
If you don’t have mason jars or a blender, pour the contents of your settled jar into a large bowl, be sure to scrape down any remaining from the jar to get it all. Using a Hand mixer, Whip the ingredients until light and fluffy and well blended. Transfer the ingredients back into the jar, cover, and store until needed. If you like, add a tsp of glycerin per jar.
Step 9:
To use, add 1 Tablespoon to a load of laundry in any type of machine, conventional, Front Loader, High Capacity & High Efficiency (HE), etc. Do not add the detergent to the “detergent compartment” but instead directly with the dirty clothes. The detergent is Smooth and creamy with the same Look and consistency of Mayonnaise. Be sure to label the jar to prevent accidental ingestion!!
Here is EXACTLY how I use our detergent:
Top Loading Machine Directions
- Fill the machine with dirty clothes
- start the water, (hot- Cold- or warm- doesn’t matter)
- Measure out 1 Tablespoon (literally) of super laundry sauce
- stick the measuring spoon of detergent under the running water, let it fall off the spoon.
- Close the washer lid, go away and do something else while the machine runs.
Front-loader Machine Directions:
- Fill the machine with dirty clothes
- Measure out 1 Tablespoon (literally) of super laundry sauce On Top of the dirty clothes
Close the washer, start it, go away and do something else while the machine runs. Really, it’s that easy folks!
Tips and Tricks, Troubleshooting & Other Thoughts and experiences:
- Do NOT Use Baking Soda or Oxyclean in this recipe hoping it will be an added “Boost”. Your jars will likely explode within 7-10 days in storage (Don’t ask how we know!)
- We have not had any issues with clothing fading due to use
- Since the Soaps have been completely dissolved in this recipe, it leaves NO residue on your clothing like many homemade detergent recipes
- This recipe can easily be doubled to make a Full Gallon of Detergent.
- This can be stored indefinitely. It does become slightly firmer but still melts fine in water, hot or cold
- Fels Naptha Can usually be found in the Laundry Detergent Isle of the Grocery Store for about $1 a bar, or it can be found online here.
- If you leave the detergent sitting more than 6 hours without whipping it, it will likely take on a grainy texture. It should be light, smooth, silky feeling with no “gritty” feeling whatsoever. If it Does have grit, that means that it did Not dissolve properly.
- What do I do if it’s too grainy or if it doesn’t separate? If it’s too grainy or doesn’t separate it means that the soaps were not fully dissolved. You can spoon the mixture back into your saucepan and remelt it until it is smooth. Try not to breathe in the fumes, remember, you are making detergent! Once it feels “smooth” pour it back into the mason jars. Let it set a few hours and then whip.
- Gritty Soap- if your soap is mostly smooth with only a little “grit” feeling, it will still work fine, but may not dissolve well in cold water.
- If you have Moderately gritty soap that DID separate, but you don’t feel like it’s “good enough” to use in your laundry, then use it as a super stain remover for those stubborn stains
- If your soap is Super Gritty or didn’t separate, you should remelt it over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Do NOT use different sized jars, your soap will not set properly.
Budget101 Budget Breakdown:
Fels Naptha .99 bar
Borax 76 oz box = 9.5 cups $3.29 box = .34 c per cup
Washing Soda 55 oz box =6.875 cups – $2.97 box = .43 per cup