Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

One of my high school moms sent me this recipe via email. She is the mom of one of my good high school friends who made sure that we were well taken care of at track meets and did not get in too much trouble. Thanks Momma Bogue!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4  Cups – hot tap water

1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
*Arm & Hammer “Super Washing Soda” – in some stores. Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent – It must be sodium carbonate!!

•Works well in traditional or HE machines.
•Low sudsing. It is the ingredients in the soap, not the suds, that does the cleaning.
•Clumping and geling of the detergent is normal. Stir before putting in dispenser, and shake before each use.

•For stains, consider using an inexpensive spray-on stain remover before washing. (Zout, Spray ‘n’ Wash, Oxyclean)

This is Michelle Duggar’s recipe. It works great.