Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap (safe for top or front loaders)

I was spending a fortune in laundry soap! I wash a couple of loads a day! I had once scene on TV the Duggers (if you don't know who, that's ok) make their own soap. Brillant! I'll give it a try! * The picture above was an after thought after I made my batch so the bar soap is missing*

Details:
                    Easy. Super Cheap!! A little time consuming but worth it. Can be used for top or front
                     loaders!!

Materials: 
                         All bought at Walmart, in the laundry soap isle all next to each other:
                       4 Cups - hot tap water
                       1 Fels-Naptha soap bar about $3
                       1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda about $4   
                      ½ Cup Borax about $4
Directions:
                      1. Grate bar of soap (I used my cheese grader) and add to saucepan with water. Stir
                          continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. It didn't
                          take to long.
                     
                     2. Fill a 5 gallon bucket (I used the cat litter bucket)  half full of hot tap water. Add
                         melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved.
                         Getting a paint stir stick would help, or if your husband has the stir extension for
                         his drill. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight
                         to thicken.

                    3. The next day stir. It was really thick and hard to mix. It was really chunky but I kept
                        stirring until it was mixed really well. Then fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser
                        half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water.

                    4. 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 or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!


Likes: LOVE IT! The clothes come out smelling so clean and fresh!! While making it, the scent was strong and I was worried but the clothes hardly smell at all. Just fresh and clean! I still use my liquid fabric softner but I will soon make homemade softner too! My mom uses white vinager in her rinse cycle for a softner. The clothes feel nice too! Not "filmy". I recently put in a load with chocolate stained clothes (sat and dried all day) and they came out perfectly clean!! The soap will store for a long time!


Dislikes/Changes: None!!