Making liquid laundry soap for our family

Our original laundry soap recipe was taken from the
Duggar's favorite recipes page. 

I use a Fels-Naptha soap bar to treat our stains (especially baby stains) on a regular basis.  Also, it's important to use cold water when pre-treating stains so they don't set in.  Place soiled clothing in sink & rinse with cold water while working soap bar into stain(s). Leave a little bit of the soap on the stain when rinsing and then wring and hang until you are ready to wash.

My Amended Cleaned to a "T" Recipe: 

1.5 bars of Fels-Naptha
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (must use sodium carbonate, so just adding baking soda won't work)
3/4 Cup Borax
4 Cups hot tap water
5 Gallon Bucket to store detergent
Container to hold detergent you are using (an empty liquid laundry soap container works or a large plastic Arizona tea container does the job)
Funnel 
Essential Oils (Optional)

*All of these ingredients with the exception of a really nice essential oil, are cheap. I paid 99 cents for my Fels-Naptha bar (found in laundry detergent aisle) & $1.99 for the Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.

Grate your soap bar into a pot with the 4 cups of hot water.  Stir it until melted and soap is dissolved over medium heat. 

Get your 5 gallon bucket ready by filling it up halfway with hot water & then adding the cooked soap mixture. Add the other ingredients with the exception of the essential oils and stir until everything is dissolved.  Fill the bucket up with some more hot water. 

This is supposed to set over night.  It will thicken and become like a gel with some clumps in it.  The first time I made this, I was unfamiliar with the Fels-Naptha bar & used Ivory (big mistake). My mixture didn't quite thicken as anticipated.

Take your funnel & container that will house your detergent & pour gelled soap in it until it reaches the halfway mark.  Fill the rest with hot water and use your essential oil at this point.  I used doTerra's Lavendar and Lemon oils (about 10 drops each) & then ended up adding Sandalwood oil later, because I thought it was a perfect "natural clean" scent.

The detergent will continue to gel and clump, so it's important to shake before each use. I use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load based on the types of material & how much I'm washing - for instance, I would add more in a jeans load as opposed to a baby clothes load.

Good for cleaning up your family one load at a time, enjoy!