If you're looking for fun ways to cut costs, you can make a large bucket of liquid that can act as a detergent for your washing machine, at a cost of just a few euro cents per load.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: One
Step 1. Finely grate a bar of soap
Step 2. Add the grated soap to a pot water
Step 3. Stir continuously over medium-low heat until the soap has dissolved and turned liquid
Step 4. Fill a 20 liter container with 10 liters of hot water
Step 5. Add the liquid soap from the pot, the laundry soda and the borax to the container
Mix well until all the powder dissolves.
Step 6. Fill the bucket with more tap water until it is almost full
Mix.
Step 7. When the water has cooled, add 10-15 drops of scented oil (optional)
Step 8. Cover the container with the lid and let it sit overnight
Step 9. Fill the soap compartment half full with soap and half full with water
Step 10. Shake before using
Method 2 of 3: Two
Step 1. Put about four cups of water in a saucepan and heat it to a boil
Step 2. While you wait, use a knife to cut strips of soap and put them in the water,
Keep the heat low so you don't burn yourself with the vapors. Alternatively you can use a grater
Step 3. Cut all the bar of soap, then stir the boiling water until all the soap has dissolved
Step 4. Put 10 liters of water in a 20 liter container
Step 5. Add the water with the soap, stir for a while, then add a cup of laundry soda
Step 6. Continue stirring for a minute or two, then add half a cup of borax if desired
Step 7. Stir for another couple of minutes, then let this solution cool overnight
Step 8. In the morning, you will have a container full of gelatin that is a shade lighter than the soap you used
A 250ml scoop of this substance is about what you'll need for a washing machine load - and the ingredients will be the same as a commercial detergent.
Method 3 of 3: Three
Step 1. Add six cups of water to a large pot, mix in a grated medium bar of soap, and heat it over medium heat until the soap dissolves
Step 2. Add a cup of borax and a cup of laundry soda, stirring frequently until all is completely dissolved
Step 3. Add six cups of hot water and mix the hot soap, whirling the solution with a whisk
Step 4. Add 4 liters of cold water and mix well
Step 5. Stir with the whisk every thirty minutes until the soap cools completely (this will take an hour or two)
Step 6. Let the solution sit for at least a few hours (preferably overnight) before using it or divide it into different containers
Step 7. Pour a small amount into a bottle and store the rest in a large container
Before each use shake the bottle (the solution will separate when it rests) and then use 75ml for small loads and 150ml for larger or dirtier ones. After shaking, the soap should have the texture and appearance of a hair conditioner.
Advice
- The longer you let the soap rest Method Three, the more the solution will separate. When you need to refill your smaller bottle, you will need to mix the soap well in the large container with a whisk before refilling it.
- You can add essential oils to give your detergent a fragrance.
You can also make a powder detergent using the above formula but without using water; will work in all types of washing machines!
