Handmade Laundry Butter or Laundry Cream Soap with Updated Pictures.

(Using a salad shooter is the easiest way to get shredded soap.)

Shred 36 ounces of 0% superfat coconut oil soap. The original laundry butter recipe is at http://custercottage.blogspot.com/2015/03/laundry-butter-recipe.html  and it calls for only 6 ounces of shredded soap.  I prefer to make larger batches.



 
Add 36 cups of boiling water and mix.  (2 gallons and one quart is the same as 36 cups)  I added a lid and allowed the soap to melt into the water.  Now, cool mix a little more.  It can't be boiling, but it can't be too cold or the borax will not mix in well.  The original recipe states that if it is too hot, the soap will form crystals.

 Add 6 cups of Borax to the mixture.  

 

Then add 6 cups of washing soda and mix well.  

 

*If you want to make your own washing soda, place 6 cups of baking soda in a roaster or on a baking pan.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Baking soda is much softer than Washing Soda.  Washing Soda feels like it has sand grains.

 

(After adding Borax it is still thin, but not as see through.)

After adding the Borax and Washing Soda, allow the soap to cool and gel for 3-6 hours.  If you try to speed up this process, more crystals may form.  

Note:   Gel does not necessarily mean the whole thing will gel.  Usually the top layer.  Start blending with the stick blender, even if it is thin under a top layer.  It will start to lather up and thicken.

(After the gel, you may find a thick top with a syrup like on the bottom.  I cut a hole with my stick blender to show how it may look.)

Once the soap has cooled and gelled, mix the soap with a stick blender.  Make sure you get everything that may have settled to the bottom of the container.  This makes approx. 10 quarts, or more depending on the amount of air that is whipped in. 

(After mixing.)

Have plenty of jars ready.  I needed 12, but it will also depend on how much air you whip into the soap batter.

 I have found that the soap sets up a little more as it ages.  Some extra water may be required or it will be hard to remove the soap from the container.  Wide mouth jars work best, but I like the look of the narrow jars better.  You may wish to add some fragrance oil or essential oil prior to placing the soap into containers.  This is optional, it will not make your clothing fragrant.  I usually add about a teaspoon or less per jar.  If you are gifting some of this soap, you may wish to add a tad bit of mica to make the soap prettier.  I use 2 tablespoons of laundry soap per load of laundry and this recipe gives you enough to wash 320 loads of laundry. 

I have not had any problems with this recipe.  At times you don't think it will thicken, but give it a little longer and keep stick blending.  Once my soap was a little gritty, but I cleaned just fine.  Now you are done, unless you want to make fabric softener.  

(It may thicken once it sets for a day or so.)

Powdered fabric softener recipe:  

One cup of solar salt, 1/2 cup baking soda, one tablespoon of fragrance oil.  I used baking soda to help with removing odors.   I plan to use 1/2 cup per wash. 

(Morton salt makes solar water softening salt crystals and this tends to be the least expensive way to purchase all natural salt crystals.)

This recipe only gives you enough fabric softener to make 3 loads of laundry.

I hope you find this recipe easy to read and follow.  Try it and let me know how it turns out for you. 

Dawnie 

PS  Don't forget to go to my website at: https://www.slipperywhenwetsoaps.com or my website at: https://www.custercottage.com or my Etsy shop at:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/CusterCottage