TLC Soaps & Sundries.com : Formulas : TLC Fresh Laundry Soaps

TLC Soaps and Sundries
TLC Fresh Laundry Soaps

This is the same process as with recycling soap, but with a soap that is made just for laundry. There are 4 formulas listed here. I will be updating as I try a few more things, but this is a good start for a great laundry soap. One of the things you will need to process the soap is a Food Processor. I have one that I use just for making many different items, but it is never used for making food. Before I had one I did use the one I have for food but never put any fragrances in it because I knew this would cause a problem.

The reason you don't want to add scents to your items in the Food Processor if you wish to use it for food again later, is that the plastic bowl takes on the scents from the Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils that are used in it and will transfer to the food. So when processing this use it for only powdering the soap and then add the scents you are going to add later in your storage container and stir them in well. And maybe while checking out Yard Sales you might run across one to use just for this and then you can add the scents in without worry.

TLC Fresh Laundry Soap 1

6 oz. Coconut
6 oz. Palm Kernel
48 oz. Lard

8.65 oz. Lye
20 oz. water
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Baking Soda

TLC Fresh Laundry Soap 2

12 oz. Coconut
48 oz. Lard

8.80 oz. Lye
20 oz. water
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Baking Soda

TLC Fresh Laundry Soap 3 (Veggie)

12 oz. Coconut
48 oz. Shortening

8.65 oz. Lye
20 oz. water
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Baking Soda

TLC Fresh Laundry Soap 4 (Veggie)

60 oz. Coconut

10.95 oz. Lye
20 oz. water
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Baking Soda

Make soap as usual and add the Borax and Baking Soda at a light trace. May accelerate trace, but since it is laundry soap I don't worry bout that. If you like you could add a bit more of the powder to the mixture to make it a dryer consistence. Just delete what you use from the process below if you like.

After it has gone through the insulation stage 18 to 24 hours, then grate the soap up and allow it to dry completely. Salad Shooter is great for this. This helps it to powder better and it will not clog up the food processor. Put the threads of soap in a large container and toss them a few times a day. Might take a week or more to dry according to the humidity. Then process as below.

6 cups of dried soap threads
1 cup Borax
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda (optional)

Use 1/2 and 1/2 Baking Soda and Borax if you do not find Washing Soda

1 1/2 Tbsp. Sweet Orange Essential Oil
1 Tbsp. Lavender Essential Oil
1/2 Tbsp. Ylang Ylang or Rose Geranium Essential Oil

You can also use any mixture of scenting oils you like and I find that sometimes I use more of the Sweet Orange Oil than I have in the recipe just because I like the clean fresh aroma that it gives. I also use some Fragrance Oils mixed with the Sweet Orange Oil to give different scents. So this can be tailored to your on flavor in scents. :-) I do recommend the use of the Sweet Orange Oil as it really helps clean the cloths very well.

If you don't have Washing Soda handy you can increase the Borax and Baking Soda to help with the cleaning. Washing Soda is very hard to find and is just something that I used because I could find it, but now it is not in any of the stores here, so I am using only Borax and Baking Soda and that works great too.

Mix the Essential Oils together in a glass container to have them ready to put in the soap. Mix the powders together to be added to the soap threads as you blend them together in a food processor. This helps the soap melt much faster when it is powdered as much as possible. Take about 1 cup of the soap threads, a little more of the powders and blend till it is powdered. The soap will not become a real powder and will be like little pellets and that is fine. Blend all of it together, placing it in a bowl after each blending. Stir it together and add the Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils and stir in well and use as you would any other powder detergent. I use a full scoop of the laundry scoops that come with the detergents in the store. I think that is about 3/4 cup or so. The Essential Oils will add a nice aroma to the cloths and the Sweet Orange oils helps with cleaning the fabrics. Add a splash of White Vinegar to the wash during the wash cycle. Or you can add it to one of the Downy Balls and let it do its thang later in the cycle. The White Vinegar helps cut any oils out of the cloths and also helps to soften the fabric.

Created By Rita Scheu
TLC Soaps & Sundries
http://www.tlcsoaps.com