Free For ALL FRIDAY: Soap Labels (+ recipe)

Many of you know by now that I am a FRUGALISTA!  I clip coupons and save money where ever I can...especially these days!  Months ago, my Mother shared with me an idea she'd clipped out of our local electric coop magazine, Rural Arkansas.  It was a recipe for making your own laundry soap and it was a short list of ingredients.  She made a batch and raved about it.  I was in the throws of coupon clipping and picking up laundry soap for $2 or less a bottle at Walgreens so I filed the thought and figured I'd revisit later when my stash of ALL and Arm & Hammer ran out. 

Anyway...fast forward to a month ago, it was love at first SNIFF!!!  The Fels-Naptha soap bar used to make this stuff is HEAVENLY!!  Mother gave me a little sample batch of her soap and I was hooked!  And it is SUPER, DUPER cheap.  A few cents per load...yeah, cheap!!!  There are several different recipes out there and if you have hard water you may have to make some adjustments...so just google "homemade laundry soap" to find the variations.  I also found a recipe for making dishwasher detergent...so that's why I've included that on this printable.  Guess what --it also uses two of the same ingredients from the laundry soap. 

So I made a batch...or six :)  For one batch--

• You need one bar of Fels-Naptha soap
• 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
• 1 cup Arm & Hammer WASHING soda (NOT baking soda)

(find all three ingredients at local groceries in the laundry supplies, hardware shops, or visit the links below on Amazon).

(forgive my photos...took with the phone)

 

 

(to give you an idea of what the packages look like)

The process is so very simple it just takes a few minutes...and contrary to what the images may look like, there is NO CHEDDAR CHEESE involved :)

 

I grated the bar of soap with my food processor.  It looks like cheese at first.  Then I processed to a finer consistency with the blade.

 

To make sure the three ingredients combined well, I processed all three to mix well.  

I tend to keep (hoard) containers :)  so this oats box was PERFECT for storing the detergent in. 

 

And then I transformed it...

Just cover the box with a favorite scrapbook paper, use a strong adhesive to ensure it stays put and print the label on cardstock to match.  Voila! 

It looks so sweet perched on top of my washer :) 

Here's what I used to create this simple project:

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Download the FREE PDF file here:

Printable:   Soap Labels

PLEASE carefully read the Terms of Use when using my printable designs :)

Hope you enjoy! Happy Friday!

Comments

[Amy @ Positively Splendid]

You go, girl! I made my own laundry detergent for a good while until I started cloth diapering and had to find something sans any fragrance so the warranty on my diapers wouldn't be voided. I loved it! And I am still chuckling about cheddar cheese. :)

Thanks so much for the labels, too!

[Jennifer Yates]

This is oh so cool! I will have to give it a try! Love the labels too! :)

[jannawilson]

Thanks so much, Jennifer!!!

[jannawilson]

So good to hear from you, Splendid Amy!!!

[Sarah Stegall]

I use this recipe, too. Have for over 2 yrs. I have red-heads with VERY sensitive skin. This is great for them! I tell everyone about it :)

[Amanda]

Love this! I'm going to try it. (I also keep containers like crazy. Reminds me of my grandma) :)

[Maureen]

Just a caution on the detergent: I made a similar recipe (from The Simple Dollar). I found that over time the clothes became noticeably dingy. Eventually I switched back to good ol' Tide. I find I can get pretty good deals on it by combining sales and coupons. Hope you have better success.

[True Religion Jeans Outlet]

The way I'd do it would be to peel and quarter three apples (1 granny Smith to hold its shape and two others) and place in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a little apple juice concentrate (or brown sugar if you want), 1 tsp. cinnamon, a dash of mace and nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and about 2 tsp. lemon juice. Cook asdfover medium-low heat until the apples are cooked through but retain some of the shape. Remove half the apples and puree and return to the chunky ones. Yummy!

[True Religion Outlet]

Yes,I am happy to have found this blog, and more happy to have long tail explained so well.

[cbzbec]

foygitbt

[monika]

hi really i love diy I have been doing them for a while I have a question for you please does this soap makes bubbles or not thank you
yours truly