How to Make Your Own Laundry Soap

Like Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar (from TLC's 17 Kids and Counting)

Whether you have sensitive skin or just a desire to save money on household necessities, making your own laundry detergent like the Duggar family does is a simple project that you can whip up in your own kitchen. When you make your own detergent, you leave out the chemicals that manufactures use in theirs, AND your savings will be astronomical (I know one lady who spent less than $10 for an entire year's worth of laundry detergent because she made her own). Here's a simple-to-follow recipe that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar use to make their own laundry soap.

Things You’ll Need:
1/3 Bar of soap (most people use Fels Naptha or Zote, but you can also use Ivory Soap)
3 pints of hot water
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
3 pints of water
2 gallon container with lid
1 quart of hot water
More hot water
Sauce pan

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions:
Step 1 - Grate your bar of soap. (It's easier if you use a crank grater. If you use a regular box or flat grater, watch your fingers!)
Step 2 - Mix the grated soap and 3 pints of water in a sauce pan on low heat, until the soap gratings have dissolved.
Step 3 - Stir in washing soda.
Step 4 - Stir in Borax.
Step 5 - Stir until thickened.
Step 6 - Remove from heat.
Step 7 - Add 1 quart of hot water to the 2 gallon container.
Step 8 - Add the soap mixture to the container.
Step 9 - Mix well. (If your container has a wide mouth, use a stirrer. If it has a narrow mouth, put the lid on and shake it.)
Step 10 - Add more hot water to the container until it's almost full, leaving just enough room to mix it.
Step 11 - Mix once more.
Step 12 - Let the mixture set for 24 hours, or until it has thickened.
Step 13 - Use to clean your laundry, using 1/2 cup per full load.

Here is another recipe:
Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent:
1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

I have not tried this yet, but I am thinking about making the powdered detergent.
I'll let you know:)