Easy Method To Make Ivory Soap Powder for Homemade Laundry Detergent and 3 Ingredient Detergent Recipe
Have you ever grated a bar of Ivory soap to make your own Laundry detergent? That wasn’t much fun, was it? There is a much easier way to turn a bar of Ivory soap into a powder form for use in homemade laundry detergent! My baby daughter, Tiffany shared her method with me recently when I traveled to Smyrna, Ga. (it is only a 2 hour drive) for a weekend visit with my daughter and son-in-law.
Check out this old Ivory Soap advertisement!
Microwave it!
Place a single bar of Ivory Soap into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave up to about 3 minutes, stopping often to check for completion. Check by poking a fork into the fluff feeling for any solid piece. (Microwave cooking times may vary.) After you remove the fluff from the microwave, it shrinks quickly.
Wow! Look at how the Ivory soap expands in the microwave! Let the children watch for a quick science lesson!
[Tweet “See what happens with you microwave a bar of Ivory Soap!”]
Allow to cool before handling. Rub the pieces between your hands over the bowl to create the fine powder. There may be lumps which is perfectly acceptable when making Ivory soap powder for your homemade laundry detergent.
Do you know the reason that Ivory soap floats?
Back in the 1800’s when Ivory soap was first created, people would actually bathe in the river. You can only imagine how annoying it might be to drop your bar of soap in the river! Ivory created a soap that floats for those fine folks which we still sold today!
Simple & Easy 3 Ingredient Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
Ingredients
- Two parts Washing Soda
- Two parts Borax
- One part Ivory Soap
The actual quantities will depend on how much you want to make at one time. For example, 2 cups washing soda plus 2 cups Borax and one cup ivory soap powder will equal 5 cups of detergent. 5 cups of detergent will do about 20 loads of laundry when using 1/4 cup per load.
Use about 1/4 cup per load of laundry. You may use more or less depending on how dirty the laundry is.
-
Gather your ingredients
- Microwave your Ivory soap to expand it
- Shred the expanded Ivory soap
- Mix the ingredients
- Pour the homemade detergent mixture into your storage container
- Drop in a few silica packets to prevent moisture
Well maybe there is a 7th step, make yourself a cup of your favorite beverage, sit down, prop up your feet and enjoy a good book! You have time!
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DD says
Hi, I don’t have a microwave.
Is not ok to just grate the Ivory Soap?
Shirley Wood says
I have never tried just grating the soap. Let me know how that goes for you. Part of the microwave process allows you to shred the soap powder between your hands but it seems like grating would work. Let me know!
Aja Adams says
How do you powder the soap after microwaving it (from foam to powder)
Kelly Gwin says
I don’t own a microwave so how would I do it via stove top?
Shirley Wood says
Hi Kelly, I have not tried making it anyway except in the Microwave. Because it expands so much, not sure I’d do it on the stove.
Laura says
Oh, wow! I might actually try to make my own laundry detergent now.. I always dreaded trying to grate a bar of soap. Thanks for sharing!
Shirley Wood says
Thanks for stopping by Laura. Glad you are able to use the microwave trick with the Ivory soap!
Tammy says
Something I will have to try. I love Ivory soap. Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I’ve pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board
Shirley Wood says
Thank you for stopping by Tammy.
Prototype Mama says
Oh wow! I’m going to have to try this!
Shirley Wood says
Awesome. Let me know how you like this method! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment 🙂
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
This is neat! I’ve only ever purchased home-made laundry detergent (from a friend who has a business selling it). Her’s is in cream form, not powder…but this might be interesting!
Anna @ Northern Homestead says
I too have never made homemade laundry detergent. Is it just cheaper, or better, or better for the environment (I buy environment friendly laundry detergent anyways). Will pin it to good to know!
Shirley Wood says
I’m surprised because I thought I was the last person to leave the train station on DIY laundry detergent!
FabEllis says
Wow! Never thought about creating my own washing soap before.
Shirley Wood says
They say we learn something new everyday. Expanding that Ivory soap is way cool though, isn’t it!
Alli says
I’ve never made homemade laundry detergent. But if I ever do, I will definitely use your method. Grating anything isn’t very fun and especially grating an entire bar of ivory soap. And I’ll pin it for those that do make laundry detergent and are looking for an easier way. Thanks for sharing!
Shirley Wood says
The grating method is messy, time consuming and a few other negative adjectives 🙂 Thanks for the Pin 🙂