Coastal Cottage Laundry Soap Recipe

About This Recipe:

This natural laundry detergent works beautifully in cleaning your clothes. This is a great base recipe. Some people may want to add oxiclean or other boosters in addition to the listed ingredients. This recipe is in two steps - you must first make a batch of CP soap. Once that has cured (4-6 weeks), you can then proceed with the rest of the recipe. Alternately, you can buy CP soap bars or use a CP soap that has already cured and proceed with the 2nd part of this recipe. Optional: You can also use Fels Naptha soap purchased in the grocery store.

Shopping List:

(1) Distilled Water

(1) 1 lb Coconut Oil - 76º Melt

(1) 2 lb Sodium Hydroxide Flakes

(1) 2 fl. oz Coastal Cottage Fragrance Oil 770

(2) 1 lb Sodium Borate - aka Borax

(2) 1 lb Sodium Carbonate - aka Washing Soda

(1) 1 Mold Short (Small) Loaf Silicone Mold 1504

(9) 1 Piece Zip Pouch - White with Window

(9) 1 Piece Scoop - 1/2 ounce (White)

Recipe Ingredients:

• 5.30 oz. Distilled Water
• 14 oz. Coconut Oil - 76º Melt
• 2.55 oz. Sodium Hydroxide Flakes
• 0.90 oz. Coastal Cottage Fragrance Oil 770
• 27 oz. Sodium Borate - aka Borax
• 28.60 oz. Sodium Carbonate - aka Washing Soda

Equipment From Home:

• (1) Scale - Digital Display
• (1) Thermometer - Digital
• (1) Polypropylene Pitcher
• (1) Polypropylene Measuring Cup
• (1) Metal Pot
• (1) Stove Top
• (1) Stick Blender
• (1) Spatula
• (1) Refrigerator
• (1) Soap Cutter
• (1) Grater
• (3) Large Mixing Bowls
• (1) Measuring Cups
• (1) Food Processor

Directions:

1. FIRST PART OF RECIPE - Making CP Bars. If you already have (4) approximately 4-5 oz. bars of cold process soap, skip to Step 12.    
2. NOTE: This project and these instructions have been written for someone who has experience making soap and knows the potential dangers due to working with sodium hydroxide. It will not outline all safety methods of working with dangerous chemicals, it is simply a soap recipe for advanced soapmakers.
3. To a polypropylene pitcher add distilled water. To a polypropylene measuring cup, weigh sodium hydroxide. Pour the lye into the water, carefully mix in a well-ventilated area and set aside to cool while you prepare your oils.
4. Weigh the Coconut 76° Oil and add to a metal pot. Heat on low over stove top until it has melted.
5. When the oil and lye/water are both approximately 110°F, pour lye/water mixture slowly into the melted oils/butters. Start mixing with stick blender.
6. At light trace, add 0.90 oz. of Coastal Cottage Fragrance Oil and blend lightly.
7. Pour soap into Short Loaf Silicone Mold. (When we tested, this soap heated up very quickly. We would recommend placing mold in the refrigerator.)  
8. Let soap set in mold overnight. If it sticks to the sides of the silicone mold, let set for an additional 24 hours before unmolding.
9. Unmold soap and slice. Let cure for 4-6 weeks.
10. SECOND PART OF RECIPE:
11. Finely grate (4) 4-5 oz. bars of CP soap and set aside.
12. Measure 27 oz. of Sodium Borate and 28.6 oz. of Sodium Carbonate and mix into the grated soap.
13. Working in small portions (about 2-3 cups at a time), put mixture through a food processor. This helps to get the soap into smaller pieces that will dissolve more easily.
14. When the entire mixture has been processed, fill each bag to approximately 8.75 oz. Depending on the size of your CP bars before grating, you may have extra product after filling the 9 bags. This can either be divided up between the bags or used for samples.   
15. Insert a scoop and seal and label the bag.  

To Use: Use 1 Tbsp. per load. If extra large or soiled load, use 2-3 Tbsp. If using cold water, try to dissolve the soap in water before adding clothes.  NOTE: This recipe is a low-suds detergent and should be safe for HE (High Efficiency) machines, but check with the instructions that came with your machine to make sure before using.