There are occasions when you have some seriously Filthy clothing that needs to be washed. These little beauties are “Da Bomb”, Laundry Bombs – that is! I created this recipe out of necessity after my husband decided his truck needed to be repainted and his nice jeans became embedded with bondo, paint thinner, grease and god knows what else! While I normally use our Super Laundry Sauce recipe, there are occasions that a Laundry Bomb is necessary,48 loads of laundry for $0.88
Here’s how to make them:
You’ll Need:
1/2 Fels Naptha Bar
1/2 c. Washing Soda (NOT baking soda)
1/2 c. Borax
2 c. water
Measure the Washing soda and Borax into a baggie or small bowl, mix well to combine and break up any chunks that may be in the soaps.
Very finely grate the 1/2 bar of fels naptha. In a medium size saucepan bring water to a boil, dump in the finely grated fels naptha and stir continuously until the fels is Completely melted. This should take about 8 minutes. If you’re using an electric stove, it will take considerably longer. If your fels naptha is NOT finely grated, it will take considerably longer. Do not add additional water, you want the finished product to be very concentrated.
Once the soap is completely (100%) dissolved with NO chunks at all, add in the washing soda/borax mix, stirring constantly. It will be a very thick, creamy consistency. Remove from heat and pour into a medium size bowl, let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
Using a Hand mixer, Whip it until it has doubled in volume. Do not add any additional liquid, it is not necessary and will dilute the strength of your finished detergent.
Once the mixture has been whipped, form it into 48 balls. This can be done several different ways, a melon baller works perfectly to make even balls. Alternatively, we found this delightful mini-ice cube tray at the dollar store (Each slot holds 2 tsps)
Fill each slot, place the tray in the freezer for 15 minutes, then pop out the Laundry Bombs. Again, if you don’t have a mini ice cube tray you can use a melon baller. Each ball is about 2 teaspoons TOTAL.
Store them in a covered container or plastic bag. We prefer a covered container to prevent them from being broken/crushed.
To Use:
Use 1 bomb per load. Simply toss it into the machine with your dirty clothes. This is fine for HE machines, front loaders, top loaders, old machines. The ingredients are all considered to be “Septic Safe”.
:notes: Tips-Tricks and other Maladies . . . .
- Washing Soda is NOT the same as Baking soda and cannot be used interchangeably. Look at the photographaboveto see what the ingredients should look like.
- We do NOT recommend using ZOTE in this recipe- it does not work nearly as well.
- Note how finely ground the fels naptha is in the photo above.
- To save time/energy and prevent further washing of more dishes we generally grate a years worth of fels naptha at a time. Grate a full bar, store it in a baggie or jar. Then, when we want to whip up another batch of Super Laundry Sauceor Lavender Laundry Sauceor Laundry Bombs, it’s all ready to go.
Basic Questions we anticipate you asking:
- How did you grate the soap? With a food grater and then we chopped it finely with a knife.
- Do you use regular cooking pans? Yes, we use our regular cooking pans and then simply Wash them very very well.
- Do you use your kitchen Mixer or a Junk Mixer? I like to keep a junk mixer on hand, but since the motor burned out I used my very nice kitchen mixer. It’s quite safe to use as long as you wash your dishes thoroughly when you’re done. After all, you are using this detergent to clean your clothes and your dishcloths that you’ll be washing and drying the dishes with, aren’t you?!
- Does the mixture separate? No, unlike the Super Laundry Saucerecipe, this mixture should not separate as it contains very little water.
- Should I use hot or cold water when washing my clothing? YES. (haha, what I mean is, use whatever you prefer, it dissolves fine in both.
If you are unable to find the ingredients at your local big box store (aka walmart, target, Kmart, CVS, etc) you can order them online from Amazon.com.
Budget101 Budget Breakdown:
Fels Naptha .99 bar – uses 1/2 bar = .49 1/2 cents
Borax 76 oz box = 9.5 cups $3.29 box = .34 c per cup – uses 1/2 cup = .17 cents
Washing Soda 55 oz box =6.875 cups – $2.97 box = .43 per cup uses 1/2 c. = 21 1/2 cents
——————————————————————————-
Total Expense for 48 loads of Laundry = $0.88 or about .02 per load
my hubby is a trucker and i don’t think i even have to tell you the mess his cloths are in. lol. i am going to try these.
thanks bunches! 🙂
do you use this instead of regular laundry soap (i make my own with many of the same ingredients)? or is it an extra kick for those nasty loads? i have boys who seem to make some interesting laundry adventures!
i’m with heather, is this instead of laundry sauce or in addition to laundry sauce? my kids do a lot of the laundry at my house and the easier, the better! i made the duggar recipe, i thought it was fine except for the 5 gallon bucket, my family really didnt like the mixing and measuring.
I am making Lavendar Laundry Sauce today!
awesome. i can’t wait to make and use them either. up here in alaska this time of year we really don’t get that dirty but summer is on the way.
on a side note i love the laundry sauce, very easy to make and works great…
i need some clarification please: in the “you’ll need section you call for a 1/2 of Fels Bar, but in the directions it say finely grate the entire bar and melt down. Which one is it?
I used just a half and I also put in a 1 TBLS of Purex Crystals and it did not turn into a thick creamy consistency in the pan, but seems to be thickening as it cools. Not quite down with process yet, will get back and let you know my results.
thank you
Leslie
the purex crystals are salt. thats why it did not turn out right. if you want a different scent use oils or gain scent boosters or downy scent boosters.
add them when you boil the water with the 1/2 bar of soap. 🙂
the directions say “Very finely grate the 1/2 bar of fels naptha.”
either you mis-read it, or it was updated after, but there you go.
made my fourth batch today. i never plan to use any other soap. it’s not like no matter how much you pay for it, anyone is ever going to say,”wow, you have the cutest laundry detergent.”
after whipping up please help with the step of using the melon baller. mine is like trying to use a melon baller on coolwhip….i’m sure there’s a technique for this.
thanks!
would i be able to add some essential oil to this for scent or would the oils make the mixture too thin and/or stain the clothing?
since this is the same ingredients as super laundry sauce but with less water, how is it stronger/better? couldn’t you just use more sls?
This is more concentrated than the laundry sauce so you’re only using 2 tsp of this instead of a Tablespoon. The laundry sauce is great, this is just for those that prefer “Pod” style Laundry Soap.
most definitely going to have to try these!!
most definitely going to have to try these!!
these sound great! we like to use the pods so, i think this will work well and save a lot of money.
Sounds worth trying!
i bought all the items to make my first batch i wash cuz we have alot of dogs
i hate grating so i put the fels naptha in an old sock, wrapper and all, then set it on concrete and pounded it with a hammer into an even flat layer. don’t over pound or the wrapper will be in a lot of little pieces. i then crumbled the fels naptha into my kettle.
it took about 20 minutes to melt.
hi liss, i just have a couple questions. in the instructions for this recipe and the regular sauce it states to either use one pod or a tablespoon. i have one of those extra large machines that does not have an agitator in the middle.
would those amounts still apply or should i increase it to 1.5 or 2 tablespoons?
Also, I seen your Zote-Fels test. I was wondering have you done a Castile soap test? Like a Kirk’s or Dr Bronners? If you have, how well do they work?
Thanks!
Try it first with a single pod or tablespoon and if you need more, increase as needed. We have an oversized machine too and the only time we double up or add more is with ds Overly greasy work clothes.
i am wondering if it would be ok to make a double batch of this at once or is it best to do it in single batches?
do these get hard or stay kind of mushy. i have made 2 batches and they harden on the outside but are soft in the middle. Am I doing something wrong?
so mine separated. i used 2 cups water, 1/2 fels naptha, 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup washing soda. Everything melted together fine but it was on the thin side.
What happened?
you just made a half batch of Laundry sauce, this one has considerably less water than that, it’ll still work though just not as a bomb
Ohh in my browser it appears a 2 c. would it be 1/2 cup chance? My clothes still came out clean.
=) Making a new batch today and will try less water.
I’m curious as well, it shows 2c. on my screen.
Yes, the recipe is Correct as listed, it’s 2 CUPS.
i hate to beat a dead horse…but that would be halfing the recipe for the super sauce, i am not sure that it would make it more concentrated than the other. i only wonder because i am getting ready to make it now, and i would hate to mess it up, even though the sauce works great, im trying to idiot proof the laundry for my wife and child who like to use excuses to not do it!! lol
i found that it may not be much more concentrated then the laundry sauce,but i found if after you whip it let it set for about 15 minutes it well set better. Just put in your mold and freeze for about 15 – 20 min.
Mine wasn’t super thick after melting & mixing in the dry ingredients. It dis thicken after setting. When I whipped it, it was like whip cream just a bit thicker.
I let that set for about 10-15 minutes & it thickened a bit more. Once you put it in the molds & freeze it, it sets nicely. I do suggest using a mold over the melon baller.
Worked better for me. Hope this helps.
i let the mix set after melting & mix dry ingredients & it thickened. after whipping it mine was a little more like whipped cream so i let it set for about 15 minutes & it got thicker, then put in molds & put in freezer for about 15-20 mins. Set up nicely.
Hope this helps.
ok, i must have done something wrong! mine did not get thick and it did separate. i tried doubling the recipe, would that make it not work?
i followed everything else to the letter!
Ooh, Yeah, doubling doesn’t work- too much water at once.
so did we figure out how much water? is it really two cups?
do you keep it in the freezer, or does it stay solid when you remove them from the freezer. i recently made the laundry sauce, and love it, but am wondering if i could make bombs with the sauce.
i use this on my fiance’s greasers. he works on an oil drilling rig and well some of the stuff that gets caked on there other detergents won’t get off. this stuff works really well.
laundry sauce “to go” ?
if these do eventually “dry” completely, it seems they would be the ideal way to take your laundry sauce along when you travel. a small plastic container, rather than a zip bag, should protect them from getting crushed.
i am sorry, but i believe the concentration of this is far too strong for one load of laundry. if i used the same recipe as above adding more water, it would make 2 1/2 gallons of liquid and about 80-100 loads. While this would be concentrated, it would be far too much, and I believe your clothes would start falling apart because of it.
Even the laundry sauce is too concentrated and doesn’t break down well in the cycle. I appreciate that people don’t have the space to store five gallons at a time, but I think you are doing them a disservice providing a recipe that will cost them more money in the end when they have to replace their clothes!
thank you for bringing attention to the fact that this is not meant for everyday use.
while we can appreciate your concern, this recipe is not meant for everyday regular use, as the recipe states, it’s meant as an occasional booster for severely dirty loads, such as mechanics clothing, roofers clothes, farmers clothing, etc.
we would not recommend this for someone who works at an office job, nor do we recommend you use it on a daily basis on regular clothes.
it’s a laundry bomb, for when you need a massive boost.
can it be used with a he washing machine?
how small do i meed to make these for every day use?
is this recommended for front loading washers that you have to use he (high efficiency) detergents with? i have made and used a similar detergent in the past and it was great but i would hate to ruin my new machine. thanks.
is this instead of the regular sauce, or in addition, i.e. use sauce and this? i guess i’m reading this to be a booster….
but i’m not sure. thanks!
Either, Or. It can be used as a booster for really grimy loads, or used in place of for an occasional heavy load.
hi please tell me the difference between the sauce and the bomb? did i read correctly that the sauce is ok to use on a regular basis and the bombs are for dirtier clothes? if so could you use a bomb in addition to the sauce?
i am really interested in using this as an alternative, where i live the water table is really shallow and we are trying to keep the phosphates down and second everything here is so expensive and this would help considerably!
thanks!
wow! upper laundry sauce and i love it! looks like i’ll be making some of the super laundry bombs next.
i am so loving your laundry recipe’s!
do these need to be kept in the refrig/freezer or is room temp ok once they are set??
i have very little time to do anything around the house with a little one at home so the pods save time. i also tried using the recipe for dummies and add the lavender and then tried to make pods out of it. after this learning experience i can report that you must make it more concentrated.
my pods are slushies even after being in the freezer for two days. maybe drying them out like the dish pod recipe would be best.
thank you! my husband is a farmer/mechanic. i wash his jeans 3 times just get the smell out.
i love the convenience of laundry pods, as i live on the 8th floor of an apartment building and have to take everything downstairs to do laundry. Would the bombs be too strong for everyday washing if they were only 1 tsp?:dontknow:
mine stayed really liquidy. am i doing something wrong?
how do these work in he washers? has anybody tried them?
this is the exact same recipe as super laundry sauce only, cut in half. how do you get it to stay firm instead of creamy?
i would like to incorporate pyrex laundry crystals into this recipe. can it be done?
I follow the directions exactly yet every time I make them they come out crumbly? at least I think I’m doing everything right. when I get to where it says it should be a thick, creamy consistency, it isn’t.
it’s soupy until it’s cooled a bit and then when I go to whip it it doesn’t really double in size. I measure carefully but maybe I should reduce the water a bit?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, for breaking down the price per batch and providing how many cups you can get out of each box!
I haven’t yet made any Landry soap. I’ve been searching Pinterest to see if it’s really worth it money wise! I couldn’t find the amount of cups in each box anywhere!
After seeing your post I will DEFINITELY be making my own! Thanks again!
Hi there! I tried your recipe for the super laundry bombs to the T, and all I got was a gloppy mess. It didn’t “whip up” at all, but rather stayed a liquid, even after letting it “set” for 20 minutes to cool as you directed.
I already had 1/2 fels naptha bar finely grated (3 oz.) and did exactly as your recipe called for. Any suggestions?
I would suggest remelting the entire batch and boiling it down, it has too much liquid.
washing soda is sodium carbonate, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, that being said converting sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate just requires heatingm so baking it in a 400 degree oven for about an hour will do the trick
Thank you for this recipe! We just moved to an apartment & I really bad back problems so carring a lot of stuff to the laundry room is not a good thing. This well help so much.
I find that it isn’t much strong then the laundry sauce which I’ve been using for months! This is AWESOME!
What is the water to tablet ratio? Like can I use one tablet to one gallon of water and then use that as a liquid soap?
Do you put this directly in with the dirty clothes or place it in the laundry detergent slot/basket of the front loader HE washing machine?
With only 2 cups of water this isn’t just half the sauce recipe. It starts with 3 cups of water and then you had more to each to quart jar. My guesstimate is about 6 cups water altogether.
A quart is 4 cups. With water and other ingredients you end up with 8 cups. The bombs are a bit stronger than the sauce.
Totally disappointed. Made this recipe exact and it worked great, consistency and all that.
Problem was the test. Put some stains on a white cloth. Put laundry bomb against tide pods.
Wasn’t even close, i would say the laundry bomb got 20% of the stains, where as the tide pod got 70%. I guess it’s true what they say, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
I wasn’t sure whether or not to use these AS the detergent or In Addition To the detergent that we normally use. Because my boyfriends clothes were so stained I used them IN ADDITION TO my regular detergent and they are WONDERFUL.
Thank you for sharing this. I used to have to cut up my boyfriends shirts and use them as rags after a couple months because they would get so stained up. These are fabulous stain removing boosters that actually work.