Liquid Laundry detergent

I have told you all that I make my cleaners to save money. Well, this one came about not to save money, but because I have an allergy to most store detergents including powders. I have found that this recipe alleviated that annoying, bumpy, itchy rash I perticularly got on my chest and thighs. It works well in my hard water combinded with my HE washer. It takes a bit of slaving over a hot stove, but the recipe is very simple. The recipe also is in bulk (yields 5 gal) and will last some time.

Materials
1 Ten Gallon Bucket with a lid
1 Large Pot
1 Cheese Grater (I used a food processor)
1 Large Mixing Utensil
2 - 3 Empty Laundry Detergent Containers (optional)

Ingrediants

1 cup of Borax
1 cup of  Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!)
1 Bar of Fels Naptha soap (or 5.5 oz of Zote soap)
Water (enough to fill half the bucket)
1 tbsp of Essential Oil for scent (optional it smells good without it too)

Instructions
Heat 1 quart of water in the pot on the medium high till it is steaming. While doing that, grate the Fels-Naptha soap. Add the grated soap to the hot water. Stir until completely melted - about 10 minutes. There should be no clumps in the water. Be careful with the foamy bubbles.

Fill up  the 10 gallon bucket halfway with hot tap water. Pour in the melted soap mixture & give it a quick stir. Stir in the borax & washing soda till it is disolved. If you're using essential oil, now is the time to add it. You add in ½oz to 1oz, depending on how scented you want. Stir the contents again.

Snap on the lid, & let it sit for 24 hours to gel up. It will have the consistency of egg noodle soup - watery with glops of gel. If you would like a smoother consistency like the store-bought brands, you can use an immersion blender at this point to smooth it out.

AFTER 24 HOURS HAVE PASSED you can divide it up between the empty containers.