Ah yes, what I have learned being unemployed. 
Today I made laundry soap. Again.  I have made several batches and read all the recipes for grating and boiling and stirring and setting and frankly I am tired of it. Once I made it and it totally separated and after it was a fluffy dry white mass (that crumbled when I looked at it) floating on some yellow liquid: I threw it away. Dumped it right down the sink. But I tried again after I found this recipe during one of my reading days... http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/no-grate-homemade-laundry-soap.html
 It was the easiest and used boiling water, borax, washing soda and Dawn dish washing liquid. I made a jug at a time in no time at all.  Literally it would take me about 4 minutes to make enough for 3 weeks.
  But the bar of Fels Naptha sat in the bag waiting to be used.  And I couldn't  waste it. So I put it in a quart jar and filled it with hot water.  It sat on the counter for a week and each time I walked by I swirled the contents of the jar until it started to remind me of lemon pudding. So I cranked out a batch today.  1/4 cup each of Borax and washing soda stirred into about a cup of boiling water (I microwaved it in a glass measuring cup).  After it dissolved  I poured in in the jug and added a 1/4 cup of the liquid from around the bar of Fels Napta. There is still a sizable chunk of soap in the jar but the liquid around had the consistency of egg whites.
And then I shook the jug. And it looks great. I could add 4 gallons of water and use 2 cups per load (tongue in cheek!) but who wants a 5 gallon pail taking up space in the laundry room.  So I will use about a fourth of a cup per load and see if that gets the laundry clean. I don't want to over think this. And I will post photos tomorrow. Which is today. Cus it is midnight and I am sitting in amazement that the weather man was right on this time. Freezing rain at midnight. Hitting my window at midnight. I wish I had a job where I was right 1 out of 5 times and still had everyone listening to me!

just a note:  I love this stuff. It is working well for me. But next week after my 7th grade son does his science experiment on it I will let you know how it compares to the Tide laundry detergent that I have left purchased laundry detergent I have left.