Put your homemade laundry soap into a jar and you're ready to go. It should keep for a long, long time as long as it stays cool and dry.
Most folks will use about 1 TBS per load in a High Efficiency (front loading) washing machine and 2 TBS in a regular (top loading) washing machine. Add more or less depending on your results and your particular laundry needs. For heavily soiled loads, you can add a bit more borax (1-2 TBS) or some "Oxyclean." Liquid bluing is a good additive to help whites get really white.
Another great tip is to use 1/2 cup of white vinegar as a rinse/fabric softener. The vinegar helps dissolve any soap residue which is what makes clothes stiff. And no, it doesn't make your clothes smell like vinegar...it all rinses away.
Enjoy your new homemade laundry soap. You'll smile a frugal smile every time you walk past the laundry detergent aisle at the market, knowing that you're spending a fraction what those cost, and using a much simpler, less chemical-filled clothes washing alternative.
