05/23/06, 12:49 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 137
|
|
|
I've been making our laundry soap for about 6 months now. Some things I've learned:
1- Borax - is considered 'toxic' by many. It's the main (active) ingredient in non-clorine bleach and is a different form of what we know as 'boric acid'. Many people won't use it because of this. I have small children and I use it. No problem if it's kept UP out of reach.
2- Washing Soda - is much more alkaline than baking soda . . . washing soda's PH is 11 while baking soda's PH is 8.1 (7 is neutral). For soap (not detergent) to work well, it needs a good alkaline base, especially in places where there is hard water.
3- Vinegar - should always be used in the rinse water when using homemade laundry soaps. Homemade laundry soaps are usually quite alkaline (which they need to be), and the vinegar in the rinse water helps to neutralize the alkaline. (Which is also why a vinegar rinse should be used on any clothes that have been washed in bleach. If you don't, the alkaline bleach, even when dry, can continue to work on the cloth and can eventually eat holes thru it. Ever get bleach-water on your hands? You know the slippery feeling it leaves behind? That's the alkaline in the bleach working on the oils of your skin. Rinse with vinegar and that slippery feeling, due to the extreme alkaline, will be neutralized.)
4- Fabric Softener - the vinegar seems to work well for this and for giving a truly 'clean' smell to the clothes. I've never had a problem with a smell of any kind in the clothes when using a vinegar rinse. I've thought of adding some essential oils to the vinegar so the clothes would be lightly scented, but I'd only do that if you're going to line dry. A dryer's heat would drive off the essential oils, leaving you with clean, fresh smelling clothes, but no actual scent.
5- Water - needs to be chosen carefully. If you have hard water . . . DO NOT use your tap water - use distilled water or rainwater. Hard water does not react as well with homemade laundry soap, but it can be done. You just need to use a bit more borax and/or washing soda. Our water is so hard that even when I use regular laundry detergent I still have to add borax to the water. Just be careful not to add too much borax and/or washing soda . . . it can settle to the bottom and be hard to mix back in.
6- Natural - if you're interested in making your own laundry soap to get away from synthetic fragrances and petroleum based detergents, be very careful what 'soap' you choose to use from the store. Many bar 'soaps' are not soaps anymore, but detergent bars. I have used Fels Naptha before and it DID do a good job . . . but I'm afraid it may be detergent based and I'd like to stay away from detergents. I'm currently using my own homemade soap instead and I'm pleased with how it works.
7- Soap - be careful which you choose. Some have said that you can use ANY soap . . . but if it's a 'moisturizing' bar from the store or a 'superfatted' handmade soap, it could cause problems. Those 'extra' oils in the soap that are there to stay on your skin after washing (for moisturizing purposes) can leave little oil spots behind on your clothes! So just be sure it's 'pure soap' from the store or a handmade soap made especially for laundry.
8- Sudsing - doesn't seem to be a problem at all with homemade laundry soap.
9- Powdered vs. 'Liquid'/Gel - is really a personal choice . . . but the down side I personally don't like about the powdered is that you need to make sure the soap is dissolved in the water before adding the clothes . . . and real soap (not detergent bars) dissolve best in hotter waters. I wash with warm water so it takes a minute before it dissolves and I'm an impatient person - I like to put my soap in and then immediately put the clothes in!
Just some thoughts . . . maybe they'll help someone.
Brit
Last edited by exegeses; 05/23/06 at 02:03 PM.
Reason: adding info about water
|
