Homemade Laundry Soap

fransean · #21 05/03/10, 05:40 PM

When I make my basic laundry soap I start with 100% lard homemade soap with some orange essential oil added. I make the "powder" version with washing soda and borax added.
Vinegar as fabric softener is a must for me also.

Oh, and it works just as well in my new top loading HE washer as it did in my old regular washer.

WildernesFamily · #22 05/03/10, 05:46 PM

We use the homemade soap as well, in fact I blogged about it today. The clothes come out just as clean as they do with store bought detergent.

wvstuck · #23 05/03/10, 06:29 PM

We use the Washing Soda, Borax and Fells Naptha homemade version... If you want a really fresh and clean smell... Hang them on a line and let the sun freshen them... Best smell coming or going.

Oldcountryboy · #24 05/03/10, 09:46 PM

Well thanks everyone for your replies. It sounds to me like it's more of a problem with my wife then the homemade soap. Ever since we've been married I've always tried different things to save money and it seems no matter what I do, she always finds something wrong with it.

luvrulz · #25 05/04/10, 05:49 AM

It doesn't suds up like most commercial laundry soaps - maybe that's why she doesn't think it isn't working as well.....

paintboy · #26 05/04/10, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldcountryboy

Well thanks everyone for your replies. It sounds to me like it's more of a problem with my wife then the homemade soap. Ever since we've been married I've always tried different things to save money and it seems no matter what I do, she always finds something wrong with it.

Same situation here. Something must be wrong with it if it didn't cost a lot of money. If the car gets a flat tire then the whole thing is ruined, time for a new one. Stubbornness works for me. She knows that I'm not borrowing money, I'll fix the car and I'll wash the clothes.

Hmmm maybe stubbornness is working for her too.

7thswan · #27 05/04/10, 06:25 AM

Thanks for the answer. I'm tired of the $$ spent on laundry soap, and I need to get some right now ,so the money will be spent on making my own instead of store stuff. Does everyone know about the home Fabric softener deal? Take a container of regular fabric softener, dump in bucket, add 2 of the softener containers full of water to bucket. Put a regular sponge in the bucket, squeeze out. Use this squeezed out sponge in your dryer as if it was a dryer sheet. Repeat for each load.

luv2farm · #28 05/04/10, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Does everyone know about the home Fabric softener deal? Take a container of regular fabric softener, dump in bucket, add 2 of the softener containers full of water to bucket. Put a regular sponge in the bucket, squeeze out. Use this squeezed out sponge in your dryer as if it was a dryer sheet. Repeat for each load.

Yep.....done this for years in the wintertime. I dont use the dryer in the summer. Only difference......I put one cup on fabric softner and 2 cups water in an old bottle. That way you dont have so much mixed up all the time......easier storage, ya know?!

I do have a question.....which vinegar do you all use for the rinse.....ASV or white?

BYT, I have made HM detergent for years now....HM lye soap, w soda, borax, but I do add 2/3 cup Biz powder to my mix. WOrks great for us!!

FarmersDaughter · #29 05/04/10, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Thanks for the answer. I'm tired of the $$ spent on laundry soap, and I need to get some right now ,so the money will be spent on making my own instead of store stuff. Does everyone know about the home Fabric softener deal? Take a container of regular fabric softener, dump in bucket, add 2 of the softener containers full of water to bucket. Put a regular sponge in the bucket, squeeze out. Use this squeezed out sponge in your dryer as if it was a dryer sheet. Repeat for each load.

I've found that since I switched to homemade laundry soap, I no longer need fabric softener. But thanks for posting this tip! I'll pass it along to others who still use fabric softener.

highlandview · #30 05/04/10, 07:46 AM

I use washing soda, borax and soap. I melt it down and make liquid detergent. I have tried zote, ivory and fels naptha for the soap. Fels naptha has been the best for me. I buy it by the case from www.soapsgonebuy.com

farmmom · #31 05/04/10, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luv2farm

Yep.....done this for years in the wintertime. I dont use the dryer in the summer. Only difference......I put one cup on fabric softner and 2 cups water in an old bottle. That way you dont have so much mixed up all the time......easier storage, ya know?!

I do have a question.....which vinegar do you all use for the rinse.....ASV or white?
BYT, I have made HM detergent for years now....HM lye soap, w soda, borax, but I do add 2/3 cup Biz powder to my mix. WOrks great for us!!

I use white vinegar. About 1 cup added to the rinse of a large load. There's no odor once it's rinsed and dried.

Tricky Grama · #32 05/07/10, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmersDaughter

Here's the recipe that I use, so you can see how much OxyClean in proportion to the other ingredients. (I actually use a generic, store-brand OxyClean and it works just fine). Different people use different ratios of the ingredients and it might depend on how hard your water is...so if this recipe doesn't work as well as you'd like, don't give up, just try different recipes that use more or less of the ingredients until you find what works for you.

1 bar Fels Naptha, grated (can use Ivory soap or castille soap)*
2 cups baking soda
3 cups washing soda
3 cups borax
1 cup oxyclean

*The Fels Naptha bars are pretty big. I think if I were to switch to Ivory or another soap, I'd grate 2 bars to equate to one bar of Fels Naptha.

Another thing that is a plus about this laundry soap for me: no skin irritation! My skin is sensitive to the scents and coloring they put in commercial laundry detergents, and the scent-free and color-free options are expensive. This laundry soap doesn't bother my skin at all! Love it.

Similar to my recipe, only mine is 2c of washing soda, borax, no BAKING soda...I've had trouble getting whites clean. I even use more oxyclean in white loads. I'm thinking of getting a box of Tide just for whites...anyone has this problem? Suggestions?

Patty

hippygirl · #33 05/07/10, 11:17 AM

I'm on my first 2 gallons of HM laundry soap (Fels Naptha/borax/washing soda) and I really like it...but I had to get used to the absence of bubbles.

I love the fresh, clean smell of my laundry cleaned with the HM (I use a clothesline).

Mutti · #34 05/07/10, 11:37 AM

Here in the Ozarks you can buy Fels Naptha anywhere. Make my soap as powder. I love how my laundry looks /smells with my homemade soap but DH says his undies aren't white anymore. I think he is just used to the optical brighteners in store detergent. There are no stains when the washer stops and the sun helps bleach when I hang them out. Besides, he wears his outer clothes forever before I can drag them off of him to wash so what does he know???? Will try a bit of Oxy-Clean and see if it makes a difference. He keeps forgetting the many minerals in our well water ....DEE

FarmersDaughter · #35 05/07/10, 01:15 PM

I have read that adding the baking soda helps if you have hard water, which is why I use it in my recipe. Apparently it helps to get rid of the "dingy" look that hard water gives clothing. I've found that my whites are whiter now than when I used store-bought detergent.