Home Made Laundry Soap

[DawnM]

Many add essential oils for more smell.

Look under "optional" on this site:

http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

Do you think I could add some kind of something to make it have a "perfume" smell? I really like to use gain (original). I wonder what I could add to mimic that smell? It seems easy enough to make and laundry soap is getting really expensive. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[stacielee]

I use a similar recipe, but do not liquify it. I add 1 c fels naptha (grated or through food processor), 1c washing soad and 1 c borax. I use 2-3 Tablespoons per load. It desolves fine in my cold water, too. And not making it into a liquid saves on storage space and time.

I also use it dry; 1 bar of FN grated in the food processor, 1 c washing soda and 1 c borax; 2-3 T per load. I only use cold water but I'm in AZ where the water isn't really cold anyways, especially in the summer!!

Has anyone used this in their front loader?

Yes, it dissolves very easily. You will notice it doesn't suds up very much, which is good for the front loaders. It doesn't mean you have to add more.

I have been making my own laudry detergent for over 2 years now and love it.
It has saved our family so much money. The only thing I haven't be able to find in the Fel Naptha--I use ZOTE soap I find at Walmart .98 cents a bar.
We used to buy the All Free and Clear because my family has allergies to reg. perfumed detergant and we haven't had any problems with allergies using this mix. I usually mix the Washing soda, Borax and sometimes add Baking soda then before putting clothes in washer, I start water on hot then add powder and grate some of the soap directly in the hot water (stir to disolve)
then turn temp down to either warm or cold load with clothes. Cost me around $30.00 for a whole years wash (our family has 2 adults and 1 Teenaged Son).

I was able to find FN soap on the Ace Hardware website. I bought a case of it (I split it with a friend) and they shipped it to the store and I didn't have to pay shipping. There are other websites where you can buy a case but you have to check how much it is to ship; since it's heavy it costs quite a bit to ship. It got to my local store within 2 weeks. Very convenient!!

 

[Colleen27]

I use the dry version - grated bar of soap (Fels Naptha or Ivory), 1c borax, 1 c washing soda and a few drops of lavender oil for scent - along with vinegar in the softener dispenser, and it works just as well as any store-bought brand I've tried.

 

[RN01]

I use this exact recipe and I love it! The only thing I had to add to it was Oxy Clean because my whites were looking dingy but it's working perfectly now!

 

[RN01]

Whoops! i just saw the rest of your post. I use mine dry. Making it liquid just looked like too much work and too messy to me. Dry works out great!

 

[ceecee]

I don't have a food processer, grating by hand seems too much work. It there anyway to make it without grating soap?

 

[Carina]

i have been using the liquid for 2 years now, and my hubby is a landscaper so I KNOW DIRTY CLOTHES!

I cannot get fels naptha in Canada, but I use sunlught bar soap.
It grates very easily and dissolves in the hot water very fast ( I use the big side of my grater, just like for cheese) I can grate the bar faster than I can grate the same amount of cheese, so it really isn't a bother.

One tip it took me several batches to learn, I add the washing soda and borax a bit at a time to the boiling soap, (maybe 1/4cup at a time) or it dist wont ever properly dissolve and make that goopy texture ( my kids say it looks like watered down mashed potatoes)

I use 2cups borax and washing soda per 1 bar soap. and make it in a 5 gallon bucket that I got free at the grocery store (the deli had olives shipped in it)

I decant it into old liquid laundry soap contatiners 4-5 at a time, and when I decant it I add 3/4 soap 1/4 water.

 

[Leleluvsdis]

I have about a 1/2 jug of tide left, then I'm going to start making my own detergent. we only use 1/2 the recommened amount and use 1 cup baking soda in all our laundry esp towels. Swithing to homemade detergent is going to save us a huge amount of money!!

 

[Purseval]

Do those of you using graters or food processors use the same ones for your food? I take it nothing toxic is in Naptha? One of our items to look for in yard sales this weekend is another grater just for this but perhaps I don't need to?

 

[williamson_ja]

I guess my big hang up here is still the question of using it in an HE front loader. My friend said that her very expensive front loader completely died because she used the wrong soap in it (regular, not HE safe). I have been very careful since then to only buy laundry soap that said it was safe for HE machines. I have found it much more expensive to buy this kind of special soap than the cheapy stuff I used to buy. I would LOVE to use this homemade soap!! So, what makes the laundry soap safe for HE machines? What is so special about that soap anyway that makes me spend so much more money on it?? I heard that it had something to do with other soaps leaving a bad residue or something. Anyone know?

 

[SGMCO]

Do those of you using graters or food processors use the same ones for your food? I take it nothing toxic is in Naptha? One of our items to look for in yard sales this weekend is another grater just for this but perhaps I don't need to?

I bought a Grater just for using in the Landry room--I don't mix the one I use for food with the soap grater. Not sure if it would be bad or not, if you do use the one for both, make sure you wash it good before using it for food.

 

[SGMCO]

Our local grocery store carries Fels Naptha. It is somewhat hidden on the bottom shelf near the laundry soaps.

Do you have a King Soopers? Online I saw in a Fels Naptha search and Denver that this was where many found it.

http://springsbargains.com/where-in-colorado-springs-can-i-find/

Dawn

I checked that lead also but when I went to 2 different KSoopers and they didn't carry it. I even went to Ace Hardware store and they didn't carry it either. Zote soap has been working very well, it is also not giving us any allergic reactions, it is coconut based.

 

[HARVEYSGIRL]

I am so interested in doing this! It never even occured to me that I could make my own laundry detergent. Thank you!

 

[RN01]

Do those of you using graters or food processors use the same ones for your food? I take it nothing toxic is in Naptha? One of our items to look for in yard sales this weekend is another grater just for this but perhaps I don't need to?

Yes, I use the same one. I just put it in the dishwasher when I'm done and it cleans it right up.

 

[apnep]

Do you think I could add some kind of something to make it have a "perfume" smell? I really like to use gain (original). I wonder what I could add to mimic that smell? It seems easy enough to make and laundry soap is getting really expensive. Thanks for the ideas!

I JUST made me a batch of homemade laundry soap from another "vinegar" thread and since I didn't like the smell of the Fels Naptha, I used Ivory soap. My DH and I really like it. It is slightly scented but not overpowering. I was using the Kirkland fragrance free liquid. I tried out the powder recipe yesterday and it worked great! The clothes and our towels have never been softer! I'm anxious to see how long it will last. I used 2 tbsp. per load and 1/4 cup of vinegar.

 

[apnep]

I guess my big hang up here is still the question of using it in an HE front loader....So, what makes the laundry soap safe for HE machines? What is so special about that soap anyway that makes me spend so much more money on it?? I heard that it had something to do with other soaps leaving a bad residue or something. Anyone know?

The problem with front loaders is you have to watch how sudsy the soap is, and also the animal fat content of the soap which can cause mildew problems in between the barrel of the washer. The Fels Naptha and Ivory soaps don't have any or very minimal animal fat content so it is safe to use in the front loader.

 

[worm761]

I guess my big hang up here is still the question of using it in an HE front loader. My friend said that her very expensive front loader completely died because she used the wrong soap in it (regular, not HE safe). I have been very careful since then to only buy laundry soap that said it was safe for HE machines. I have found it much more expensive to buy this kind of special soap than the cheapy stuff I used to buy. I would LOVE to use this homemade soap!! So, what makes the laundry soap safe for HE machines? What is so special about that soap anyway that makes me spend so much more money on it?? I heard that it had something to do with other soaps leaving a bad residue or something. Anyone know?

The recipe I posted is the one I use in my HE front loader machine. I have been using it in this machine for over a year and have no problems what so ever. I know a couple people who work for Whirl Pool and I talked to them about it before using it in my machine. I have a Maytag but have had no problems.

 

[DawnM]

If you have something that works, then use it! I think I have heard that if you go to ACE and ask them to order it they will get it for you with no shipping charge if you have it sent to them.

Dawn

I checked that lead also but when I went to 2 different KSoopers and they didn't carry it. I even went to Ace Hardware store and they didn't carry it either. Zote soap has been working very well, it is also not giving us any allergic reactions, it is coconut based.

 

[dclfun]

It's made by Arm & Hammer, and it's in the laundry detergent aisle. I typically find it on the top shelf, and it looks like a large box of baking soda - same color and logo. I use it as a laundry booster when the kids clothes are looking dingy.

Thanks! ---Kathy

 

[tavettava]

Yes. We have a high capacity front loader. It is NOT sudsy so you don't have to worry about it being a problem.

Dawn

Ty, I guess I know what I'll be making this weekend.