Author Topic: Homemade Laundry Detergent  (Read 21536 times)

luke

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Homemade Laundry Detergent
« on: October 01, 2013, 02:07:10 PM »
About a year ago my wife decided to start making her own laundry soap.  I was skeptical at first, but after a year I can say it's saved us a ton of money and is just as good as store bought.

1 Bar shaved soap - Ivory or Dr. Bronners
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda

Mix and use 1 Tbs per load, increase for soiled clothes

amha

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2013, 02:12:34 PM »
That's awesome! I've wanted to do that for a long time. How much does it cost (per load, per big bucket of DIY soap, whatever your preferred metric is)?

Can you buy shaved bar soap, or do you have to shave it yourself? (If so, how do you do it?)

luke

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2013, 02:32:52 PM »
Haven't calculated the costs other than ingredients.  I think it's about $10 per batch, and it yields around 7 pounds of detergent.  Couple that with only 1-2 tablespoons per load, and it's very cheap.

We use a cheese grater to shaved the soap, we use Ivory.

apennysaved

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2013, 03:08:02 PM »
Here is a link to some DIY cleaning products.  My price was very much in line with the prices quoted in this article and I found everything at my local Wal-Mart. $4 for washing soda. $5 for Borax. $1 for Fels-Naptha (1 bar).  We later returned the Fels-Naptha and used a Dr. Bronner's bar (under $2) because we wanted something more natural.  We only made one batch and so far the results have been great (no strong laundry detergent smells just good cleaning). I also like that this recipe is not a liquid. Makes me wonder why I didn't try this sooner. We are going to try dish soap next.
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/

Nothlit

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2013, 03:23:26 PM »
I've often seen people extolling the virtues of DIY laundry detergent, but it'd have to be pretty darn cheap for me to consider doing it. I just buy a 12 pound box of Sears "Ultra Plus" powdered detergent for $16 every couple of years. Comes to around 12 cents per wash, which is cheap enough for me. Of course, I'm a one-person household so maybe I'd think differently if I was doing larger loads of laundry more frequently. :)

lauraredcloud

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2013, 01:32:23 PM »
I did the math once and my homemade laundry detergent comes out to about ten cents a load, IIRC. The benefits are not just cost - commercial laundry detergent also contains more creepy chemicals, so the homemade type is better for the environment and for your health, particularly if you have sensitive skin like I do. I'm not sure what it is, but clothes washed in typical detergent often make me itchy.

For liquid laundry soap, I take a quart mason jar and put in:

1/4 c baking soda (for smells)
1/4 c liquid castile soap (for cleaning)
2 tbsp coarse salt (as an agitator/color brightener/preservative)
Fill with warm water and shake or stir

I use 1/2 cup per load of laundry. For two peoples' laundry, I end up needing to make one batch every 2 months or so. It takes about five minutes. Easier than hauling laundry soap from the store.

Substitutions: Washing soda could be substituted for baking soda and 1/4 cup borax could be added for additional washing power (I don't because I'm allergic, and I find it works just fine without it.) Grated bar soap could be used instead of liquid soap. I do try to use castile soap either way because it's gentle but powerful, vegetarian, and creepy chemical-free.

hoodedfalcon

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2013, 01:49:44 PM »
I've been using homemade laundry detergent for years. I first tried a dry version (1 bar Dr. Bronners, 1C borax, 1C washing soda) and I loved it. Over the summer I made the liquid version, and it was much more of a pain in the ass to make, to use, and to store, so I went back to dry. But this last batch I did an experiment and used 2C each borax/washing soda to 1 bar Dr. Bronners, and it works just as well as the 1C proportion. The Dr. Bronners bar soap is the most expensive part, so anything that pushes it a little further is good with me. I use 1TB for regular loads, 2TB for heavily soiled stuff. Works like a charm, and even whitens the whites!

lizzzi

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2013, 02:17:04 PM »
What should you do if you have a HE washing machine that uses the HE detergent?

lauraredcloud

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2013, 02:49:00 PM »
@lizzzi, these homemade recipes will be fine for HE machines. I have used them with no problem.

My understanding is that HE machines can't handle the amount of suds that ordinary commercial laundry detergent produces, so they need special low-suds formulas of laundry detergent - that is, formulas without all the additives to increase suds and make you feel like things are getting cleaner. These homemade recipes have no unnecessary additives to increase sudsiness.

lizzzi

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2013, 03:06:15 PM »
Thanks, lauraredcloud. I actually use Aldi's Tandil brand, and it lasts me forever and does a good job. If I was doing laundry for a bigger family than just myself and my husband, I would definitely try making my own.

crazy jane

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2013, 03:27:01 PM »
Here is a link to some DIY cleaning products.  My price was very much in line with the prices quoted in this article and I found everything at my local Wal-Mart. $4 for washing soda. $5 for Borax. $1 for Fels-Naptha (1 bar).  We later returned the Fels-Naptha and used a Dr. Bronner's bar (under $2) because we wanted something more natural.  We only made one batch and so far the results have been great (no strong laundry detergent smells just good cleaning). I also like that this recipe is not a liquid. Makes me wonder why I didn't try this sooner. We are going to try dish soap next.
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/

Please post if your dish soap turns out well. I tried a few variations, and neither worked well.

Also, I use two cups each borax, washing soda and baking soda whirled with one felsnaptha bar in a food processor. Works great!! 

Argyle

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2013, 05:58:13 PM »
If you have a septic system, they don't recommend non-liquid detergents -- that's what my reliable septic guy told me.  Apparently they don't always dissolve as much as they're supposed to, and the bits glom together and get drained out into the system and gum things up.   

limeandpepper

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2013, 07:32:53 PM »
For liquid laundry soap, I take a quart mason jar and put in:

1/4 c baking soda (for smells)
1/4 c liquid castile soap (for cleaning)
2 tbsp coarse salt (as an agitator/color brightener/preservative)
Fill with warm water and shake or stir


I really like the look of this recipe. Ingredients seem gentle and are all things I can easily find in the shops. Thanks for sharing! :)

madage

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2013, 12:40:30 PM »

Please post if your dish soap turns out well. I tried a few variations, and neither worked well.


Not sure if you're referring to dish soap or dishwasher detergent on diynatural, but we tried the dishwasher detergent for a while and didn't like it. Our dishes were not nearly as clean and the detergent clumps so much in our climate we had to store it in the refrigerator. We switched back to Finish tabs in the huge, Costco-sized box (which work great!).

Christiana

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2013, 11:02:27 AM »
I use this recipe for a liquid laundry soap:  http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm; though I converted all the liquid measurements to quarts for my own convenience.   

It's a little more work up front, but one batch lasts us for about six months, which would be close to the 64 loads that the recipe claims.  I shave the soap into little bits with a knife, then they melt in the cooking.


Meggslynn

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2013, 12:58:41 PM »
I have been making our own laundry detergent since my newborn developed chronic eczema and that was 18 months ago. My initial purchase was $32 for a box of washing soda, box of soap flakes and a box of borax. The ratio is 1:1:1.

I use about 3-4 loads per week in our HE machine and I still have well over half of the supply left and its been 18 months. The detergent works well. I find its a bit harder on clothes so I use even less than it recommends per load and wash on cold.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 10:25:27 AM by Meggslynn »

JessieImproved

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2013, 01:19:41 PM »
I've been using homemade laundry detergent (powder) for almost 5 years.

2 parts grated soap (I usually use Fels Naptha, but I've also used different castile soaps)
1 part washing soda
1 part borax

You don't need much for a normal load, about a tablespoon.  I wash diapers and towels on hot and everything else cold.  If you want your clothes to smell good, I suggest putting some essential oil on a wool dryer ball (or bit of cloth) and let it tumble with your clothes (if you use a dryer).

This probably saves me about $10/mo, since I was buying Seventh Generation before.

SondraRose

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2013, 10:48:38 AM »
We decided to use a laundry ball instead. 

Maybe not ideal for families or folks with really dirty work clothes, but for us semi-retired folk with lightly soiled clothes they work great!  And no smell at all.

We do pretreat stains/cooking oil marks, if needed.

They have mixed reviews, so I wonder if it makes a difference wha kind of washer you have as well?  We have always used newer model high efficiency front-loaders.

We've been using one like this for over 5 years and only recently replaced it: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Wash-Ball-Laundry-Detergent/dp/B003FOCZ56/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382373731&sr=8-2&keywords=Laundry+Balls

TygerTung

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #18 on: October 21, 2013, 11:29:13 AM »
Please tell me what chemical washing soda is made out of?

madage

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #19 on: October 21, 2013, 11:31:24 AM »
Please tell me what chemical washing soda is made out of?

MSDS here

85% sodium carbonate
15% water

Miss Growing Green

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #20 on: October 22, 2013, 06:13:33 PM »
@Lauraredcloud
I absolutely LOVE your recipe!  It's the first "mild" one I've seen that doesn't contain harsh ingredients like borax.  As soon as we finish this jug of Seventh Generation I'm going to start using homemade exclusively.  Thanks a ton!

Mr. Minsc

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2013, 12:59:52 PM »
About a year ago my wife decided to start making her own laundry soap.  I was skeptical at first, but after a year I can say it's saved us a ton of money and is just as good as store bought.

1 Bar shaved soap - Ivory or Dr. Bronners
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda

Mix and use 1 Tbs per load, increase for soiled clothes
Funny, I just made this last week for the first time after having the recipe bookmarked elsewhere for months.  Now I see it here. :)

davisgang90

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2013, 05:39:05 AM »
I use  a similar recipe to many here, washing soda, borax and dish washing liquid.  Works great, super cheap.  Considering we were buying 12-15 dollar bottles of Tide every month or so, this is significantly cheaper.

I also have an HE washer.

dorkus619

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2013, 09:58:48 AM »
...But this last batch I did an experiment and used 2C each borax/washing soda to 1 bar Dr. Bronners, and it works just as well as the 1C proportion. The Dr. Bronners bar soap is the most expensive part, so anything that pushes it a little further is good with me....

I just made Laundry detergent for the first time last weekend. I used 1/2 bar Fels Naptha (<$2 at ACE) 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda. I've used 1Tbsp per load.

:)

Might experiment in the future with adding a couple drops essential oils to add a scent.

stripey

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2013, 11:50:39 AM »
I use homemade laundry liquid some of the time which for me (in Australia) seems to work out cheaper than the powdered stuff (and sees to get clothes cleaner... hrrm, this may have something to do with hard water):

http://down---to---earth.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/homemade-laundry-liquid-revisited.html

This site is a good resource on thrifty homemaking skills.

I was also given a box of soapnuts for a present which also work rather well and are much less per load than commercial detergents. However they seem a lot less 'hard' on clothes, make towels soft and fluffy without having to resort to fabric softeners and I am much happier to use these for delicate fabrics like silk. If I were to have a septic tank or to use greywater around the house I think I would solely use soapnuts.

mikefixac

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #25 on: October 26, 2013, 02:27:04 PM »
I never ever heard of washing soda until this thread. Fascinating.

Tell me please, can you use this for cleaning around the house and such (floors, bathrooms, cars)? Thanks in advance.

madage

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #26 on: October 26, 2013, 04:35:52 PM »
I never ever heard of washing soda until this thread. Fascinating.

Tell me please, can you use this for cleaning around the house and such (floors, bathrooms, cars)? Thanks in advance.

Yes, but you'll want to wear gloves. It's a bit caustic.

stripey

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #27 on: October 28, 2013, 11:52:14 AM »
I didn't think washing soda was that caustic-- I mean, people in Australia use it as bath salts and as foot soaks (which is not only cheap, but makes an amazing foot soak!).

Other uses around the home:
- Use to clean/whiten toilet bowl- put 1/2 - 1 cup in water and let it soak a while
« Last Edit: November 25, 2015, 09:05:05 AM by stripey »

madage

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #28 on: October 28, 2013, 12:15:12 PM »
I didn't think washing soda was that caustic-- I mean, people in Australia use it as bath salts and as foot soaks (which is not only cheap, but makes an amazing foot soak!).

Washing soda is caustic. It's pH is generally accepted to be around 11 (1 is most acidic, 12 is most basic or caustic). Adding a little to a large amount of water will soften the water and raise the pH enough to be beneficial but not so much as to damage to your skin. Prolonged contact with a strong solution will definitely irritate the skin.

Moomingirl

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #29 on: November 11, 2013, 12:29:52 AM »
If you have a septic system, they don't recommend non-liquid detergents -- that's what my reliable septic guy told me.  Apparently they don't always dissolve as much as they're supposed to, and the bits glom together and get drained out into the system and gum things up.

Interesting. I've been using powder detergent (shop bought and home made) for ten years. Never had a problem with the septic system.

grantmeaname

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #30 on: November 11, 2013, 09:24:50 PM »
I have used washing soda with great success to clean my toilets.  We have well water.
Does that work because it's hard and abrasive, like baking soda? Or is there something chemical there (aren't hard water and washing soda both alkaline)?

We've had a lot of luck replacing all cleaners except drain cleaner with homemade. Crunchyhippy drain cleaner just didn't get the job done though.

lauraredcloud

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #31 on: November 12, 2013, 09:28:03 AM »
afaik, hard water is usually high in calcium and other minerals, and one way of softening it is increasing the sodium content. It's something to do with the ions. I'm not so great at chemistry. But the need for sodium explains why people use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), washing soda (sodium carbonate), borax (sodium borate), or salt water (sodium chloride).

I wouldn't recommend adding an acid to a base to try to neutralize them as that can cause a chemical reaction which may be dangerous depending on the extremeness of the pHs involved. However, I've also seen citric acid mentioned as a water softener, and citric acid is clearly an acid, but I am not sure how or why it works.

Kazimieras

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #32 on: November 12, 2013, 09:43:46 AM »
I have used washing soda with great success to clean my toilets.  We have well water.
Does that work because it's hard and abrasive, like baking soda? Or is there something chemical there (aren't hard water and washing soda both alkaline)?

We've had a lot of luck replacing all cleaners except drain cleaner with homemade. Crunchyhippy drain cleaner just didn't get the job done though.

(my undergrad was very chemistry focused, so excuse the detail)

Like lauraredcloud said, hard water is full of minerals, typically calcium. A water softener removes the calcium from the water by having it bind to something thereby coming out of solution (usually chloride). The byproduct is that there tends to be more sodium in the water due to the replacement reaction. Most soaps do not work as well in hard water as the metal ions in the water bind the soap and prevent it from working its magic. This is why some commercial products will work better as their soap molecules are structured differently or may contain digestive enzymes to break apart stains.

The washing soda in the toilet works because it is pretty close to what most ph-based drain decloggers are - a very strong base. Most of them are usually sodium hydroxide, sometimes with some added enzymes for extra declogging. These have a habit of dissolving organic matter. This is also why I will say - please be careful when dealing with chemicals. This stuff can be VERY dangerous if you don't understand how it works.

And for the citric acid - calcium citrate is the end result, which is generally not soluble in water. The citrate binds to +ve ions quite well.

As for neutralizing reactions, it depends what is being added to what. Vinegar and baking soda gives you salt water (and to this day I still cannot fathom why people think this cleans well - try some salt water, it works about the same). Trying to neutralize something like bleach with ammonia gives you less pleasant byproducts - like toxic gas.

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #33 on: November 12, 2013, 10:02:40 AM »
We've had a lot of luck replacing all cleaners except drain cleaner with homemade. Crunchyhippy drain cleaner just didn't get the job done though.

I don't know of a good crunchyhippy (love that btw) solution for fat and gunk in kitchen drains, but if hair in bathroom drains is a problem, the Zip-It is RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING. As a woman who sheds a lot of long hair (and has at various times shared bathrooms with multiple long-haired roommates), this shit is the real deal! Only costs a couple bucks and although they tell you not to reuse it, that advice is clearly intended for non-Mustachians with weak stomachs who can't be trusted not to accidentally poke themselves in the fingers while cleaning it. It's totally reusable.

uhh, sorry to get off topic, I just REALLY love the Zip-It.

On the homemade laundry detergent note, I've been meaning to try it for a long long time, should probably get on that!

grantmeaname

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #34 on: November 12, 2013, 10:43:32 AM »
I understand the chemistry (I'm getting flashbacks of memorizing all those solubility rules), but I'm wondering about the hard water marks themselves. Aren't they already precipitated minerals on the surface of the toilet/sink/bathtub? Since they're solid?

Kazimieras

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #35 on: November 12, 2013, 11:23:44 AM »
I understand the chemistry (I'm getting flashbacks of memorizing all those solubility rules), but I'm wondering about the hard water marks themselves. Aren't they already precipitated minerals on the surface of the toilet/sink/bathtub? Since they're solid?
The hard water marks aren't precipitated, but dried. Since the water has left them in theory they can re-dissolve if given a solvent that has enough capacity to fully dissolve them. It can take a long time and a lot of water since they have usually formed some crystalline structures. If something is a precipitate it is typically not soluble again in that solvent (in this case water) unless the conditions are favorable for it to do so. A common condition may be a change in temperature or pH since it can alter the bond strength present in the precipitate, allowing it to once more be dissolved.

Why don't people use drain catchers instead of de-clogging? When enough hair gets through my catcher (every 3 years) I grab a set of pliers and pull out the old gunk. It's disgusting, smells bad and needs to be done with an open window, but it is much friendlier for the environment and cheaper.

Zoe

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #36 on: November 13, 2013, 01:01:23 PM »
I did the bar of soap plus borax and washing soda for a while, but our whites got really dingy and had weird spots on some of them, and it didn't work for cloth diapers. I switched to soap nuts for a while, but didn't feel the clothes & diapers were getting clean. I started making liquid soap nuts and I love it! I make a batch once a week (it supposedly goes rancid after a week or two) and keep it in the fridge. I use about 1 oz per load. I'm sure it's not the absolute cheapest, but our clothes and diapers are CLEAN.

annaraven

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #37 on: December 21, 2013, 05:33:07 PM »
I make the whipped laundry sauce from http://www.budget101.com/myo-household-items/5-minute-no-cook-laundry-detergent-recipe-4075.html and it seems to work well in my HE. I use a TB of sauce.

I sometimes add in a small scoop of oxy-clean to a load. And if I'm doing the whites (underwear and such), I'll add a bit of chlorine bleach.

I've also made homemade dishwasher "pods" using a ice-cube tray to make the pods. It seems to work about as well as the bought pods. http://www.louises-country-closet.com/2013/03/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-cubes.html

joer1212

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #38 on: December 27, 2013, 01:49:35 AM »
About a year ago my wife decided to start making her own laundry soap.  I was skeptical at first, but after a year I can say it's saved us a ton of money and is just as good as store bought.

1 Bar shaved soap - Ivory or Dr. Bronners
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda

Mix and use 1 Tbs per load, increase for soiled clothes

I've tried this recipe many times, and it just doesn't dissolve, leaving my clothes with bits of soap still clinging after they're dry.
Then I tried various liquid versions. Same problem. You don't end up with a nice thick, smooth liquid, instead you get tiny clumps of gel-like detergent floating in water that refuse to dissolve, no matter how much you stir it.
Also, sorry, but 1 tablespoon of detergent for a load of smelly laundry is just insane. Your clothes will reek like dirty socks. You need at least 2 whole cups to remove the funk.
I would love nothing more than to get a homemade laundry detergent that is cheap, effective, and is a smooth, thick liquid consistency, like Tide or Gain. One can dream, I suppose.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 02:05:24 AM by joer1212 »

stripey

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #39 on: December 27, 2013, 02:54:13 AM »
Have you got hard or soft water? That'll make a huge difference to how these things work. I'm sorry nothing worked out for you.

Personally I use about 1/3 cup of homemade laundry liquid- that's what works for my washing machine, in my water (slightly hard). It does work for me-- my work clothes have sweat, blood and paraffin-based stains on them on pretty much a daily basis and it seems to do well with them. As does my sister's toddler's cloth nappies.

MissStache

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #40 on: December 27, 2013, 07:35:52 AM »
About a year ago my wife decided to start making her own laundry soap.  I was skeptical at first, but after a year I can say it's saved us a ton of money and is just as good as store bought.

1 Bar shaved soap - Ivory or Dr. Bronners
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda

Mix and use 1 Tbs per load, increase for soiled clothes

I've tried this recipe many times, and it just doesn't dissolve, leaving my clothes with bits of soap still clinging after they're dry.
Then I tried various liquid versions. Same problem. You don't end up with a nice thick, smooth liquid, instead you get tiny clumps of gel-like detergent floating in water that refuse to dissolve, no matter how much you stir it.
Also, sorry, but 1 tablespoon of detergent for a load of smelly laundry is just insane. Your clothes will reek like dirty socks. You need at least 2 whole cups to remove the funk.
I would love nothing more than to get a homemade laundry detergent that is cheap, effective, and is a smooth, thick liquid consistency, like Tide or Gain. One can dream, I suppose.

Do you have crazy water or something, because we've been using this exact recipe for the powdered stuff for about 9 months now and I'm a total convert.  I grate my soap with a small-hole cheese grater so it is in tiny flakes.  It takes a bit to dissolve (we only wash in cold water), but I've never had a problem with soap bits clinging to my clothes.  And we also only use 1 tablespoon, and our clothes don't smell like dirty socks.  We aren't cleaning the gym clothes of teenage boys or anything, but we garden and camp so our stuff is moderately filthy. 

joer1212

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #41 on: December 27, 2013, 01:25:04 PM »
Quote
I've tried this recipe many times, and it just doesn't dissolve, leaving my clothes with bits of soap still clinging after they're dry.
Then I tried various liquid versions. Same problem. You don't end up with a nice thick, smooth liquid, instead you get tiny clumps of gel-like detergent floating in water that refuse to dissolve, no matter how much you stir it.
Also, sorry, but 1 tablespoon of detergent for a load of smelly laundry is just insane. Your clothes will reek like dirty socks. You need at least 2 whole cups to remove the funk.
I would love nothing more than to get a homemade laundry detergent that is cheap, effective, and is a smooth, thick liquid consistency, like Tide or Gain. One can dream, I suppose.
Do you have crazy water or something, because we've been using this exact recipe for the powdered stuff for about 9 months now and I'm a total convert.  I grate my soap with a small-hole cheese grater so it is in tiny flakes.  It takes a bit to dissolve (we only wash in cold water), but I've never had a problem with soap bits clinging to my clothes.  And we also only use 1 tablespoon, and our clothes don't smell like dirty socks.  We aren't cleaning the gym clothes of teenage boys or anything, but we garden and camp so our stuff is moderately filthy.

I live in Brooklyn, NY, so I guess I have hard water.
I never considered this aspect of it. If I had "soft water", would I require less detergent to get my clothes fresh and clean?
BTW, I also use cold water to wash my clothes, so this is probably one reason why the detergent doesn't dissolve.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2013, 01:14:49 AM by joer1212 »

stripey

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #42 on: December 27, 2013, 08:32:59 PM »
Yep it could make quite a difference to the cleaning ability of detergents (and soaps), and the amount you'd need to use.

Parts of Australia (particularly regional) can have very hard water, and personally I find I need much more detergent to get clothes clean when I have visited/lived there. Also, because I wash my hair with bicarb and water usually (from a soft water supply), there have been places where I haven't been able to get my hair clean with this and I've resorted to shampoo. What to do about it? I dunno- usually adding more has been sufficient for me. If it's not dissolving at all I wouldn't know what to do. Other people here probably have better experience with this, because a fair bit of the US has quite hard water.

The other possibility I've thought of is the type of soap you used to make the detergent? I think it'd be important to use a laundry/pure soap rather than a 'cleansing bar'.

joer1212

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Re: Homemade Laundry Detergent
« Reply #43 on: December 28, 2013, 01:17:33 AM »
Quote
The other possibility I've thought of is the type of soap you used to make the detergent? I think it'd be important to use a laundry/pure soap rather than a 'cleansing bar'.

I've tried everything from Zote to Coast bath soap, to dishwashing liquid.
Ironically, the Coast, by far, left my clothes smelling the freshest and cleanest.

 

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