Powder Homemade Laundry Soap

[~gd]

I read about using Dawn in homemade detergent elsewhere online. If it is safe enough to use to clean up animals from oil slicks, surely it has some grease fighting abilities.

It doesn't make my detergent suds up either. I've been using the paste/gel since early April, and so far, so good.

Just be aware that it can oversuds without soap, soap actually kills the suds from some detergents,

 

[hoosier97]

The homemade laundry detergents I've made have very little, if any sudsing, even with the Dawn in it. My clothing comes as clean as with commercial detergents, and MUCH softer.

 

[Denim Deb]

Well, I got the Fels Naptha and the borax, but forgot to get the washing soda. So, I need to get that, then I can try to make my own!

 

[Denim Deb]

OK, I'm getting ready to go and make my detergent. I'm out of the store bought stuff, and I need to wash clothes, so here goes! I'll make a batch of dry for now, but eventually, I'm going to try the liquid. Then, I can just store it in the empty 1 gallon bottles I've been saving from the store bought stuff.

 

[valmom]

You will love it. No more perfumes or chemicals that you don't need. Even my non-SS partner likes my detergent better than bought.

 

[Denim Deb]

Only problem I had was, I thought I had the Borax. I got the soap grated, added the washing soda, opened another box, got a cup of it added, and realized that I had 2 boxes of washing soda! I had to wash the one load of clothes-it's gotten cooler, and I need my Carhartts clean for when I ride my cycle. (They stunk!) So, I added the 2nd cup, washed them, then when I was done at the farm, I went to the store to buy the Borax. They didn't have any! So, I had to go to another store and get it. Then, I went home, grated up another bar of soap, and added that and 4 cups of Borax to my mix. I'll be washing a load in the morning, so then I can see how well it really works. I'll be washing my hubby's work shirts. I've noticed that lately, they just don't seem to be getting really clean. (The arm pits still smell after I wash them!) So, I'll let you know how it works.

 

[Emerald]

I've added baking soda to the regular mix and it really help with hub's pit stinks.
Also we keep a hunk of the fels naptha soap in the bathroom with a tooth brush and we often wet the bar and either use the toothbrush or even just rub the bar on the pits or any spots(like from me doing tomatoes all this week! Tomato gets EVERYWHERE!) and then it goes into the hampers and then when I wash it usually takes out much of the stain/stink.

I also just picked up a bag of the water softener salts and will be making up some heavy duty "salt" water to add into the soap and softener spots in the washer to see if it really helps with the "hard water dingyies".

 

[lorihadams]

I use 1 bar grated fels naptha
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 cup baking soda

I use 1/4 cup per full load....I have always used the dry cause it is easier to clean up if it gets spilled

I have a regular old washer that is extra capacity so I tend to do really big loads. I use straight white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. For stains I use Grandma's Secret Stain Remover.

 

[2dream]

I only use a 1/2 bar of fels naptha with 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda. And unless my clothes are super dirty I only use 1 tablespoon full for a full load. If they are super dirty I add some color safe bleach, pour in a little white vinegar and use an additional tablespoon of detergent. I seldom use hot water. Most of my loads are washed in cold water. My clothes are clean, don't smell, and my colors don't fade as much as they did when I was using more of the detergent.

 

[Denim Deb]

I liked what I saw from the soap today. I washed a load of shirts, both my hubby's work shirts, and my "farm" shirts. One of my shirts had a grease stain on it. I had forgotten to pre-treat it B4 I washed it B4, and it didn't come out. So, I didn't wear it, and threw it in w/the clothes today. The grease stain is gone!