Jeana Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 I think a few of you make your own laundry soap from scratch. Could anyone share a recipe and the procedure of how it is done?I tried researching the net for this. I come up with this recipe over and over. But is this the only way to make it? 1 bar bath soap, grated (your favorite brand, fels naptha is great) 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda laundry detergent (a laundry booster) 1/2 cup borax hot water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 I keep finding that recipe all over the net too. I also found this but it seems kinda scary.http://ksks.essortment.com/homemadelaundry_rcfb.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted May 23, 2007 Author Share Posted May 23, 2007 Are you going to try that?It seems like an extremely lye heavy recipe. I wonder what that would do to your clothes. I also wonder how it would work with some coconut oil and/or palm instead of lard. And do a 2-3% excess fat recipe. I would want to stay away from animal products. Or what if I take some old bars of soap I don't want and grind them up and add water?It just seems to me putting the washing soda laundry detergent, and borax in there, you might as well just buy someone else's brand. You're not really making it yourself. I looked at 3 different natural brand ingredient labels. Each of them says veg and/or coconut oil surfectant base, borax, fragrance, and enzymes. Laundry soap is so expensive, and if I can make my own, I would rather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 If you're a member at the whisk or the Dish there are some very detailed instructions that can be found with a search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brydean Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 1 bar bath soap, grated (your favorite brand, fels naptha is great) 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda laundry detergent (a laundry booster) 1/2 cup borax I used to make something similar, I melted the fels-naptha in hot water and mixed it all together in a 5 gallon bucket. I don't remember the exact measurements any more. What I found was that while it did clean very well, got out stains that seemed impossible. But, it was too harsh on the clothes. My clothes started looking faded and dingy after a couple of months. I switched back to regular detergent. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockmonkey Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtmlThis site even has a laundry detergent forum, but amost all information relates back to that same d*mn recipe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDGM Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 The Soapmakers Companion has the directions and recipe in it. Tells how to make it either in Gel or Liquid form.Looks interesting to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibiscus Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I tried that grated snot soap before I learned to make HPLS. I now make my Laundry detergent the same as I would my other LS I simply change the ingredients and tinker with it here and there...you'd be surprised what you can add to it and it just seems easier to me And it works very well. My sis has a large family and I can't teach her how to make it so I will be whipping up a few gallons for her in the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerinarkansas Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I use the recipe that sockmonkey posted and I have no problem with it. You could probably use a castille soap that ya'll make and do the same thing. Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDammit Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Where in the heck can I find washing soda? ? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibiscus Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I find it in my grocery store in the detergent isle. Arm & hammer makes it and then theres 20 mule team borax which is a laundry booster/detergent in the same section there's that fel naptha as well as another brand of laundry bar soap it's pink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerinarkansas Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I can't find fels naptha so I use something called zote. Walmart carries everything you need except the fel naptha. I also make my fabric softner. Take a gallon jug of white vinegar...add the whole rind of one orange or lemon and let it set for a couple of weeks. I never took mine out and it's slowly falling apart. You can also use a wad of aluminum foil and just toss it in the dryer...use until it dies and wad up another one. Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDammit Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I can't find fels naptha so I use something called zote. Walmart carries everything you need except the fel naptha. I also make my fabric softner. Take a gallon jug of white vinegar...add the whole rind of one orange or lemon and let it set for a couple of weeks. I never took mine out and it's slowly falling apart. You can also use a wad of aluminum foil and just toss it in the dryer...use until it dies and wad up another one. GingerWhere is it at in wal-mart, I checked @ 2 different super walmarts in the laundry soap aisle, the only thing I found was the borax. Wow I never heard of just throwing a wad of aluminum foil in the dryer, how does that work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibiscus Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I use a downy ball filled with vinegar for the final rinse( when using natural soap) but I've never heard of aluminum foil...is it's purpose to cut down on static cling? I've noticed that with natural soap I don't need fabric softener sheets. But then I add all kinds of stuff to my detergent..LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 My walmart doesn't carry anything but the borax. So i couldn't do that recipe anyway. Isn't the fels naptha just like adding our own ground up soap?Has anyone tried just grinding your own soap and put it in some water to turn it in to liquid, or is that too easy? I sense an experiment is needed here.Hibiscus - could you share one of your HPLS recipes. To give us and idea of how to do it? And could you help us know what kind ways you "tinker" it. I promise I won't copy it and I will do my own recipe. Please tutor us??I haven't even made liquid soap yet. Would you make the liquid soap harsher to make dish soap (another project I feel I need to conquer) and laundry soap than when you make it for your body, or is it all the same degree of harshness? I am really into the smell of clean. The natural laundry soaps I have been buying lately don't leave my clothes smelling very clean. This is another reason I want to make my own. I would love to learn how to do my own softner too, but not just for softening, again, I want it to smell nice. Ginger - what does the lemon or orange vinegar do for your clothes? I do ALOT of pet laundry, and they can be quite smelly. The animals really like fresh clean laundry too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwin Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 Are you going to try that? NO WAY I AM A CHIKCEN -S***!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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