Just thought I would let you all know that I tried the recipe for the home made laundry detergent (dry variety). I had been intending to make the liquid detergent but it called for a 5 gallon bucket which i just hadn't gotten around to getting. So when I saw the powdered version I gave that a go. I used a formula scoup for the detergent scoup and only added 1 scoup full.

I watched it wash and could see the water getting dirty. I decided to do a good test load containing 2 of my jackets (on jean jacket And I work in a factory), My 2 YO's jacket (which of course get's dirty), my 4YO's zebra which is way over loved and sewn back together several times (It no longer has stripes and was dirty). And a shirt that my 2yo wore while eating so it was crusty....

All came out noticably cleaner and brighter.

Now to dig out my downy balls and use vinigar in them instead of the fabric softener sheets.

i have the powder stored in a square freezer container w/a lid.

Rachel thanks so much for the info.

What did you use and how did you make it??

Here's the recipe from the other thread. I pretty much followed it but used 1 bar soap and just under a cup of the soda and borax. Figured it was better than having 1/3 bar of soap laying around. I shredded my soap using my food processor. I just didn't have the 5 gallon bucket needed to make the liquid detergent.

Oh, and i was able to store it in a square freezer container And i used a old baby formula scoup(the kind you use for preserving)

Ingredients:
2/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap (equivalent of 1 cup grated)
½ Cup 20 Mule Team Borax
½ Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.
Container large enough to hold 2 cups of laundry detergent
Directions:
Grate the Fels Naptha soap with a grater or use a food processor. Approximately 2/3 of a bar of soap will make 1 cup of grated soap.
Add the ½ cup of Borax and ½ cup of washing soda to the grated soap.
Shake and/or mix well
Use:
One tablespoon of detergent is sufficient per load of wash. If you have a high-efficiency machine, you might want to experiment with using a little less detergent for normal loads. If your clothes come out feeling stiff, lower the amount of detergent. For clothes that are heavily soiled, add a teaspoon more of the detergent..

Yield:
The recipe yields 2 cups of laundry detergent. If you use 1 tablespoon per load, you will be able to wash 32 loads of clothes.

Cost:
20 Mule Team Borax: $2.50 for 70 oz. - Cost per batch: .14 (4 oz needed for recipe)
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda: $2.50 for 55 oz. Cost per batch .18.(4 oz needed for recipe)
Fels Naphtha: $1.24 per bar. Cost per batch: .83 (2/3 bar of soap needed for recipe) *
Total cost to make: $1.15 Yields 2 cups which translates to 3.5 cents per load.

THANK YOU, I'll give it a try.

What is Fels naphtha soap

Oh where do you get it from?

Does anyone know how to make a homemade dishwasher detergent?

you can find it (maby) in your laundry/cleaning isle at your grocery store. Or you can get at at Amazon, here is the link so you can see what it looks like. It's sold as a stain remover.

It's a hard bar soap. Amazon also sells it in packs of 24. It's made by Dial.

And remember if you try this it calls for Washing soda which is diffrent from baking soda.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel_G,

quote:

Originally posted by Jeanette:
Oh where do you get it from?

our larger chain grocer (jewel) no longer has it but i was able to find some at a local, independant grocer (known as "certified" in my area. i have also found it at a few local hardware stores, not the big home improvement stores, though. give the laundry soap a try. it doesn't suds up as much as your conventional soap does but it does clean!

Have you tried this your self? I am tempted to make the liquid and see how it holds up in the dinshwasher.

My wife is the genius in our family with the soap nuts. She uses them to clean all our laundry, including cloth diapers. When she started using them for our clothes, my eczema, that stretched right across my belly, cleared right up within a month or so. As far as a dish washer detergent, it does work, but you don't want to use it with old caked on food. The liquid also works great as an all-purpose cleaner & as a shampoo to repair dry or oily hair.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Matt Johnson,

You know, I don't think one is better than the other in regards to comercal dish washing detergent and tese soap nuts. I mean, yes, one contains chemicals and such and the other IS organic and compostable BUT factor in the energy and polution involved in shipping these all the way from India & Nepal just so you can have a bio degradable detergent. I think it balances it self out.

My neighbor made the liquid version... had to have septic people out 2 days in a row... it seems the soap balls up amd clogged the lines by latching on to things.. so if you are on a septic system... ask your tech about it... this was an arobic system in a 3 yr old house.. bought a snake to use themselves... service call by a rooter person.. then had to have septic pumped... oops...

we are in the city but that's good to know for anyone else wanting to try this that may be out of the way.

I was going to try this at one time,,I go to another site quite often on being frugal and saving money etc,One thing my hubby and I do is that we disconnected the hot water to the washing machine and only was in cold,,this has been a good money saver and our clothes are just as clean as before.Only thing is that I read where this laundry soap dosent do well in cold water,,anyone try it in cold water yet?Id love to know for sure,,I am out of laundry soap as of today,,would like to try the homemade kind before having to buy another brand.

That was another thing my neighbor mentioned.. she had to use hot water then add the liquid version in then add clothes... that's why she was so surprised it clogged up the lines...

I'll have to be share the powdered version with her...

Fells-Naphtha soap is useful for another reason. I keep it in the house in case someone is exposed to Poison Ivy. Scrub the affected area thoroughly with the soap, rinse well and pat dry.
the soap neutralizes the plant oil that causes the rash and also drys the skin to help speed healing. I also found this summer past that it helped reduce the itch of my rash (I couldn't get to the soap fast enough, I am SO allergic!).

i have used it in warm. I rarley wash in hot but my DH is a mechanic and I work in a factory so washing in just cold won't cut it.

I would give it a go. you won't be out but maby a few $ and if it doesn't work you can use the left over borax and washing soda for many otther things.

Isn't it expensive to make with all those ingredients?

Sorie,

Rachel G did a cost analysis this past March under the topic thread "laundry detergent" I'll bump it up for you.

HI RACHEL,

TIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN THIS SITE. I'M A BIT CURIOUS ABOUT THE HOME MADE DETERGENT. IF THE RECEIPE WAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN, I DON'T HAVE IT. WOULD YOU PLEASE BE SO KIND TO SHARE IT WITH ME?