Anyone make their own Spray-N-Wash?

[savingdogs]

I make GREAT laundry soap at home so I don't have tons of stains, but there are still those that I use a commercial laundry spot remover on, mostly belonging to my younger son (food stains). I really like Spray-n-wash and occasionally am known to use Dawn dishwashing detergent on a spot in a pinch. But I have a HE washer and too much sudsing is not good.

I'd rather make my own anyways if I can do it cheaper. I heard you can rub the fels naptha soap onto stains but when I tried it, it was kinda hard (the soap I mean) and didn't really get onto the stain very well.

Anyone have a recipe?

 

[miss_thenorth]

My mom uses colour safe bleach on stains. I'm not sure if she mixes it with water and sprays on or whether she puts it on direct.

 

[~gd]

I make GREAT laundry soap at home so I don't have tons of stains, but there are still those that I use a commercial laundry spot remover on, mostly belonging to my younger son (food stains). I really like Spray-n-wash and occasionally am known to use Dawn dishwashing detergent on a spot in a pinch. But I have a HE washer and too much sudsing is not good.

I'd rather make my own anyways if I can do it cheaper. I heard you can rub the fels naptha soap onto stains but when I tried it, it was kinda hard (the soap I mean) and didn't really get onto the stain very well.

Anyone have a recipe?

The original Fels-Napha bar was the spray and wash of the day (ok so rub and wash) That is because the Naptha was a petro based solvent that would attack oily stains (most tough to remove stains have a oily base, Today it is just a strong soap. You could try another light undyed oil product to prespot with, both lamp oil undyed kerosine and "white"gasoline have worked for me in the past. What I do now is use the laundry detergent directly. First I measure out what I will use for a load. If liquid I just work it into the spot with an old tooth brush, If solid I make a paste and do the same. throw the treated laundry and the remaining detergent in the machine and run the cycle. No oversuds and most spots are gone,

 

[freemotion]

Grease is the main problem in my laundry, with me and dh both massage therapists. I have a spray bottle with Dawn and water (1:4 or so) that I spritz with first, then rub in the fels naptha. I also have a small veggie brush that isn't too stiff that I use on sturdy fabrics with stains.

If the bottle is empty, I hold the stained part under the water as the machine is filling, then rub with the bar of soap.

 

[Dirk Chesterfield]

I always have a spray bottle of homemade spot remover handy. I make the solution using my normal laundry detergent with a Tbsp of borax added. If the stain does not release immediately then I scrub it with a small brush. Fingernail brushes work well for this task.

If the stain is very stubborn I use a tiny bit of TSP on it. TSP is a phosphate used to clean walls before painting and is available at Lowes and Home Depot. It use to be in all detergents but it was removed because of environmental damage due to overuse.

 

[savingdogs]

Sounds like I have the stuff here that you guys suggest using, too! Thanks!

 

[Marianne]

Depending on the spot, I'll just use the bar of Zote (that I have for making homemade laundry soap) as a stain stick, or pour a bit of the homemade batch on big areas and rub in. Zote is a soft bar, easy to work with.
I also have used a dab of Dawn on greasy spots, worked really well.

I remember my husband's aging aunt telling me that they used shortening or lard to remove axle grease, etc, from work pants years ago. She said to rub the 'cooking' grease into the grease stain to loosen it, then treat the 'cooking' grease stain like any other stain.
Funny the things you remember, huh....

 

[savingdogs]

I'll have to try the Zote. I liked the smell of that one but when I used it for the laundry soap we got too gloopy a batch. That is a great suggestion! I also found the Fels Naptha a little too hard to rub onto stain, but the Zote was a softer bar. Thanks for reminding me. I think Zote was something like 75 cents for a bar here.

 

[Marianne]

I'll have to try the Zote. I liked the smell of that one but when I used it for the laundry soap we got too gloopy a batch. That is a great suggestion! I also found the Fels Naptha a little too hard to rub onto stain, but the Zote was a softer bar. Thanks for reminding me. I think Zote was something like 75 cents for a bar here.

I make laundry soap two gallons at a time. I always leave a bit of space at the top of the jug so there's room to shake. The first time I use the jug, I have to goosh it up a bit with the handle of a wooden spoon. Then shake the jug a few times.

It might be a bit gloopy the first time you use it, but after that you'll have enough shaking room in the jug and the rest will be fine.

 

[~gd]

I always have a spray bottle of homemade spot remover handy. I make the solution using my normal laundry detergent with a Tbsp of borax added. If the stain does not release immediately then I scrub it with a small brush. Fingernail brushes work well for this task.

If the stain is very stubborn I use a tiny bit of TSP on it. TSP is a phosphate used to clean walls before painting and is available at Lowes and Home Depot. It use to be in all detergents but it was removed because of environmental damage due to overuse.

You may want to read the label on the product labeled TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) the last one I was going to pick up had TSP in big letters but contained no trisodium phospate in the ingredient statement. Just like Fels Napha no longer contains Napha.