Homemade Laundry Soap FLOP?!

[Quail_Antwerp]

I made my first batch of homemade laundry soap, and I think I messed it up and totally flopped it somehow.

I just want to cry - over laundry, yes, because baby boy had an accident in his pants - so I washed them all proud that I MADE the soap myself - and I followed the recipe, etc. His pants came out STILL smelling like poop.

So before I run out to the store and BUY some totally processed over priced laundry soap - can I save this batch?

Or can I add a little washing soda to my loads to help get rid of smell?

The clothes LOOK clean, just don't SMELL clean.

 

[BirdBrain]

Don't panic. Try soaking them in vinegar. Then add some washing soda to the load and give it another go. Did you give them the sniff test before you dried them? Do the above and dry them. Then give them the ole snifferoo. I bet they will be just what you are hoping for. When I have really yucky loads I tend to put a double dose of laundry detergent, add a glug of vinegar and let the washer do it's thing.

 

[sufficientforme]

I have not idea if you messed up the soap but I second the vinegar, I use it in the wash load and rinse cycle also (in place of fabric softener) It kills off the smells

 

[savingdogs]

I second everyones thoughts as well. I would just start adding baking soda to your recipe, one cup per batch at least, for the entire batch, and then add vinegar as a "fabric softener" on the baby poopy wash. I wash a lot of blankets soiled with doggy mess and often just wash the whole dang thing twice if things are really gross. Or, in my new washer, I have a way of making the rinse cycle longer and that seems to help getting bad doggy do odors out, I suspect it would work with poopy baby doo smells too.

 

[Wifezilla]

My homemade soap works on everything EXCEPT hubby's arm pit stink. Not sure what it is about him that makes his clothes impervious to homemade soap, but it is. Maybe son has magic poo

 

[gettinaclue]

I had a hard time with bad odors as well, until I started adding baking soda and vinegar.

I keep some commercial stuff on hand for the smells that JUST WON'T COME OUT. I use the ALL perfume free and dye free.

I wash with my homemade stuff twice before I go that route though, and I don't have to do it often.

 

[colowyo0809]

I made my first batch of homemade laundry soap, and I think I messed it up and totally flopped it somehow.

I just want to cry - over laundry, yes, because baby boy had an accident in his pants - so I washed them all proud that I MADE the soap myself - and I followed the recipe, etc. His pants came out STILL smelling like poop.

So before I run out to the store and BUY some totally processed over priced laundry soap - can I save this batch?

Or can I add a little washing soda to my loads to help get rid of smell?

The clothes LOOK clean, just don't SMELL clean.

what was the original recipe?

 

[JRmom]

My homemade soap works on everything EXCEPT hubby's arm pit stink. Not sure what it is about him that makes his clothes impervious to homemade soap, but it is. Maybe son has magic poo

That's funny. My homemade soap cuts all the odors EXCEPT hubby's deodorant smell... oh well, at least it's not a stinky odor. Does make me wonder what the heck is in his deodorant though. And I always double up the amount of soap for his work clothes.

 

[Emerald]

Well.. I add the baking soda to the original recipe and I also put a glug of white vinegar into the rinse with the softener I like and can use still.
but I'd didn't see if you do what I do for poo on clothes(have a grand son who can poo thru anything!) I do rinse in cold water to get most of the poo out and then I use a 1/4 stick of fels naptha and a toothbrush to rub some in to the spot to pre-treat it. Always. I also do it for formula spots.
And this week hubs told me to go ahead and buy one of the bags of water softener salts and we are going to try melting some down and putting a bit in the washer loads to see if it helps with the dingys. Our water is great for drinking and pickling but HARD! I'm amazed we don't bruise in the shower! lol
But we don't have any poo smell when I pre-treat with the fels.
Hubs armpits are toxic too.. but the extra baking soda and vinegar realy helped with the stank!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I did rinse in cold water first, but no pre-treat. I'll have to keep that in mind!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

I'm feeling better about it now - and only lost a couple tears over the whole laundry thing.

Who does that anyway? cries over laundry