Homemade Laundry Soap FLOP?!

[Emerald]

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

{{{{{HUGS}}}}} I'm in menopause and cry for the darnest reasons!

 

[gettinaclue]

It'll get better soon.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Well, the kids are home now, and since 90% of the laundry is theirs, they have now been assigned to sorting out EVERYTHING and we're making sure anything of Baby Boy's is separated and pre-treated.

And I just assigned them to folding and putting away their own clothes HA.

p.s. in the meantime, I totally cheated and ran to the store (Ok I actually drove) and bought some chewy chocolate chip cookies (didn't feel like baking) and a whole gallon of milk just for me.

 

[valmom]

Chocolate chip cookies and milk sound like a solution to me!

I also have started adding vinegar to the wash- in the bleach cup and in the rinse cup. It also helps keep the washer cleaner (I have a front loader and the hard water seems to clog the dishes that you add det/bleach/softener in and eventually they don't drain right.) I may add in a cup of baking soda, too. See if it makes a difference.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Chocolate chip cookies and milk sound like a solution to me!

I also bought some Werther's Caramel chocolates

 

[Emerald]

Chocolate chip cookies and milk sound like a solution to me!

I also have started adding vinegar to the wash- in the bleach cup and in the rinse cup. It also helps keep the washer cleaner (I have a front loader and the hard water seems to clog the dishes that you add det/bleach/softener in and eventually they don't drain right.) I may add in a cup of baking soda, too. See if it makes a difference.

I have had a front load for about 6 years now and my little drawer that all that goes in comes completely out(check and see if yours does too) and we do a soak in vinegar for a couple hours once or twice a year. I also have found that I have to leave the door open when not in use or the water that accumulates in the rubber gasket will stink! They really need to fix that.. so once a month the washer gets the baking soda and vinegar soak.

 

[Marianne]

I too, have to use baking soda to get smoke smells out of clothes. I also have used Simple Green in the washer with really grungy work clothes. I just rub a corner of the Zote bar on stuff to pre-treat and then toss it in the washer or pour some homemade stuff on the stain and let it set for a minute or two.

 

[Farmfresh]

I like to keep some Oxyclean on hand for those times when my laundry is especially stinky or stained. I usually buy mine cause it last me a LONG time.

You can even make it yourself and keep it in a spray bottle by the washer.

HOMEMADE OXYCLEAN
* 1 cup hot water
* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
Mix ingredients. To use on clothes, spray the stain or soak the clothing in it for 20
minutes to overnight; then wash as usual.

 

[JRmom]

Cool! Thanks for the Oxyclean recipe. I always keep it on hand too, but ration it. Geesh, that stuff is expensive!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I like to keep some Oxyclean on hand for those times when my laundry is especially stinky or stained. I usually buy mine cause it last me a LONG time.

You can even make it yourself and keep it in a spray bottle by the washer.

HOMEMADE OXYCLEAN
* 1 cup hot water
* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
Mix ingredients. To use on clothes, spray the stain or soak the clothing in it for 20
minutes to overnight; then wash as usual.

Thank you for this recipe!!

I made the kids sort every last stitch of laundry out last night. They were NOT allowed to play, watch t.v., etc. until everything was sorted into individual loads - saves me a ton of work! I don't have to sort anything, everything is in a basket, I CAN WALK INTO THE LAUNDRY ROOM.

I gave each kid an assigned laundry basket - and only THEIR clothes are to go into that basket, another basket for dirty bed linens, and yet another for dirty towels. I made them help me wash two loads of laundry last night, too.

We also discussed earning a movie night (at home), complete with popcorn and drinks, if they can prove that they can complete ALL their chores, keep their laundry in a basket and not on my floor, rooms clean before school and before bed, etc. then they will get movie night once a week. I hope this works, because they get almost NO t.v. time, so I hope they really look forward to the movie nights each week and get motivated to clean up after themselves and to HELP with all that stinking laundry.

I totally want 2 washers and maybe 2 dryers. Trying to decide if I can talk E into building me a secnd laundry room Either that, or 2 washers, 1 dryer, 6 clotheslines, and 200+ clothespins....