Laundry soap...

[sweetcorn]

I think most people use fels naptha but i can only find zote here.

 

[delia_peterson]

Thanks! I was confused on how much bar soap to use! I found both brands down here, so when you would like to try the FelsNaptha let me know and I will mail you a couple of bars, ok?

 

[hennypenny9]

I made the liquid laundry soap! Not for any particular reason, since the dry worked just fine. I just wanted to try it, since it's a bit cheaper. And fun to make! Made my own soap instead of Fels Naptha. Again, not because I didn't like the Fels. I just wanted to! And so I used 3 ounces grated 100% lard soap, 1/2 cup Borax, 1/2 cup Washing Soda, and two gallons water. A bit of orange EO, also. Mine got way past the "jello" stage, but just the top half. The rest was liquid. So I whisked it into a soupy consistency. It works great! No scent at all, just clean. Some of the shirts were very bad smelling before I washed them, from the silly heat we had, so I'm pleased.

A few days ago I had to use some Tide I had left over. Omg horrible! I must have used too much (I don't know how!) and when it was done, there was still suds on my clothes! I had to run them through again! Plus even after that, they had a STRONG perfumed smell. I had though everyone was exaggerating when they had this same story, but they're NOT. I'm giving the rest of the Tide to my mom. I have enough lard soap to last a long time.

 

[keljonma]

Isn't it amazing hp? We found the same thing to be true when we when from manufactured to home made laundry soap.

I usually store ours in quart canning jars. However, we were recently given some detergent jugs. OH MY GOODNESS! I had to wash them out before I could use them and the artificial floral scents were just gagging me. I washed down the sink with lemon juice and baking soda afterwards, to get the scent out of the kitchen.

 

[freemotion]

I get annoyed when the neighbor does laundry....oh, the stink in my yard from her dryer vent! How can they stand it? All their olfactory nerve endings must be completely gone from the chemical burns!!!

I have been saving the bottles from the white vinegar that I've been using in the fabric softener dispenser, and now I can make a bunch in advance. I finally learned not to fill the bottles all the way so I can give it a quick shake to mix it easily. Just gotta hold the caps on, the vinegar bottle caps just snap in place.

 

[hennypenny9]

I'm storing mine in a huge Costco sized kitty litter bucket. Haven't bought litter in over a year, since he uses the people toilet. But next time I'll look for a better alternative. I do go through a bunch of vinegar jugs. Do you wait until it gels, or after to pour it in? The top half of mine got harder than jello, and I had to whisk it, so I'd have to let it get past that point. Once I whisk it, then I could just shake the jug, like you said. Ooh, I'm almost done with a jug right now! The litter bucket is a bit cumbersome.

 

[freemotion]

Yup, I started with a big container, it was a pain in the tush. I now pour it in the jugs right away. Just leave a little space so you can really shake it up, since you won't be whisking it once it is in the jugs.

Only WE could talk about laundry soap in several threads for hundreds of posts!!!

 

[DollDoctor]

I'm glad I found this thread. I only knew about the liquid recipe, and made some several months ago. It gelled up quite nicely but then it didn't dissolve in my front loading washer because I am using cold water to save money. In order to use it I nuke it in the microwave for 20 seconds before I pour it in the dispenser. This seems like a waste of electricity, so I figured I'd have to go back to the commercial stuff. But instead I will try whisking it up really well, and if that doesn't work, I'll try the powdered recipe.

I find it amusing that some of you think the smell of the Fels Naptha is so light and fresh. I was used to using the perfume free stuff, so to me it is a little overpowering. Especially when I was heating it up on the stove - wow! When I'm done with this first bar, I'll try a natural perfume free soap bar instead. It's all what you're used to.

 

[TanksHill]

Doll it's interesting that you say yours is not dissolving. I think I am having the same problem. Mine was clogging the dispenser. I had water over flowing from under the dispenser drawer. So I have done two things differently.
1 I shake the dickens out of it.
2 I pour it directly into the clothes. Kinda hard with a front loader but I just reach towards the back and dump it.

Most of my stuff washes in a warm cold setting. I do run my rugs through on hot once a week. I figure this will melt anything left behind.

gina

 

[Farmfresh]

I usually use my own homemade lye soap in the recipe. I find even the commercial bar soaps are too smelly for me.