Is It Really Worth It

[Deleted]

Has anyone ever made homemade laundry detergent? Is't worth it? Does it work?

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Not only have we not made our own, but dh insists we buy Tide.

Good luck!

[speechchick71]

How do you make it?

I don't buy fabric softener. I use a splash of vinegar in the rinse cycle and dryer balls in the dryer. The vinegar helps rinse the rest of the soap out of the clothing which stops blacks from fading and makes towels not as scratchy. The dryer balls make everything soft.

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2011 14:42:15 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Not only have we not made our own, but dh insists we buy Tide.

Good luck!

I spent about 2 hours gratting a bar of Zata. 2 HOURS. It was constantly clogging the grate, the mess it made on my counter, not to mention my nails...LOL LOL... t

Is it worth it. NO! I'll use what I made, but never again!

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2011 22:54:51 GMT -5 speechchick71 said:

How do you make it?

I don't buy fabric softener. I use a splash of vinegar in the rinse cycle and dryer balls in the dryer. The vinegar helps rinse the rest of the soap out of the clothing which stops blacks from fading and makes towels not as scratchy. The dryer balls make everything soft.

There's a thread under SS with the receipie. But, to me it's not worth it!

[cheerleadingmama7]

I am not willing to put in the time and effort it takes to make laundry soap....Instead I put in the time to find inexpensive laundry soap and clip coupons to combined with grocery sales to save money....

Good luck!

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2011 14:42:15 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Not only have we not made our own, but dh insists we buy Tide.

Good luck!

Really? Why does he insist on Tide? Does he do the laundry?

I just can't even imagine my husband insisting on a particular laundry soap or even having an opinion on the brands.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Really? Why does he insist on Tide? Does he do the laundry?

For a long time, Tide was considered the detergent to use - probably because of their having the most advertisements running on TV, compared to competitor brands. Their pitches probably convinced a lot of people that it was the best brand on the market and it's the only one to use - some people base their choices of products on what they read or see in advertising instead of figuring out what's best for the results they want, or what fits their budget.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Exactly what Scottish Lassie said...he truly believes it is the best.
We each do about half the laundry.
Laundry detergent, Yoplait yogurt, and keeping the house at a minimum of 72 degrees are some of the things I've given in on. He no longer buys coffee at Starbucks everyday .
He really has compromised more than I have.

[Deleted]

There are a lot of things I am very brand specific on. I am not saying there is anything wrong with it. I just have never heard of a guy wanting a particular kind of laundry soap.
I personally can't use Tide. Even the free and clear makes my skin itch. I usually use Arm and Hammer Sensitive Skin.

[Deleted]

To the original question, I think you would have to do an awful lot of laundry for the time costs of making your own soap to be worth it. So, Duggar family laundry, I would probably make the soap. Average family, I don't think I would be bothered.

I think a better cost savings strategy is to use less. The purpose of the little line on the fill cup is to sell more soap (Tide or otherwise) - you really only need about half that much to get your clothes clean.

[telephus44]

I can't imagine it being worth it. I figured I spent all of $6 last year on both laundry detergent and fabric softener.

[Frugal Nurse]

Nope. A better use of my time is to just looks for sales/coupons and stock up then. Probably cheaper, and WAY less effort

[Sam_2.0]

Since I started in on the coupon deals, I have paid around $.50 for each bottle of detergent. Granted, they are the smaller bottles, but most are 30 loads. That's less than $.02/load - I don't think even homemade can come close to that. And I like my Tide, Wisk, Purex, and Arm & Hammer. I did get a lot of the Xtra when it was super cheap, and we keep that around to use as backup, or for the dog towels & bedding.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

.....::::I think a better cost savings strategy is to use less. The purpose of the little line on the fill cup is to sell more soap (Tide or otherwise) - you really only need about half that much to get your clothes clean. ::::.....

Woo Hoo!!! I thought I was the only one who was stingy enough to do this! I never ever ever fill it to the line the directions say too!

[Frugal Nurse]

Xtra Laundry soap is on sale tomorrow at CVS for $.49 / bottle after coupon. The bottle says 28 loads. Using the full amount they recommend, that is $0.0175/load. If you use half the recommended amount, it is $0.00875 per load. I don't think that making my own soap would be that cheap.

HTH

[Deleted]

Jan 22, 2011 21:56:19 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Xtra Laundry soap is on sale tomorrow at CVS for $.49 / bottle after coupon. The bottle says 28 loads. Using the full amount they recommend, that is $0.0175/load. If you use half the recommended amount, it is $0.00875 per load. I don't think that making my own soap would be that cheap.

HTH

Thanks for the heads up! But the ad isn't up onlin yet!

[Sam_2.0]

The ad previews are available several days in advance. I use AFullCup.com to see what the upcoming sales are

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 22, 2011 23:54:00 GMT -5 @thecropchick said:

Jan 22, 2011 21:56:19 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Xtra Laundry soap is on sale tomorrow at CVS for $.49 / bottle after coupon. The bottle says 28 loads. Using the full amount they recommend, that is $0.0175/load. If you use half the recommended amount, it is $0.00875 per load. I don't think that making my own soap would be that cheap.

HTH

Thanks for the heads up! But the ad isn't up onlin yet!

Iheartcvs.com usually had the ad scans up several weeks in advance. Dealseekingmom.com and southernsavers.com will match up the sale to the coupon, giving you the link to the Q. it prints in spanish, but it should work.

[ses]

I make my own soap as much for the way it treats the fabric so gently as I do for the cost. I feel the fabrics last much better without all of the harsh chemicals. It takes me about an hour all totaled maybe once or twice a year. This is the recipe I use.
3 Pints Water


1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated (or any brand you want)


1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)


1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax


2 Gallon bucket to mix it in


1 Quart hot water Hot Water


Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket completely with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. You may add additional HOT water if the mixture becomes too thick. Mix Well before each use. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Makes 64 loads. Cost per load .03.

[Deleted]

Jan 23, 2011 9:14:41 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Jan 22, 2011 23:54:00 GMT -5 @thecropchick said:

Thanks for the heads up! But the ad isn't up onlin yet!

Iheartcvs.com usually had the ad scans up several weeks in advance. Dealseekingmom.com and southernsavers.com will match up the sale to the coupon, giving you the link to the Q. it prints in spanish, but it should work.

Stores in MD will not accept internet printed coupons!

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 23, 2011 19:38:18 GMT -5 @thecropchick said:

Jan 23, 2011 9:14:41 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Iheartcvs.com usually had the ad scans up several weeks in advance. Dealseekingmom.com and southernsavers.com will match up the sale to the coupon, giving you the link to the Q. it prints in spanish, but it should work.

Stores in MD will not accept internet printed coupons!

That is lame.

[Deleted]

Jan 23, 2011 19:41:19 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

Jan 23, 2011 19:38:18 GMT -5 @thecropchick said:

Stores in MD will not accept internet printed coupons!

That is lame.

Not really. To much fraud.. I can print out coupon after coupon, then copy it. Then if the manuafacture deems it an invalid coupon, the store is without money!

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 23, 2011 19:47:01 GMT -5 @thecropchick said:

Jan 23, 2011 19:41:19 GMT -5 Frugal Nurse said:

That is lame.

Not really. To much fraud.. I can print out coupon after coupon, then copy it. Then if the manuafacture deems it an invalid coupon, the store is without money!

It is lame for those of us who do not defraud the companies. There are some great internet printable coupons out there, and i would not be able to save nearly as much $$ as I do without them.

-Also, cashiers can look at the authenticity code on each Q if someone is using multiples of the same one. Each internet Q has a unique identifying code on it. If I have 4 Q's for the same thing, and all my #'s are the same, then they can refuse them.

[Sam_2.0]

It should go by the store, not the state. I know CVS's official policy is to accept internet coupons. Like frugalnurse said, the Bricks & SmartSource coupons can only have 2 printed per computer, and its pretty easy to figure out if they have been copied. The identifier on each coupon ties it back to the IP address of the computer that printed it. So you can be prosecuted for fraud if caught copying coupons (happened with the Huggies $3 coupons a couple years ago!!).

[Deleted]

Jan 23, 2011 21:09:01 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

It should go by the store, not the state. I know CVS's official policy is to accept internet coupons. Like frugalnurse said, the Bricks & SmartSource coupons can only have 2 printed per computer, and its pretty easy to figure out if they have been copied. The identifier on each coupon ties it back to the IP address of the computer that printed it. So you can be prosecuted for fraud if caught copying coupons (happened with the Huggies $3 coupons a couple years ago!!).

Got a link?

[Sam_2.0]

Wow, sorry, I just replied to the wrong thread!!

You can get the policy by emailing customer service - its not posted directly on their site. But, having worked there recently, I can confirm this is the policy included in all employee handbooks. If you want an email of your own, just send Customer Care an email. Then you can print it out & carry it to the stores if you like. Here's one someone else posted (including the CSR's name):
www.mamacheaps.com/2010/07/cvs-co....tomer-care.html

[bluecluessubtlety]

What Frugalnurse said. I can buy them for 50 cents or less on sales with coupons and using half of what is recommended, I couldn't make it myself for that little.

[mizbear]

For me the making or buying is a toss up- when there are not "good" coupons out there- making is a great option for me because I do my laundry at my DGM's and she and my DM are very sensitive to certain detergents. I personally don't care as long as my clothes are clean, soft and I don't itch later. When I had my own place I did make my own detergent- it was much safer to have around my D-exH when he wanted to "help" with the laundry.
Tide- I don't know if they still do, but some uniform companies used to give instructions on what detergents to use "for best cleaning and wear" of your uniforms. Tide was one I remembered being on the papers that came with my father's work clothes (it was also with my grandfather's uniforms and my grandmother never used it- he had the cleanest, crispest collars and stain free uniforms where he worked.

[financiallyfreeinbc]

For us here in Canada it is. It cost me maybe $15 to buy all of the ingredients and I bought them about 2 1/2 years ago (and still have a whole lot left!!). I grate soap on my cheese grater (washing it well afterwards)... never had any problem there.... melt it in my soup pot (again, washing well afterwards) then add my borax and washing soda, pour into big bucket and fill with hot then cold water and I am good for about 4-6 months. I also use the borax with baking soda (1:1) and use it in the first dish of my dishwasher (i do follow with Cascade after since it was leaving a 'film' on our glasses) and put vinegar in the rinse agent container.