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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 14:58:03 GMT -5
I'm reading about the Duggar's laundry soap recipe and I was wondering if anyone had tried it and what they thought of it. Is it rough on the skin? Does it wash clothing well, or cause fading? Thanks!
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SweetVirginia
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Post by SweetVirginia on Dec 31, 2010 15:13:42 GMT -5
Hi Anne
I tried this recipe before and unfortunately, I did not like it at all. I am not sure if I did something wrong, but I had to throw it out. I made the liquid version. I followed the steps to a "T" The soap had to constantly be stirred if you were going to use it to do a wash. It did not seem to mix well. Also, the laundry turned out very rough and hard. That could have something to do with hard water. For me personally, it did not work. I have used castille soap mixed with water before, but it is not as cost effective as the bar soap with borax. I would give it a try and see how it works for you. It does not cost too much to try, and if it works, you will be able to save a lot of money in the future.
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ses
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Post by ses on Dec 31, 2010 16:12:30 GMT -5
I have made my own liquid laundry soap for well over a year with good success. I especially like paying about $.02/load. A relative who is into quilting professionally believes it is much easier on fabrics. A friend with a baby finds it better than commercial soaps. The laundry is clean but you won't have the perfumed "clean" smell.
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ses
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Post by ses on Dec 31, 2010 16:15:25 GMT -5
I forgot, i will use a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle as a fabric softener. No your clothes won't smell like vinegar
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 16:18:11 GMT -5
My son actually makes it (and sells it at fairs/etc with his homemade frames and other soaps) It works well for us--key is to use very little of it! It's great in front loaders since it doesn't sud up, you don't end up with the mildew issues caused by regular detergent. I am blue-collar so I can get my clothes pretty dirty. I don't expect it to do miracles, so I still use spray-and-wash when I need to, but I've found it gets rid of the normal dirt/stains just as well as commercial detergent.
ETA: Oh, and about SweetVirginia's comments... The first time we made it we had that really bad separation problem as well--the stuff still works, you just have to mix it really well each time (we divided it into old detergent/softener containers so we could shake it up). I think the key to making it gel up better is to stir FREQUENTLY as it's cooling. The more you stir, the less it separates.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Dec 31, 2010 17:45:10 GMT -5
Recipe's Please
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 17:56:52 GMT -5
For the powdered detergent: 1 bar Fels Napha (or zote, or Ivory?)--ground up to a powder 1 cup Washing Soda 1/2 cup Borax (for this one, an older, dried out bar of Fels Napha works well since it will crumble easily.)
Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads) (I was able to use even less since I have a front-loader, but you do kind of have to figure out how much will work best with your machine and how soiled the clothes are--the powdered version is not as cheap as the liquid version, but quick to make)
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 17:57:17 GMT -5
k 65 jingle bell - rockMessage #4 05/11/10 05:14 PM The liquid recipe I have is....
1/3-1/2 bar of soap, grated (I used ivory) 4 c water Bring these 2 to a boil to melt the soap. Add to 3 gal. of water in a 5 gal. bucket Add... 1/2 C washing soda 1/2 C borax Stir til thickens. I got a 5 gal. paint stirrer from Lowes (free) to use for the stirring.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 18:00:51 GMT -5
From the duggar website, I think this is the one DS used Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
4 Cups - hot tap water 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar 1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda* ½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel) (***OK...I skip this part since adding the water later causes more separation, I just use half or so of the recommended amount, depending on load size and how dirty it is)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!
(my notes:) We found that stirring had to be pretty frequent to keep it from separating. You can also reduce the amount of water you add and just make it a little more concentrated (just remember to use less of it).
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 18:05:25 GMT -5
If you have hard water, you can usually find a large box of a laundry softening agent for pretty cheap (like under $3) and just add a little of that powder to the wash if needed.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 18:08:04 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to go ahead and try the powdered version - it's easier to make and if it doesn't work at least I didn't buy a bucket and spend a whole bunch of time on it.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 18:13:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies! I think I'm going to go ahead and try the powdered version - it's easier to make and if it doesn't work at least I didn't buy a bucket and spend a whole bunch of time on it. If you decide you don't like it, you'll have lots of leftover borax and washing soda, but you can use both of those to help boost regular detergent so it doesn't need to go to waste. Also, another use for the borax is an ant killer (my kitchen gets ants every now and then, commercial killers seem to work sporadically, but this has worked more often than not). Mix a 50/50 "solution" of syrup (whatever cheap stuff you've got for pancakes, etc) and borax. Put in a shallow container where ants tend to pass by. Takes a few days but the ants go away (don't know how it would affect pets, so keep it out of their reach).
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Post by kadee on Dec 31, 2010 19:24:20 GMT -5
I have been using fels naptha for my liquid detergent. I'm not totally happy with it cause it is so hard to get it to melt! I may try the Zote the Walmart carries. I have a front loader & my DH gets DIRTY! That includes grease & diesel fuel. It cleans his jeans. I use a bit more than what Apple recommended for those loads. My clothes aren't hard or scratchy even when I hang them outside whether I use vinegar or regular softener on them, but I do give them a fluff in the dryer, about 10-15 min. at least. I prefer the liquid cause I don't use hot water to wash & it mixes better. I store mine in old milk jugs....those are easy to shake up if it separates! But you can use any SOAP...you just don't want one that has all the additives in it!
I should add...I have sensitive skin & can't use a lot of commercial laundry detergents! That was one of the reasons I started making my own...as well as MUCH cheaper!
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merryheart
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Post by merryheart on Dec 31, 2010 19:33:26 GMT -5
I use the same recipe that Apple posted for the dry laundry soap. It works great - even on DGS's diapers - and none of us have any reaction to it. Even my towels come out soft, not scratchy. The key is to use the much smaller amount, just 1-2 tablespoons. Our clothes are clean and smell great.
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naturallyfrugal
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Post by naturallyfrugal on Dec 31, 2010 20:25:41 GMT -5
Apple - your son seems very resourceful and creative at such a young age (13?); does he come up with these things on his own?
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 20:47:03 GMT -5
Apple - your son seems very resourceful and creative at such a young age (13?); does he come up with these things on his own? Yes, he's 13. A couple summers ago (when he was 11) he told me he wanted to make more money (he gets $5 a week for chores, $5 for mowing the front or back lawn and maybe some odd stuff I'll pay him for). I told him I didn't have enough chores for him to earn much, and told him if he really wanted to make money he'd have to "start his own business". Thought about things he could do for a few days and decided he'd build picture frames--his idea, but I did help create a "design" for them. Those are pretty time consuming, and so to do something faster/easier that he could also sell at bizarres/fairs, he started making soap (I got that idea when my older brother made some using goats milk from the goats he raised, asked him if he wanted to try it and he thought it sounded ok enough). His is just a "melt-and-pour" soap though, that way he doesn't need to learn how to handle lye. He was also given an outdoor chair to use as a "pattern" to make more. I'll have to help him with the first few, but after that, I'm hoping he can do all the work himself (he can only use the saw when I'm home, but he could assemble them while I'm at work). It does help keep him busy and out of trouble (and away from video games for a while). We really need to get into more fairs/events this year though so he stays motivated. I'm hoping that once he feels confident building chairs he'll come up with his own design for tables/etc. We'll see. It would be nice if he could do something like this to earn money through HS, adding more stuff as he gets better at it.
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naturallyfrugal
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Post by naturallyfrugal on Dec 31, 2010 21:14:22 GMT -5
Apple - I think that's fantastic! Maybe he can make you something for the new house.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 31, 2010 21:18:19 GMT -5
Apple - I think that's fantastic! Maybe he can make you something for the new house. I'm hoping to have him help me build a log bed. I love woodworking and would love to be able to pass that skill on to him.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Jan 1, 2011 17:27:45 GMT -5
Is this the reason you want to make it yourself? If it is then I would give it a try.
But I live in the land of $5.0 milk and $3.50 eggs and bread and I can get laundry detergent on sale for #1.49 a 32 load container almost any week. That's only 4 and a half cents a load.
How many loads a week do any of us do to make saving 2 cents a load worth the work? I have a family of 4 and we only do about a load a day. So the max I would save is 14 cents a week.
I applaud you efforts to save money but surely there is something else you could try that would save much more money than this. Not to mention not having the Spackle bucket of laundry detergent to store.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2011 11:46:13 GMT -5
DS and I have ezcema so we pay out the nose for sensitive skin detergent. I also usually do a couple of loads a laundry a day. It sounds silly but DH is big so his clothes take up a lot of room in the washer. He also enjoys woodworking, building/repairing machines, and is in the midst of some fix-it projects on his truck and trailer. So he goes through a couple of outfit changes a day. I also use rags for all our house cleaning and DH uses rags in his shop, which have to be washed separately from everything else.
On my laundry shelf I have sensitive skin detergent, heavy duty detergent, woolite, oxyclean, and spray & wash. I'd like to cut down the number of products I'm using. If this homemade detergent works out I'll be saving a hundred dollars a year - not bad for less than an hour of my time.
But yes - I am doing other things to save money. It's my New Years Resolution! Also I've started to feel a little guilty about my family's impact on the enviroment, I know it's huge.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Jan 3, 2011 17:23:22 GMT -5
Then I would look at buying soaps that you have used that don't irritate your skin. Like people that have to buy Ivory Soap detergent for their babies. I would try to make the laundr detergent using the Ivory soap.
Someone mentioned Borax and Baking soda. Both elements are pretty basic, but they preform important functions. Borax is sodium tetraborate while baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Both are salts, but baking soda is an alkali which neutralizes acids while Borax is a natural fungicide and is used in the pest control industry to kill both fungus and termites and is also a powerful fire retardant. Both can also be added to your laundry detergent to help clean and remove oders.
Other things that can be added to laundry that are cheap are bleach and vinager. Good luck!
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Jem0607
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Post by Jem0607 on Jan 3, 2011 17:45:57 GMT -5
I've been making my detergent for almost 2 years and I love it! My husband is a diesel mechanic and the only stuff that worked on his greasy clothes was Tide and my little boy has eczema so I was still using Dreft for his clothes but the recipe I've been making works for both of them! And I could really tell the difference in my budget. I make the powder kind because it seems much easier. The recipe I use is
2 c. Fels Naptha 1 c. Borax 1 c. Washing Soda All those are in the detergent aisle, usually on the top shelf. I roughly chop the bar of soap then grind it up in a food processor, then add the other ingrediants and stir. I use about 1 Tbl for me & the kids' clothes and up to 1/4 cup for my husband's. Be sure to shake the container a little each time you use it.
I would encourage anyone to try this! It takes 15 min at the most.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Jan 5, 2011 0:01:17 GMT -5
Not going to happen. I buy detergent on sale and than I add coupons. So as a single person without allergies I really see no reason to mess with this.
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Post by kadee on Jan 5, 2011 9:26:39 GMT -5
There are 2 of us, I do about 7 loads a week during the winter & about 10 loads during the summer...it depends, my DH may change clothes 3-4 times a day during the summer when it is hot. He sweats A LOT!
This isn't JUST about saving money for me. Since I've started using it I don't find myself itching at various times. It seemed no matter what commercial laundry detergent I used I would itch from time to time! Also, most of the newer scents they have put in them irritate me, some to the point of making me sick to my stomach!
One of the major side effects of using my homemade stuff is that ALL of my clothes are much softer!
I have a challenge for all of you none believers....Take 1 (one) towel that you have laundered & dried as usual. Put it in your washer (not sure this will work w/front loaders) on the lowest water setting & wash WITHOUT detergent. See how many washes you have to do before your water is clear! Using my homemade soap, it is clear if I wash it the second time!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2011 21:53:35 GMT -5
I saw Zote soap at Big Lots for $.90 a bar today. I already have a bunch of it. Think I will try the soap. There's a Bit Lots not to far from me.. I'll have to check it out!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2011 22:07:27 GMT -5
I forgot, i will use a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle as a fabric softener. No your clothes won't smell like vinegar Never thought of vinegar as a fabric sofetener!
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sj3339sta
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Post by sj3339sta on Jan 14, 2011 22:25:35 GMT -5
Do you think original Dove soap would work? Or does it have to be laundry bar soap?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2011 22:31:24 GMT -5
Do you think original Dove soap would work? Or does it have to be laundry bar soap? I woering the same thing. But I have seen recipies using Ivory!
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Cheesy FL-Vol
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Post by Cheesy FL-Vol on Jan 15, 2011 10:02:43 GMT -5
What is washing soda? Is it found in the laundry detergent section of the store?
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on Jan 15, 2011 11:15:07 GMT -5
Do you think original Dove soap would work? Or does it have to be laundry bar soap? Dove soap is full of moisturizers - not something you want to be washing into your clothes (it would be like rubbing lotion in your clothes!) I have never made home made laundry soap and probably never will) but everything I've read about it states that it must be that Felds-naptha or whatever, and I think there is one other brand that can be used. The other ones won't work for cleaning clothes. HTH
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