Despite all the enthusiasm over making homemade laundry detergent recently...I continue to hear murmurings from those who just can't bring themselves to grate soap and cook it on the stove. It apparently just isn't going to happen. :-)
I'm not naming any names...but my older sister would probably freely admit she didn't decide to even attempt making her own laundry detergent UNTIL I told her about this "new" recipe I was testing out.
(I know it seems like I'm always "picking on" her...but she called me a "brat" on her blog recently...so she pretty much deserves it. lol).
Once again I have to credit the incredible readers of this blog for my inspiration.
Tiffanie posted this on February 4th....
A close friend of mine has been making laundry soap like this one for years, until just recently she found an easier one to make and passed it on to us.
3 Tablespoons Borax
3 Tablespoons Washing Soda
2 Tablespoons Dawn Dish soap
Put these ingredients in a one gallon jug. Pour 4 cups boiling water into the jug. Swirl until ingredients are dissolved in the liquid. Let liquid cool. Then fill almost to the top with cold water. The bubbles will overflow out of the bottle.
I love this because you can pick an awesome scent with the Dawn dish soap. This dish soap works the best because it gets grease out. :o)
February 4, 2012 8:59 PM
As FOND as I am of the soap I've been using for over 8 months now...I felt I needed to at least give this version a fair shake. Sooo...I made up a gallon of it and have been using it for almost a week. I've used almost the entire gallon and despite my initial skepticism...I have not noticed any difference in it's ability to get my clothes clean from my current recipe.
Of course there are still those items of clothing that will need an extra boost with some "Homemade Shout" or "Homemade Oxi-Clean"....but overall I honestly haven't noticed any difference in it's cleaning ability.
For those of you concerned with HE washers...I haven't noticed any more soap suds with this "recipe" either. On a small load I will notice some sudsing...but on a large load...it appears to me to be as low-suds as my previous version.
So....today I offer up this "new" version of homemade laundry detergent to those who have to this point been reluctant or unwilling to try making their own. A couple of things that might convince you to try...no grating of soap...no cooking...and you can make one gallon at a time in just a few minutes.
If you DO decide to try it...I would love to know what you think. :-)
Another homemade laundry detergent for those "allergic" to grating soap... :-)
...is today's...
Sounds great! First attempt to buy Borax and washing soda in Iceland failed (the American Store didn't carry it) - but I haven't given up yet!
ReplyDeleteOnly the original "blue" Dawn has the best grease dissolving formula. I've tried the other colors but discovered they didn't work as well as the original blue. Upon reading the labels I discovered that only the blue says "dish soap" while all of the other colors say "hand soap". I'm sure it won't make much difference in this recipe (which I will be trying this week).
ReplyDeleteJust thought I would share a bit of knowledge that I have recently discovered. Needless to say I only buy blue now.
I assume it is a high sudsing formula so won't work in an HE washing machine. :-(
ReplyDeleteAfter she finished describing how to make it she went on to say it's HE safe :-)
DeleteGreat idea!!! What amount is used in each load?
ReplyDeleteIf it's like the 'grated' version, use the same amount you would normally use with a store bought detergent. I've been making my own for about 6 months now & just love the savings & haven't noticed a difference in the wash.
Deleteneed to know-how much per large load-will definetly try this, joanie
ReplyDeleteHow much?
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered your blog through pinterest and am just amazed at the wealth of information shared here! I HATE grating the soap so I will definitely be giving this a try:D thanks for all the wonderful tips & recipes here!!!
ReplyDeleteMade some this morning. How much should I use per load?
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you are getting a slew of followers through Pinterest....that's how I found you! Love your blog, btw. Your "voice" is very friendly and you seem to really want to connect with your followers. That is rare these days. It seems that once somebody becomes "big", they seem to have a disconnect. Anyway, thanks for the awesome entries... I think I have pinned almost every one myself! Jamie in AZ
ReplyDeleteI started my homemade laundry soap quest when I started researching cloth diapers for our future family. Though we don't have and reason to wash diapers now I'm curious if this is "cloth diaper safe" anybody know?
ReplyDeleteI make a separate laundry detergent for cloth diapers. Using soap-based products will coat your diapers and cause leaking problems. Hope this helps!
DeleteMost recommendations I have read for stripping coated diapers suggest using blue dawn...I'm just starting with cloth though so not sure.
DeleteI also found you on Pinterest! Great blog!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great "recipe" I did not see what portions are used for small, medium and large loads....... TBS.... 1/4 cup what?
ReplyDeleteHi! New follower thru Pintrest! :) Going to try this recipe after I use up the last batch of homemade grated soap I have! :)
ReplyDeleteI am excited about this recipe and I am thinking it might be easier on the septic systems? I think we all want to try it today. How much do we had to a load? Thanks so much!
ReplyDelete~Angela
I am going to try this! I make the grated laundry soap already but don't like the grating. How much do you use for a HE washer?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI woke up this am after ordering bunches of the ingredientsfor original recipe from amazon only to find at Walmarts after calling & they said they did not have(another story). My first thought was oh no! I have a bunch of this bar soap coming in the mail. But after grating (so easy) and heating on stove (so easy) I love the smell of the Fels-Naptha soap! It is heavenly I am so happy. I might add the dawn & the bar soap! Thanks
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I both made your detergent recently and I love it! She followed your recipe to a "T" but I only had Ivory soap on hand. We found out the difference pretty quick. Ivory soap is the only one the floats. They have a patent for the process to make it extremely airy. This makes it very easy to grate and it doesn't clump together after sitting a day or two. Although I think hers works a little better with the 'cooking' recipe. Mine didn't gel or disperse as easily throughout the 3 containers, but I love it for cutting the recipe in half for a single jug. And it's awesome for an HE washer. We also tried the lemonade flavored kool-ade to clean once a week instead of buying the pricey Tide packs and a big difference in the infamous mildew smell. Thanks so much for all the info and recipes...I constantly brag about your blog and send links to everyone I know :)
ReplyDeleteDitto on the "how much do you use" question. Also, can you use any dish soap or just dawn? I'm a huge Method lover.
ReplyDeleteA commenter on Pinterest said 1 Tbl per load... Jillee??
ReplyDeleteOh dear...So many questions about how much to use! lol! I apologize for not adding that little "tidbit" of information that might be helpful. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhile Tiffanie didn't specify how much to use I have been using roughly the same amount I used with the original recipe. Roughly 1/2 cup for LARGE load. Hopefully this helps!
Since we are all kind of trying this out together....make sure and let us know how much works for YOU!
Thanks everyone for all your input. I knew I could count on you! ;-)
Can we add the purex or downy scent crystals directly to the homemade detergents and just let them dissolve - giving the detergent a great scent and skipping the step of adding it to the drum? Or is there a specific reason we are asked to add it seperately? Thanks
ReplyDeleteARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I finally had my food processor set up last night (for something else), and before I put it all away, I decided to grate some Fels Naptha and make your laundry soap recipe. I spent a bunch of time finding that old post and reading the comments and figuring out what I was going to do.
ReplyDeleteI made 1/3 of a recipe in a recycled ice-cream bucket and added hot water from my teapot until I had, basically, a full gallon (didn't see why I would wait until morning to add liquid if it was all warm and dissolved then).
This morning I put it into a recycled gallon-sized laundry detergent bottle and set it on the shelf in my laundry room. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks pretty good and smells nice.
Incidentally, I thought everything from the process of making the laundry soap cleaned up really well... it was just a matter of washing SOAP off things in the end. How hard can that be? :)
I don't think you can use bleach with this detergent because Dawn has ammonia in it, and you can't mix ammonia and bleach. Can you use another dishwashing liquid? Viv
ReplyDeleteI personally never mix dish detergent with bleach. I am however interested in this recipe. I would suggest either keeping a botle of eco friendly laundry detergent for bleach loads, or trying this out with another type of liquid soap. I have a few extra bottles of softsoap hanging out, I plan on trying this out both ways to see if the clean the same.
DeleteI use one cup of vinegar instead of bleach, the vinegar gets those whites brighter than the bleach.
DeleteWow, I will have to try this when I run out of the other version I learned here!! :) I'm loving the "cooked" version very much, but can understand the desire to just mix and go!!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog....you are so amazing!!!!!
I would recommend Quick n Brite if you've never tried it. Just google it...pink and AMAZING! There are no words to describe this cleaner. Made with seaweed? Or something natural like that...lol...
ReplyDeleteYay! I can't wait to try this one! :)
ReplyDeleteFels Naptha soap is easier to grate if you leave it out to "dry" for a while after purchasing it.
ReplyDeleteI would think that you could use liquid castile soap in place of the Dawn soap. It may be a bit more expensive, but it is natural, so no chemicals! Also, it's non sudsing, great for those concerned about HE machines!
ReplyDelete@Lisa who asked about cloth diaper safeness. I found that the employees at Babyworks (www.babyworks.com), and especially the owner who has 20 years of experience with all types of cloth diapering systems, are great at answering questions! It probably depends on what type of diapers and wraps you are planning on using as to whether or not this recipe would be "safe" but the key is to make sure the wash rinses out completely when it comes to sensitive baby skin! I always washed mine with a scent-free, dye-free detergent and often baking soda! I have not tried this recipe on diapers or wraps however, as we're past that stage. If you don't have a cloth diapering resource try giving Babyworks a call!
ReplyDeleteI use the grate method but leave it dry. (and I add Downy Unstopables) It only takes a spoonful per load and takes up less space.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't disolve well in cold water so I add it to a a cup full of hot water first, then put it in the washer.
Perfect timing! I was just getting ready to go to the store to try the grating recipe. I think that I will attempt this one first.
ReplyDeleteDoes Dawn come in a fragrance free version?
ReplyDeleteI made this and it was very watery. Does anyone know what I could have done wrong?
ReplyDeletecut the fels naptha soap in 3 or 4 chunks, put in freezer a couple of hours and put in blender or food processor...no grating! soak blender or food processor in hot water to remove remaining soap pieces.
ReplyDelete@ Lisa- This should be cloth diaper friendly. When people "strip" their diapers they use Dawn Dish soap, and it works wonderfully, which is why this should be fine to wash diapers in.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Dawn's own website so it must be true....
ReplyDeleteCan I add bleach to Dawn dish liquid?
No. Our dishwashing liquids are formulated to work best without any added ingredients and should not be altered in any way. Never add other chemicals such as bleach. You may like to try Dawn PLUS Bleach Alternative. Its formula features a powerful enzyme that delivers the tough cleaning power of bleach without the odors, skin irritation or the chance of discoloring your clothes and dishtowels.
Guess I won't be using this particular recipe since I wash whites with added bleach. :( Sorry!
I found your blog through pinterest as well, and every time i pin something from your website the repins and likes are an insane amount! and i just spent the last 2 days reading every single one of your blog posts. I have to admit i was sad when i got to the end :/ lol. Keep doing what you're doing! your blog is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI am new to this idea . I have very sensitive skin & I can't use dawn period. Where do you buy Borax? I am curious as to why anyone would want to make this? Is this more for "green" idea?
ReplyDeleteI do not have the time to experiment or do I want to take a chance of allergic reaction. Its the first of March and my allergies were horrible yesterday from walking my dog. I took 2 showers, 2 benadyl, used an inhaler 3 times and changed my bed linen.
My dermatologist and my respiratory dr say ALL FREE and its not expensive and it works
and. My respiratory equipment is cleaned with vinegar and water. I am using vinegar with ALL for under clothes and socks for a disinfecting additive. No Bleach Here! I would definately use with diapers. By the way, I am a mom who used clothe diapers and breast fed my sons who are healthy adults and I am a nurse!
For me, it's not so much about "going green" (although that's an added bonus) as it is SAVING the green!!! ;o)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@ Lisa with the cloth diapering question...the answer depends on the fabric of the diaper. I can NOT use this recipe for my child's cloth diapers. A great mix is just borax, washing soda, and baking soda. I use a lot of bamboo and any other soap would leave a slight residue on the bamboo and cause a chemical burn on our DD's poor bum.
ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday and have done couple loads of laundry. I have an HE and just filled the liquid dispenser to the fill line. It is watery, but I figured it was supposed to be that way. The jury is still out on if I love it, but I DO love the Fels Naptha laundry mixture and make it a bit differently because I don't make it into a liquid. I use the 1Cup borax, 1Cup washing soda and grate one bar of the Fels Naptha. I mix them all together ( I actually put everything mixed together back in the food processor, using the blade until it's super fine) and use 1-2 tablespoons per load. LOVE IT!!! I also fill the fabric softener dispenser with white vinegar. Works Great!!
ReplyDeleteYou could substitute liquid unscented Dr. Bronner's for the Dawn for the sensitive folks and baby clothes and diapers. :-)
ReplyDeleteI live in California and can't seem to find the A&H Washing soda anywhere. i've tried all the usual places Target, Walmart, Grocery stores. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI found the Borax and the Arm & Hammer washing soda at a Ace hardware ( so maybe a smaller hardware store would carry this?) but have been having trouble finding the Fels Naptha. My brother told me to look at Army surplus stores in the survival section.
ReplyDeleteI have found the Fels Naptha soap at Lowes Home Improvement store, it was on a main aisle between grills and plumbing.
ReplyDeleteI've used Borax for Yearsss it is great at whitening, we use it instead of bleach. For the grand baby who has sensitive skin we put 1/4 cup in with his baby detergent, and if he has food stains we wet the area rub borax powder on the area and wash as usual, works great.
Hope this helps, have also added 1/2 cup white vinegar in top of washer for smelly clothes, like when hubby is working on tractor etc.
I really look forward to reading your blog :) Sometimes you remind me of things I've forgotten over the years.
I found Fels Naptha at Albertsons and Target. :)
ReplyDeleteOh THANK YOU!! I have been hoping to find a non-grating recipe for laundry soap, my poor arthritis hands just can't take it--even with the mixer grating attachment, it's a lot more effort than I am interested in expending most days. I imagine a castile soap would work great as well, and will try this with something other than Dawn (it triggers my asthma). Thanks for the proportions!
ReplyDeleteI have made a dry formula of just borax, washing soda and soap. I grated Ivory soap, let it dry for a day of so then processed it in the food processor. But... I've seen where you can microwave Ivory soap and it will foam up. The next day you can put it in a plastic zip top bag and mash it into a fine powder. Has anyone tried that for the soap? I still have some of my original recipe so I haven't yet tried it.
ReplyDeleteI only used a few Tablespoons of the dry mix for a medium-large size load (we don't have kids so the clothes aren't badly stained) and have been pleased with the quality of cleanliness.
I love my Fels Naptha soap too...I don't know if I can give it up. But I wanted to offer this as an alternative to those who I just know won't grate or cook soap. :-)
ReplyDeleteok, how much are you using per load if you've used almost a gallon in a week?? with 3 messy kids once upon a time, i did 4 loads a day and didn't go thru that much detergent!! i typically use 2 T of my homemade powder detergent. that cleans all but the dirtiest of loads which i boost with spot cleaners.
ReplyDeletejd in st louis
also, you can buy already grated fels naptha online from the folks who sell soilove (highly overrated IMO). but, it's nice to buy a bag of the already grated stuff. also, it can be put thru a good food processor so long as you wash and dry the blades after use. so, hand grating is not required. i actually prefer powdered detergent for home made, but will give this liquid version a try.
ReplyDeleteJust an idea for those who can't grate because of arthritis etc. do you have kids or grand kids? Get them to help and make it a family event, turn on some music and have fun. :)
ReplyDeletewill this work with free and clear dish detergent such as 7th generation?
ReplyDeleteI love my fels naptha dry recipe!!! I use just a touch of unstoppables to the load and go!! I just made this soap today!! Can't wait to use it!! I myself don't have an HE machine, but it may help to buy the un-concentrated dawn...less suds! Also slowly run the cold water into the mixture...less overflow....thanks Jill!!!
ReplyDeleteI am trying it now! Thanks for your time in posting all of these wonderful things. It saves me a lot of research time! I had bought the ingredients for the grated kind, then didn't follow through due to the fact that grating soap was too much like "work" or "cooking" - two things I abhor. I was so happy to find this version popping up in my inbox. Now I'll have to find something else to do with my bar of Fels-Naptha...
ReplyDeleteI would love to try this, but what is washing soda? Can I find it locally? If someone could let me know at dar052@att.net I would very much appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I find the Borax, Fels-Naptha and washing soda all at Walmart, all in the same area, by the laundry detergent and pre-wash treatment stuff. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteMine also seemed to be watery, has that happened to anyone else who has tried this recipe? I know some were worried about suds but mine didn't at all and it didn't really have a scent...has anyone else encountered this as well?
ReplyDeleteI made this recipe and have used it on 4 loads in my HE machine so far, two loads of darks and 2 loads of towels all with good results. I watched the washer (when did I turn into such a geek!) and didn't notice any sudsing.
ReplyDeleteI DID notice that the towels were not as soft as with my regular detergent, but that could be because I've recently converted to the wool dryer balls to replace my fabric softener. I'm ok with how they felt. I had a makeup mark on one of the towels and it came out just fine.
I'm happy with the recipe so far. How does it compare to the cooked kind?
I didn't read the recipe very carefully. I used baking soda instead of Washing soda. Will that make a huge difference? Will my clothes come out clean? Or should I just dump this batch and start over. I am such a bozo! =)
ReplyDeleteWell, as for reviews...I just made this tonight.
ReplyDeleteI finished, and looked around, thinking how on earth am I going to test this?
I then realized we had just tested the soil in our newly tilled garden, and the soil and water mixture was still sitting in a bowl on the counter.
I proceeded to grab a white sock from mis-matched sock land, and smeared it with mud.
I didn't let it set very long mind you, but I figured this would be a good test of the homemade laundry soap.
The washer got done about 5 minutes ago.
Is the med sock spotless? No...but it was a white sock smeared with mud.
I was actually surprised at how darn near stain free it was.
I am, to be fair, now washing the same sock with the not homemade laundry soap to see if there is a difference, but I am fairly certain there won't be...at least not without some bleach.
Update: The sock was re-washed using commercial laundry soap, and while it did come a little cleaner than it did with the homemade, it was not a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteI will more than likely be using the homemade from now on. The only reason I was not using homemade laundry soap before finding this post was the grating and cooking of the other methods.
I just didn't find it economical, as I would have to add the cost of the grater and pan used, as I would not be using them for anything else.
This worked at dissolving most of the dirt and stains from a mud smeared white sock, so I am confident enough to use it on our everyday laundry.
I discovered you DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO GRATE THE SOAP. How liberating that was! I just use a sharp knife and shave off most of it until I'm left with those end chunks, and I just cut them into smaller chunks. Sometimes I just cut the whole thing into smallish chunks - the easy way to do that is to jab the knife into the soap on a cutting board. It takes a little longer to dissolve, but hey, the stove does all the work. It only takes me a minute or two!
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting but then I realized that you still had to buy 3 products to make one product.
ReplyDeletei made one gallon this weekend. I think it is very runny...not sure if it is supposed to be like this or not? I also use purex crystals with my wash; otherwise, there was no good smell to my clothes and towels. Is it supposed to be like this? I thought it was easy to make though. Just would like a nice smell to go with it!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I read the comments because I never would have known that you're not supposed to add bleach to Dawn. I'm going to try this one (since it's SO easy to make). Then when I have enough gallon containers I'm going to try the other one...I'm assuming you can add bleach to the grated version of the laundry soap?
ReplyDeleteI would like an opinion....How would castile soap work for laundry? I think it is oil based and Im not sure how that would work with fabric.....anyway all of you girls who are knowledgable bout formulation let me know.
ReplyDeleteI made some grated laundry soap last week and I have a few red bumps here and there. Im not sure why but I think it is laundry related.....old skin is a lot like a babies too sensitive.
Just be warned that this recipe is not green-friendly! Dawn contains chemicals that I would never want touching my clothes! It is totally worth a little bit of grating (you only need 1/3 a bar of soap!)to know my laundry is chemical free. Really consider saving the earth or saving a few minutes:)
ReplyDeleteI tried this today. Unfortunately, I melted my favorite plastic bottle. (Duh. Boiling water & plastic bottles don't mix.) I didn't have the blue Dawn, so I used the pink Olay version. So far, so good. It didn't thicken up like the grated version (I hate when it's all goopy anyway.) So far, I like this version much better.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I tried it a second time today. I wondered what would happen if I didn't add all that water. So, I boiled 2 c water and dissolved the dry ingredients with the Dawn (in a large glass measuring cup - apparently I learned from earlier experience today). When cooled slightly, I poured it into my plastic bottle and added 2 c tap water and shook it. If you used 1/2 c for the original recipe, this would only require 1/8 c and would take up 75% less space on my shelf. I think I like this version better. :-)
ReplyDeleteI tried the originally listed recipe and don't like it. It is too watery and it literally goes right through the dispenser drain when I put it in. Also, my clothes don't really smell like they've been washed. I will try another version before going back to store-bought, though.
ReplyDeletei am not a fan of dishwashing liquid due to how rough it is on my skin, and makes me break out in rash, so my question is when using the grated soap, how hard is it on a septic system? does anyone know or tryed it who has a septic system.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe works great on my kitchen towels! I had one of those liquid detergent measuring cups that come with the big containers of Tide (you know...the kind with the spigot) and I just fill it to the appropriate line on there. I think a large load uses about 1/4 - 1/3 C? I've never actually measured it.
ReplyDeleteI almost melted my plastic container too! I used an empty gallon jug of drinking water and it got very soft when I added the boiling water. I thought for sure it was going to melt. I might have to start buying that orange juice that Jillee uses...that plastic seems a bit sturdier?
As if you have not done enough for us already! Have you come up with a recipe for Woolite for dark clothing? I am making both regular laundry soap and fabric softener today. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteDoes the washing soda not lose its effectiveness sitting in a liquid for so long?
ReplyDeleteTrying it right now!
ReplyDeleteI just made my first batch of laundry soap. I am so thrilled with this. My husband was with me when I bought the ingredients for the oxyclean, the laundry soap, fabric softner, stain remover and said ... like we are going to save money buying all of this... Well I challenged him gave him the prices of the items we normally purchase and then the goods for home made schtuff. Then I told him this bottle of Dawn I only need 2 Tablespoons to make one gallon of detergent, this borax 3 t, etc. so these ingredients will keep us in laundry products for months.... OOOOOHHHHHH So let's see how it works got the first load running right now.
ReplyDeleteDo you think I could use Gain dish soap instead of Dawn? I have both on hand, but I like the smell of the Gain better. ;)
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!! I did the math and figured out this is costing me about 70 cents for an entire gallon of detergent! I used all natural free & clear dish soap because we are sensitive to fragrances, and it seems to work awesome! Also- after mixing it in a washed out gallon milk jug, I put it in the old jug from my store-bought laundry detergent, and I'm using the cap from it to measure this, it seems to be the right amount!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous who was wondering about using castile soap...I having been using Kirk's Castile bar soap in the original grate and cook recipe and it has been working fine. I remember my mom buying castile soap for me when I was little because my skin would break out in rashes. But the castile was mild enough to allow everything to clear up so I decided to use it in the laundry soap. If you're questioning what the soap is doing to your skin, give the castile a try in a smaller batch.
ReplyDeleteIf you use ivory soap and place it in microwave for a minute then let it cool, the ivory bar will turn into a fluffy mixture that you can crumble using large spoon. Ivory floats so don't be alarmed when you see it on top of the water. It will completely dissolve. The recipe I use doesn't require cooking. I have used Fels Naptha and ground it using my food processor, it was very easy.
ReplyDeleteI just ran out of my laundry soap so gonna give your recipes a try. My daughter makes her own except she uses powder I use liquid. I am so excited been waiting to give it a try. Thank you keep blogging!
ReplyDeletejust made my first batch tonight. haven't washed anything but can't wait to try it. all the ingredients were at walmart. borax and washing soda on bottom shelf in that isle. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to try it but can it be used with HE washers?
ReplyDeleteIm seeing comments on people not finding the borax or the fels naptha, at regular stores like walmart. The borax, fels naptha and washing soda are all sold in the laundry aisle of your grocery store. I get it at walmart.
ReplyDeleteBecky yes you have to buy three things to make it, but It's cheaper to buy all three and have laundry soap for months and months on end for about 10 dollars. When usually you spend that on only 96 loads.
ReplyDeleteMade this today....it is very watery...I made two batches just to make sure...I did wash my first load and am anxious to see what happens..I am ok with grating if i have to. I just thought I would try this first. I have four kids and a mechanic husband so we use alot of laundry detergent, we need to save money every way we can so if this works I will be so excited!!
ReplyDeleteI have a 2 year old microfiber couch and its developing a musty odor. What can I do to get rid of this odor?
ReplyDeleteI have lots of coupons for inexpensive, but great smelling shampoo, white rain, suave etc. Would this work rather than the dish soap?
ReplyDeleteFor you all Natural Mommas Use an All Natural Dish Soap in place of the Dawn, I use JR Watkins Lavender and I am very satisfied with the results of my Laundry Soap. Thanks Jill for finding out the ratios for us!! That is one of my weaknesses. Wrestling with Body Wash so let me know if you have any suggestions!
ReplyDeleteI tried the grated version ,did'nt work so well ,but im ready to try this with dawn . anything to save money heps :) thanksfor all the input gals :)
ReplyDeleteHJW: You can BUY pre-grated Fels-Naptha soap here http://www.soapsgonebuy.com . I hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteI had the downy crystals and added 1 T. Dissolved along with the rest and as long as it is shaken up before you use it, it works/smells great. I was a faithful user of one detergent my entire life and I see no difference between that one and this homemade recipe other than the cost is a fraction of what I used to buy. Took me less than a half hour to make 2 gallons and was fun to make.
ReplyDeleteI saw how to clean your dishwasher, but now I can't find the directions. Please help!
ReplyDeleteCity of Oaks - I have tried the microwave the Ivory soap trick and it WORKS! It is so cool watching it bubble up into a foam and so much easier than hand grating. Then I just crumbled it up into my borax and washing soda. I use about 1-2 tbs per load.
ReplyDeleteI made it tonite with the GAIN dishwashing detergent! It seems watery,gonna use it tom. I made the regular five gallon bucket kinds a few weeks ago but this seemed super easy so i made it as well, I am gonna do a little "test" to see which I like the best!
ReplyDeleteIf you eliminate the extra water, only using 4 cups total - 2 c boiling & 2 c cool, it's not watery & only requires 1/8 cup per load. It works great.
ReplyDeleteJust made the powdered detergent with my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter w/ minimal mess. I used an old metal grader and both soaps were easily grated. I only made 1/3 of the "recipe". Have used it now and seems like it does a great job!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time ever making and using my own laundry soap...and I'm sold!!!! How did I go all my life not knowing about borax and washing soda?!?!? I had a pillow with some stains on it...put it in the washer before work and let it soak all day and you can't even tell where the stains were!!! I've used the laundry soap now for almost 2 weeks and I don't see me ever buy laundry soap again!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting site, and everyone seems very pleased, as am i when it came to my husband making the powder (i'm unsure if his recipe is the same, though, he made this the year b4 last). Has anyone ever checked to see if this is compatible with septic tanks? Although, i do love the cleanliness of the clothes--smells like clothes that were hung on the clothesline!--to my husband's chagrin, i stopped using the powder he made after a few months because i read that it is not good for the septic tank. Aaand, being that we don't know where ours is, i sadly discontinued its use. I do a LOT of washing due to my husbands job/s--i KNOW i didn't wash this much while my children were growing up! Laundry detergent is expensive. So, perhaps i might give the liquid a try--but someone pleeeease give me some feedback on the septic thing cuz i sure would like to use a cheaper solution!
ReplyDeleteTo address the Clorox/Dawn issue: As the Clorox Queen, I wash my dishes in Clorox--using Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. I have done so for the last 40yrs. So, in balancing, i don't see the dang difference between washing dishes & washing clothes w/Dawn & Clorox; people need to get a grip. I tried the Dawn bleach one--didn't like it. Just as with the other scents, only the blue one does a great job at cleaning. Thanks for ur input! And thanks for a great site!
I'm curious to know how much you use in each load?
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! Sharing this with my blog readers. Please visit at http://thesinglecrunch.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteFYI for cloth diaper washers, this did not work for my dipes. They came out smelling like ammonia. I will be trying the grating method homemade detergent next.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to find this. I tried the grate & boil kind, but found that over time, it coagulated like crazy...so much so, that it was hard to even pour out of the gallon jug & had to mix some store-bought liquid in with it, then they separated...ugh...what a mess.
ReplyDeleteThis I will be trying! ~
I'm so excited to try this! I used to make my own by grating and cooking but have decided it's just too labor intensive for me right now. This seems like a quick & easy solution!
ReplyDeletei tried it with olay dawn dish soap i find its wayyyy watery, is it not supposed to thicken? anyway i don't know if i like this but will give the blue dawn soap a try
ReplyDeleteI tried this with 2 cups boiling water and 2 cups cold and it was a good consistency.
ReplyDeleteI tried it today in my HE washer and it worked as good as what I buy at the store. It did not leave a scent but it got the clothes clean. I did not notice any problems with suds in the HE washer.