| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Brew Crew |
Posted - Apr 03 2008 : 5:12:22 PM
Maybe you all have known this and I am just really slow....but I just discovered our dollar store has Zote laundry soap, 3 for $1! Maybe yours does, too? 
"There is a Happy Dale far, far away. . ." -Arsenic and Old Lace |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Mar 20 2009 : 3:04:26 PM
Ok, first of all I'm allergic to the castile, makes all my skin fall off, to the point, I bleed, and then have itchy bumps on top of being skinless and bloody! Grrr, so just be careful, and only buy one bottle first to make sure you are not allergic (and yes, I diluted it a LOT!) I stopped using it almost a year ago and still having the bump/itch problem, most my skin has came back though!
As for Zote, LOVE it! And it CAN be bought at Dollar General and Walmart. (for national chains). I've found it at both.
The best way to grate Zote, is to buy it and DRY it. Open it, and leave it in your linen, or washing closet, where ever you store your soap. And let it just sit for a month or 3! lol haha The longer the better. Then it is REALLY hard, and grates easier I believe. (at least for me) I use a box grater. And also use the smallest/hard cheese side. Makes a FINE powder, so should have NO problem with dissolving in any washer. Again if you have DRIED it I bet it would dissolve even better, as it seems to dissolve easier out of the washer when dried, then when "fresh". (ie in my kitchen sink)
Washing powder is ALWAYS at the small mom and pop grocery stores, seldom at the big chains like Walmart.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| KayB |
Posted - Mar 20 2009 : 1:35:26 PM
I'm not finding any castile soap here in Del City. I will try the dollar stores - we have General Dollar, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree.
Life's a dance you learn as you go |
| suzifire |
Posted - Mar 18 2009 : 09:29:57 AM
I just finished my first three laundry loads with ZOTE!!! I am in love! You don't even need a fabric softener...my clothes have never been softer & there was NO static at all. I may never use another detergent as long as I live.
"I want a world that is sane & just & clean & I amwilling to do my part to make it so" |
| Calicogirl |
Posted - Mar 14 2009 : 8:21:04 PM
I found Zote Soap at our Kroger's Grocery Store for $1.79. I believe it was a fifteen ounce bar.
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory |
| Brew Crew |
Posted - Mar 14 2009 : 07:23:17 AM
Hey, I had an updated technique for the grating of the soap! Someone else might have mentioned this already (I didn't read through the entire thread) but if you keep an eye out for a salad shooter at your thrift store or yard sales it can shred that soap super fast!
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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| urban farm girl |
Posted - Mar 14 2009 : 02:43:43 AM
oops disregard my thread girls about going to Castille website....I was reading pg.1....duh....your probably thinking where is she coming from...sorry:) |
| K-Falls Farmgirl |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 5:12:49 PM
Sandra, Somebody on here did have a dish washer soap recipe. It was pretty simple If I remember itcorrectly it had "lemonade" sugarfree Koolaid and Washing Soda but don't remember the other ingredients. I think it was in this thread a few months ago
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Klamath Falls "Charming Chicks Chapter" Mother Hen
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
You never know when what you say or do will make a difference...Kerry Kennedy
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| urban farm girl |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 5:06:13 PM
If you go to Kirks Castille website they give a list of stores that sell it. |
| suzifire |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 08:58:58 AM
Charliessoap.com is the website.
"Marching to the beat of a different accordian" |
| Sandra K. Licher |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 08:51:24 AM
Does Charlies have a website? And does anyone have a recipe for dishwasher detergent for the dishwasher? Thanks!
Sam in AR..... "It's a great life if you don't weaken!"
Farmgirl Sister #226
www.farmgirlsam.blogspot.com |
| suzifire |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 07:19:43 AM
And apparently Zote is a pretty fair fish bait from what I read!!!!
So much so that it's listed that way on eBay. I like multipurpose items but this is kinda of bizarre
"Marching to the beat of a different accordian" |
| suzifire |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 04:39:59 AM
Oh & about that static cling...Stop buying that oookky synthetic fabric & your problem will be non existant ( although I have found that silk will cling if you put it in the dryer)
"Marching to the beat of a different accordian" |
| suzifire |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 04:38:09 AM
Has anyone tried Charlie's soap? It is wonderful & similar to the homemade laundry soap if you really don't want to make your own. It is available online & comes in powder & liquid, Charlies is a small North Carolina based company with a really terrific product, it is multi purpose, non toxic, gentle but REALLY tough!I had oily soot on some outdoor furniture cushions, nothing would remove it so I sprayed it with Charlies liquid, allowed it to sit for an hour, then rinsed the soot right off! I love it!
"Marching to the beat of a different accordian" |
| okiequilter |
Posted - Apr 24 2008 : 7:55:51 PM
Thanks, Linda!
I'm going to try the vinegar as a rinse aid. I started using it like Molly suggested for static cling, works great! and today I bought a "Downy Ball" as Alee suggested so I don't have to catch the rinse cycle. Wow!! Thank you all for the help. This is a big step in saving money. Thanks also, Linda for that website address- that is a neat one with lots of info.
Diesel here is 4.00 gal. My husband got rid of his diesel truck a year ago and he's really glad he did now. I go shopping every other week and you are so right, the prices are going up steadily. I, too am plant veggies in every space I can. Today I was at a church where we were setting up for a rumage sale and I was able to get a few boxes of canning jars. I gave away all my canning supplies a few years ago, thinking I was done with that. Well, I think it might be a wise thing to go back to this year.
Cathy (okiequilter)
www.AuntDaisysCottage.blogspot.com
A friend loves at all times. |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Apr 24 2008 : 3:48:10 PM
Cathy,
I have been using vinegar in my dishwasher the past 9 months. I didn't like the commercial rinse aid. I swear I could taste it. I don't use the dishwasher for everything because alot of my bread mixing bowls and cast iron would get ruined. But I can tell with the glasses and plates that it works really well. I use white vinegar. We have super hard water here.
I also use the homemade laundry detergent recipe I got from the ladies here. I have a fairly new front loader since my old 26 year old one finally bit the dust. Its works very well in the front loader.
I know what you mean about the prices. Every week I go to the store things have gone up .10cents to .50 cents. I don't know where its gonna end. I drive a diesel truck and gas is $4.25 a gallon. I go out once a week and do all my running. I am going to try to grow more stuff this year in a seperate garden and can and hopefully help with the grocery bill.Thats if all the critters don't eat everything.
If anyone has a Kroger they carry the washing soda. There is also a website called www.soapsgonebuy.com
You can order many of the hard to find stuff from them pretty reasonably. Its a pretty neat website.
Linda
Each day is precious...take a few of those minutes for yourself. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 24 2008 : 07:24:50 AM
bump
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| okiequilter |
Posted - Apr 23 2008 : 1:08:31 PM
Has anyone ever tried using vinegar as a rinse aide in the dishwasher? Humm... I wonder? I am sooo all about cutting costs (and chemicals) everywhere I can right now. I really don't want to go back to work full time again and with the prices of everything going up, up, up it's frustrating. Anything I can made at home is usually cheaper and better anyway.
Cathy (okiequilter)
www.AuntDaisysCottage.com
www.AuntDaisysCottage.ETSY.com
A friend loves at all times. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 23 2008 : 07:34:32 AM
Cathy- I just splash in vinegar into the downy ball- pull the loop thing to close it and toss it in! It opens just like it should- not sure how that works- and the vinegar helps everything rinse clean and softens the clothes- it's kind of like a rinse aid you might use in an automatic dishwasher!
PS I am SO glad you are enjoying the homemade soap! I read once that because of how much residue is left behind in commercial soaps- you should rinse wash your clothes at least once month if you wear them a lot. It said your clothes would have enough soap residue to clean them like normal and would help get rid of some but not all of the residue- ICK!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| okiequilter |
Posted - Apr 23 2008 : 06:59:45 AM
Alee, Thanks for all the good info!! I'm going to try my food processor on the next batch to do the grating. Just won't try anything weird to get the bowl dried!! hummm... :( Bet you wished you had gone to bed instead!
It seems to me that our clothes are looking better with each load. I think I read somewhere about all the residue buildup that is in your clothes from commerical detergent, so hopefully that is coming out!
I usually use cold water, so I am dissolving my laundry soap in a quart of hot water first and then adding it to the washer. I haven't had any streaks or soap marks.
Heres another good link for more laundry soap recipes:
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
Alee, I also like your idea about using the "Downy Ball" for the vinegar rinse.
Cathy (okiequilter)
www.AuntDaisysCottage.com
www.AuntDaisysCottage.ETSY.com
A friend loves at all times. |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 21 2008 : 08:39:20 AM
Hi Everyone!
Using a front end loader works great with the homemade washing powder! No Problem!
Here is the recipe for homemade laundry powder:
1/3 cup borax
1/3 cup washing soda
1/3 cup grated Soap- castile or some use Fels
(to make a big batch without worrying about measuring I just dump in one box of all of the above, a 4lb box of baking soda and use 3 bars of soap. It works great and takes less time than measuring it all out)
Mix thoroughly- use one table spoon per load. You can add it to your normal detergent cup- though some have had issues with it not thoroughly dissolving, then I suggest just adding it in with your clothes- the tumbling action will dissolve it.
Add Baking Soda if you have hard water. This will soften your water and keep soap scum from forming.
Add vinegar instead of fabric softener. I add about 1/4 of a cut to my "Downy Ball" or you can put it in your "fabric softener" cup if you have one. It helps things rinse clean, softens clothes, and reduces static cling.
You can also make a "pre dissolved" version of the homemade laundry soap that works great as well. It can be a bit harder to make as there are more steps- but if you are more accustomed to liquid detergent sometimes this is easier to use. The Recipe is as follows:
Same ingredients and measurements as above (the 1/3 cup measurements)
You get two clean gallon jugs or a 2 gallon bucket with lid would work too. Dissolve the grated soap in a few cups of boiling hot water in the jugs or buckets. Divide it evenly into the two jugs putting it in with a funnel. Let that sit a few hours until it has gelled. Then add the borax and washing soda (divided evenly if you use two containers) and slowly add warm water to mostly fill the jugs. Stir. When it is cool you can shake it (with the lid on of course) and you will need to do that just about every time you use it, as it tends to separate. It is incredibly cheap to make and I use about a cup in a big load of dirty stuff. (copied and slightly edited from instruction Aunt Jenny posted on the forum here: http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=522&SearchTerms=laundry,soap also a good discussion is here: http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=971)
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| 4forMe |
Posted - Apr 21 2008 : 06:39:12 AM
Susan, you are not alone, I too would like to know more. I have a frontloader and now that the weather is cooperating, I have been line drying more often.
Sewing, knitting, gardening mom of 4. |
| suethequilter |
Posted - Apr 21 2008 : 05:23:27 AM
I would like to make my own laundry soap but being new to this I'm not sure how to use the bar soaps, borax, vinegar, washing soda, etc.I have a front loading washer, so how do I judge the amounts to use? I line dry everything so what do I use for a softner-just vinegar? as you can see I need HELP!
life is good |
| Alee |
Posted - Apr 20 2008 : 2:59:43 PM
Cathy-
If your food processor has a grating function- I used that for a long time. It would leave a little chunk left that I hand grated- but I could grate up a 3 bars in no time flat. Unfortunately a late night experiment in trying to get my food processor bowl to dry quickly (long story there) warped my bowl so my food processor is out of commission until I buy a replacement! LOL
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| okiequilter |
Posted - Apr 20 2008 : 2:30:31 PM
Thanks, Molly. I'm am using the parmesan grater and it works OK, just wondering if there was another way.
I'll give the white vinegar a try.
and yes, I love the way this works!
www.AuntDaisysCottage.com
www.AuntDaisysCottage.ETSY.com
A friend loves at all times. |
| Brew Crew |
Posted - Apr 19 2008 : 7:31:25 PM
I use an old parmesean grater for the soap grating, and it actually went pretty quickly.
I add a 'glug' (I have no idea how much is correct!) of white vinegar as a softner, and haven't had trouble with static since then (but I hang mine out, I don't know how it would works for a dryer?).
Good luck, isn't it a great feeling to have made something that is successful??!!
Funny Farm ramblings http://happydalehobby.blogspot.com/ |
