| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| atticlady |
Posted - Aug 10 2009 : 2:40:29 PM
Hi Farmgirls. I am new to this and saw the info on making laundry soap. Can someone fill me in. I have well water and a HE machine. I would love to make me own soap. Thanks for the help. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| AlyssaMarie |
Posted - Aug 12 2009 : 07:19:16 AM
My septic tank installer was insistant that I only use liquid in my washer or dishwasher to prevent clogging, but thank you for the advice! I did make it to Winco last night and I found the washing soda finally!!! Yippee! I also found the Boraxo soap as well. So now I have everything I need to make homemade laundry soap. I'll try this first and I can always adjust next time. I figured it cost me about $12 to make 5 gallons worth of laundry soap.
AlyssaMarie @ Link'd Hearts Ranch
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 11 2009 : 5:31:16 PM
Use about a half cup to a cup of the liquid for HE machines, but I highly recommend you do the powder instead of the liquid! If you do the powder version, just use two tablespoons and you can either add the powder with the clothes or in the powder compartment of the laundry tray.`
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| Nancy Gartenman |
Posted - Aug 11 2009 : 1:21:09 PM
I just make a big batch, 1 four pound box washing soda
1 four pound box baking soda
1 four pound box borax
two bars of soap grated
mix it all up. TA DA!
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
| AlyssaMarie |
Posted - Aug 11 2009 : 1:13:58 PM
Thanks Alee! I probably walked by it a hundred times and it was staring at me the whole time. I'll look next time I'm there. With the baby coming I'm going to use cloth diapers and with all the extra laundry I need a way to save money on the expensive HE detergents. You wouldn't happen to know where I'd find how much of the liquid laundry soap to use in an HE machine? Or is it the same amount as the store bought stuff?
AlyssaMarie @ Link'd Hearts Ranch
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| Alee |
Posted - Aug 11 2009 : 07:45:29 AM
AlyssaMarie- You can find Washing Soda at Winco in Moscow in the Laundry Aisle. Also you can use PH Increase (in the pool supply section of the Hardware store) it's the same chemical.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| AlyssaMarie |
Posted - Aug 11 2009 : 07:37:53 AM
Thanks so much for this posting! I have an HE machine, well water and septic system so finding a homemade liquid HE detergent is what I've been looking for. The HE laundry soaps at the store are SOOOOO expensive! Thanks for the posting. Now I just have to find the washing soda... so far I've looked everywhere for it and come up short... guess its time to look online.
AlyssaMarie @ Link'd Hearts Ranch
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| ddmashayekhi |
Posted - Aug 10 2009 : 3:41:47 PM
For a dry laundry soap mix I use:
1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup finely grated Castile Soap (Dr. Bonner's is the best)
1/4 cup Borax
1/4 cup washing soda
4 drops of Tea Tree Oil
Mix thoroughly and store in a airtight container.
Dawn in IL |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 10 2009 : 2:48:32 PM
Hi Rabecca!
Making your own laundry soap is very easy and fun! I am going to copy and paste an article that MaryJane wrote- It has great instructions in it. It is safe to use with well water and HE washers. I would suggest adding an equal weight of baking soda (equal to the washing soda) to the mix to combat any hard water you might have:
Cleaning clothes is dirt cheap with homemade laundry detergent
Is there anything better than the smell of clean laundry? Something about crisp linens just out of the wash conjures up lighthearted sensations of spring sunshine. I love the way that perfect, fleeting freshness makes the world feel utterly luxurious. But many commercial detergents, as well as dryer sheets touting "spring fresh" scents, contain toxic chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin and permeate the air we breathe, so a growing faction of farmgirls-at-heart are rolling up their sleeves and thinking outside the store-bought soap box.
Making your own laundry detergent is so easy and cost-effective that it's a wonder we ever started buying the brand-name stuff at all. The recipes for both liquid and powder laundry detergents are simple, natural and cost as little as two cents per load!
All you need are three basic ingredients: soap (bar, powdered or liquid), borax and washing soda -- all of which you can buy at your local grocery or health food store. For soap, I recommend going au naturel with either Boraxo powdered hand soap or Castile soap, which comes in both liquid and bar form. The next ingredient, borax, is a mineral compound that works as a multipurpose cleaner and bleach, so it's a green solution to keeping your whites bright. Washing soda, which is similar to baking soda but more alkaline, cuts grease and neutralizes odors. Here are two basic recipes for liquid and powdered laundry detergents. If you miss the floral fragrance of commercial brands, you can use naturally scented bar soap -- or vamp it up even more by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the liquid detergent recipe -- lavender is always divine! Please note that even though the ingredients are from natural sources, they can irritate the skin, so it's a good idea to wear gloves while mixing.
Powdered Laundry Detergent (makes 4 cups)
2 cups powdered hand soap (I use Boraxo)
1 cup washing soda (I use Arm & Hammer)
1 cup borax (I use 20 Mule Team Borax natural laundry booster)
Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry.
Liquid Laundry Detergent (makes approx. 2 1/2 gallons)
2 cups finely grated natural or artisan bar soap OR 1 cup liquid castile soap (I use Kirk's Original Coco Castile soap, a very inexpensive natural coconut oil soap) OR 2 cups powdered hand soap (I use Boraxo)
(Note: Grating the soap may seem tedious, but you can do it in a food processor with a grater attachment, and it makes a ton of detergent--more than a month?s worth for my family!)
2 cups borax (I use 20 Mule Team Borax Natural Laundry Booster)
2 cups washing soda (I use Arm & Hammer)
Mix soap, borax and washing soda in a pan with 1 quart water. Heat to just shy of boiling, stirring, until water thickens and suds form. Pour into a clean 5-gallon bucket. Pour another 2 1/2 gallons of boiling water into bucket; stir well. Let sit for 24 hours. You can leave it in the bucket and cover it, but I like to store mine in vintage 1/2-gallon milk bottles. Use 1/4 cup per regular load. If the mixture separates over time, either stir or gently tilt back and forth in its container to re-mix.
Your costs for these homemade laundry detergents? The liquid detergent will cost you about two cents per load and the powdered detergent about 12 cents per load--quite a savings compared to around 20 cents per load for major store brands and even more for those found in a natural-foods store.
To eliminate the residues left on your clothes by fabric-softening dryer sheets, try adding 1/4 cup white vinegar to your rinse water to soften fabric, brighten whites and eliminate cling. Then, make your own dryer sheet by rubbing 1 teaspoon of hair conditioner into a damp cotton cloth that you dry with the rest of your clothes. Again, essential oils can add safe and sumptuous fragrance; just add a few drops to the cloth.
But what if you're in a rush and need a boxed brand fast? A few grocery-store brands are considered safe. Country Save, Earthrite, Ecover, Planet Inc., and Seventh Generation detergents are some of the best brands for your health and the environment. All Free Clear, Cheer Free & Gentle, and Tide Free detergents don't contain fragrances, but they do contain other petrochemicals, so they're not ideal choices if you're trying to reduce your environmental impact and exposure to toxins. Dryer-sheet brands like EcoSelect, Method, and Sun & Earth are biodegradable, nontoxic, and come in both unscented and scented varieties.
SIDEBAR: More Laundry Tips for Getting Clean While Staying Green
-- You can reduce your water-heating bill by turning your water heater down to 120 F and washing most of your clothes in cold water, saving the use of warm water for only the toughest jobs..
-- Energy Star-qualified washers use at least 40 percent less energy than standard washers and roughly half the water (www.energystar.gov). Dryers don't get Energy Star ratings, because all models use about the same amount of energy.
-- Run full loads of laundry whenever possible to save water and energy, and adjust the water level to the small load setting if you must wash only a few items.
-- Choose "wet cleaning" over highly toxic dry cleaning for finicky fabrics. Wet cleaning uses water and nontoxic, biodegradable detergents to clean wool, silk, linen and rayon.
-- Hang your laundry out to dry on a clothesline or drying rack.
Captions:
1) Keep an eye out for an old-fashioned small hand-wash plunger. It?s a handy item to keep under your kitchen sink for washing your delicates.
2) Washing soda, which is similar to baking soda, cuts grease and neutralizes odors.
3) Once you?ve made a month?s supply of liquid laundry detergent, consider storing it in vintage milk jugs.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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