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Cleaning Up:  Homemade Laundry Detergent  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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BarnChickCecily
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
Cecily
Corydon
IN
USA
673 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 05 2010 : 7:15:54 PM
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Okay, so I made my 5 gallons of liquid laundry soap tonight... it didn't take long at all! I hope I did it right... is there a certain amount of time I should have left it on the stove, or is just long enough to melt the soap and get the grittiness out sufficient???
Farmgirl Sister # 241
www.thebarnchick.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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prayin granny
True Blue Farmgirl
1874 Posts
Linda
Kansas
1874 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2010 : 02:17:37 AM
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What is washing soda? And is Fels a bar soap? Can I use and grate homemade soap?
Country at Heart |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2010 : 06:34:27 AM
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Linda- I don't recommend using Homemade Hand Soap. That is what I used to use before I knew better and slowly my whites started getting a bit grey. I finally figured out that if a soap is not specifically designed for use in laundry it can leave a soap scum which actually attacts dirt! ICK! So laundry soap bars like Fels, Zote or homemade soap specifically designed for laundry (I make one) works just fine with no residue.
Basically the hand soap is designed to have some oils left over from saponification to protect your skin from the soap. Also laundry bar soaps often have other ingredients in them that assist with the cleaning power.
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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BarnChickCecily
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
Cecily
Corydon
IN
USA
673 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2010 : 06:43:53 AM
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Thanks for the help Alee... I guess I did a good job because it has gelled up nicely and it hasn't even been 24 hours yet! Yay!
Farmgirl Sister # 241
www.thebarnchick.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2010 : 2:58:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by delicia
Nubidane, I am in Eastgate so really close to you. I did find everything at Meijers in Eastgate but, have been sick all weekend so not made the laundry soap yet. I did make the Dishwasher detergent last week and my dishes come out with a thin film on them they just do not feel clean. Has anyone ever had that happen if so what should I do to remedy it?
What recipe did you use? To get really crystal clear dishes I recommend using Citric Acid in your dish washer detergent.
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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tatersgirl913
Farmgirl in Training
28 Posts
Danielle
Aspers
PA
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2010 : 09:58:37 AM
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| Hey there - I've been using the recipe from the Mary Janes Farm magizne, march 2010 issue for dry laundry soap - it's borax, washing soda, Boraxo hand soap and baking soda. the original article gave some measurements for loads but I find that I must use a 1/4 cup in a small load and as much as a 1/2 cup in large loads and sometimes things still aren't clean. Our water is semi-hard. anyone have any suggestions/ideas on what I can do? I really don't want to have to pretreat everything especially my husband's work clothes. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Mama Jewel
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Jewel
Sweet Peas Farmette,
Bend, OR
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2010 : 08:55:56 AM
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Okay, I'm ready to jump in the "Make your own detergent" pool... I've read the 20 pgs & in summary for the dry laundry detergent (Alee's recipe): 1/3 c. equal parts: washing soda, borax, Fels/Zote or Ivory soap (finely grated) & baking soda. Is this the correct recipe for dry detergent? For an HE machine, how much do you use? What do you store your detergent in? I saw a bar of Dr. Bronner's pure vegetable castille soap. Will that work in place of the FelsNaptha soap? Thanks, Ladies!! I'm excited 
Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Cor 13:7
Farm Girl Sister #1683 Living Simply & Naturally
http://www.piecemama.etsy.com |
Edited by - Mama Jewel on Jun 29 2010 8:54:18 PM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 06:10:08 AM
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Jewel- Yes the Dr. Bronners would work, though I recommend using a laundry designed bar over using hand soap- it has better washing properties and less chance of any sort of build up. I make a laundry bar and Zote is good as well.
I just use equal amounts of each ingredient- with the exception of soap. If I am using a full box of washing soda and borax, then I try to use about 10-15 ounces of soap for the whole load. I use between 1/4 cup and half a cup a load depending on dirt level. I would use 1/4 cup in the HE washers.
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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Mama Jewel
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Jewel
Sweet Peas Farmette,
Bend, OR
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 06:32:43 AM
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Alee, maybe I need a lil more coffee this a.m. to wake up my brain (lol).. so you use a whole box of washing soda, a whole box of borax & only 10-15 oz of soap in that whole mixture? No baking soda? How do you determine that you have 10-15 oz of soap (by weight)? What do you mix it all up in? A bucket or ?? Sorry if my questions are silly {:P]
MJ (Mama Jewel) Farm Girl Sister #1683 Living Simply & Naturally on our lil Sweet Peas Farmette
"Do Everything in Love." 1 Cor 14
http://www.piecemama.etsy.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 10:10:48 AM
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Hi Jewel
What I do is a dump a box of borax, a box of washing soda, a 2lb box of baking soda and then about 10-15 ounces of my homemade laundry soap (a cold process soap designed for laundry specifically) and then mix with a wooden spoon or if I have a bucket with a tight fitting lid I will roll it to get it to mix. I weigh my soap before I grate it. Sometimes I add more- usually more soap in the summer when we get muddy and less in the winter when we aren't so dirty.
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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Mama Jewel
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Jewel
Sweet Peas Farmette,
Bend, OR
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 2:54:31 PM
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Perfect!! Thank you for explaining it so well. I'm a visual person, can ya tell? Thanks so much!! xoxo
MJ (Mama Jewel) Farm Girl Sister #1683 Living Simply & Naturally on our lil Sweet Peas Farmette
"Do Everything in Love." 1 Cor 14
http://www.piecemama.etsy.com |
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LakeOntarioFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
933 Posts
Brenda
North Rose
NY
USA
933 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2010 : 3:03:43 PM
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Alee! Can you give us your recipe for your homemade laundry bar soap?
Pretty please??!!!
I am not having any luck finding one online, and I really do not want to use Fels Naptha anymore!!!
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
"If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. "~ Mary Pickford
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 07:23:43 AM
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goodmorning farm girls, i have a recipe for a laundry soap cold process. i will look it up later after chores and post it if you like. then you grate like alee said and add the other ing.s like your borax. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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urban chickie
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Catherine
Niles
IL
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 2:08:29 PM
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Brenda, I make a bar soap which I then grate up and add to equal amounts of Borax and washing soda to do laundry. The recipe I use for the bar soap is super easy if you already make cold process soap. I simply make a 100% lard soap at a zero percent superfat (excess fat has no place in your laundry which is why commercial bars don't work as well, but you might want to handle this with gloves while grating as it doesn't have the safety net there). I also add an ounce per pound of lard of sweet orange essential oil to help cut grease. The final dry detergent doesn't scent the laundry at all. For water and lye amounts, I always use SoapCalc and usually discount the water to about 25% of the oils. Then I force gel because I am an impatient soul LOL. Easy peasy!
Catherine
Farmgirl #1370
City Girl By Birth,
Suburbanite By Location,
Farmgirl at Heart
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MrsRooster
True Blue Farmgirl
1168 Posts
Amy
Seabrook
TX
USA
1168 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 3:21:57 PM
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Zote seems to get stuff cleaner. I use vinegar in every load and don't use fabric softner.
I use Zote bar as a stain stick too.
www.mrsrooster.blogspot.com
Farmgirl #1259
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Heather Nicole
True Blue Farmgirl
127 Posts
Heather Nicole
Bolivar
Missouri
USA
127 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 1:40:49 PM
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Alright gals I tried making some detergent with the Ivory, I didn't like it. It just simply did not clean, laundry around here has horrid perspiration stains! What do any of you gals do to combat the dreaded yellow underarm stains? And I'd hate to pay shipping on Zote, but I'm thinking it might be worth the money! Hugs!
I know full well that joy is in the small things....Farmgirl #1473 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Mama Jewel
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Jewel
Sweet Peas Farmette,
Bend, OR
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 2:35:28 PM
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I found Fels Naptha soap... is this stuff just as good as Zote? Is there anything harmful or bad about Fels as I'm seeing so much talk about Zote, I thought I better check before I start shredding the soap. Thanks! (again
Farm Girl Sister #1683 Living Simply & Naturally on our lil Sweet Peas Farmette
"Do Everything in Love." 1 Cor 14
http://www.piecemama.etsy.com |
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urban chickie
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Catherine
Niles
IL
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 3:05:13 PM
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Jewel, Zote contains optical brighteners that Fels Naptha does not. Both have perfume and dyes and are otherwise pretty similar for the purpose of laundry soap.
Catherine
Farmgirl #1370
City Girl By Birth,
Suburbanite By Location,
Farmgirl at Heart
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Cleaning Up: Homemade Laundry Detergent |
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Homemade Laundry Detergent
