quote:

Originally posted by MissMel:
I've been looking everywhere for washing soda and I can't find it. Where did all of you buy it?

I found it in the laundry detergent aisle of my local supermarket. Look where the laundry additives are (like non-chlorine bleach) not with the detergents.

Washing soda is sodium carbonate, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate.

Has anyone tried to use baking soda in a clothes washing detergent mix such as

Borax, Washing soda, Fels-Naptha mixed with water and replace the washing soda with baking soda?

Miss Mel - I found the washing soda in our "super" grocery store, Meijer (here in West Michigan)...but I've read that it can be purchased on-line. Just type in a keyword: arm & hammer washing soda, and I'm confident you will find ways to purchase. OR, try going to the website for Arm & Hammer...they might be able to direct you to a local supplier? Good Luck!

Okay, I got all the ingredients for the laundry detergent. I had to buy washing soda online. I couldn't find it around here. I halved the recipe and made it today. I have a question. The detergent never got very thick. Naturally, it thickened slightly when I added the washing soda and borax to the fels-naptha solution. It's been about 6 hours since I made it, and it doesn't seem any thicker. What is the consistency of your detergent??

Mine is uneven, with thicker parts, and it did seperate a bit. I just shake it up before I measure it. I have the "boys" coming home from the neighbors tonight, and I am glad this is what I have to wash with. mk

I just re-read this thread and am delighted I'm not the only thrify do it your self is better person left. I've been able to find all the ingredients however I have to ask about washing machines. I have a front load high efficiency machine. Can this recipe be used in one of the new front load machine? I hope so. Thanks in advance.

I made the laundry liquid, using a third of a bar of Dr. Bronner's lavender scented soap, grated....I found it was a pain to have 2 gallons in a bucket, and it did separate, so I had to stir each time I took out a dose...but it works great and leaves the laundry soft and smelling "clean", not fragranced. I will try making it more concentrated by only filling the bucket uip to the 1 gallon mark and using 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup...unless someone has tried that and the stuff turns too thick...please let me know! (That is if this stuff ever runs out...so little money for so many loads of wash!)

I was fussing about the $%&*^%#@bucket being in my way on top of the dryer...We recycle all the plastic containers, and throw away the caps, like the recycling instructions tell us...so didn't have enough bottles to package the stuff...BUT I had to replace the windshield washer fluid in my car, and got a gallon jug that held the rest of the laundry stuff...up on the top shelf of the laundry area...YAY!!!

Now, after hanging up the things that don't need ironing on the rod above the machines (clean and bare for the first time in years!), I can just whip out my little mini ironing board and do the things that need ironing and be done without having to set up my big (and I do mean BIG) ironing board. The monster will go down to the basement sewing area...I do use it when I sew.

It's so funny how one thing leads to another...just making my own cleaning products was all I thought I was getting into...now I have a sparking, eco-friendly and fully functional laundry area where CHAOS used to reign. Cool!

I read a posting here somewhere and two members were talking about applying FlyLady methods to gardening...using all kinds of acronyms and they just got my curiosity going...so I googled FlyLady, and found a really neat site, and have been following the baby steps for 18 days now. No more Mt Washmore for me!

Peace

Gail

I just bought everything today. Who knows when I'll get around to making it but I've got the stuff! I had hubby finally hook up the hot water to the washing machine (since I've been using the "coldwater tide" why bother hooking hot water up right?) so I'm ready to try it.

Do you all think the detergent would be just as effective in powder form? Someone mentioned they use it dry. I ask because I'm thinking of buying a big glass 2.5 gallon jar rather than storing it in a plastic jar, but if powder is just as effective, I could safe some space and money by storing the powder in a small container. Any thought?

Are any of you using this home-made detergent in a front-loading washer? We just bought a new one and I'd hate to ruin it by not using the correct soap. I've only been buying detergent with the high-efficiency ("he") symbol.

Hello all....I started this thread back several months and several batches of homemade laundry soap ago....First of all to those of you with a front loader - I have a front load/HE machine - I use 1/2 cup of the gel (for lack of a better word) and have nothing but great success. I have had really dirty loads that I've added an extra 1/2 cup to...no problems, and great success. I believe it was Miss Mell - who asked about the consistency - I have found that if you "cook" the Fels Naptha (or whatever your grated soap is) so that it totally "melts" (not boiling...but beyond the few minutes that I started doing to melt it)....it has made a difference in the consistency. The BEST thing that I have done is while it is "curing" (sitting overnight)....take a big whisk and break it up....kind of emulsify it when you happen to walk by it. I've done this when letting it sit overnight and then whisked, as well as for the first few hours, and then repeat everytime I happen to walk by - the difference has been noted. It is a smoother gel. Now, so you can laugh - I took my 2 gallon plastic bucket, sitting on my pristine clean counter and decided I would use my imersion blender to make it "smooth". The problem I DIDN'T count on was that silly little "bump" at the bottom of the bucket. My blender stick chewed it right up..and I had soap all over my counter! At any rate, I've learned my lesson. I pour into the recycled soap containers after whisking by hand - and am happy with the results. I just give it a little shake, and I'm off! I just made a triple batch, with a pickle bucket (do you have ANY idea how much baloney I went through to get the smell of pickles out of that??? it was halarious! but in the end, a swipe of vanilla extract throughout the bucket on a paper towel did the trick...baking soda didn't do it, vinegar didn't do it, but the vanilla extract did!) Someone else mentioned the powder version - and I'm sure it would work just as well...I just don't have first hand knowledge - so please post if you try it! Thanks! Di

This sounds like a great idea... I haven't visited the recipe part of this forum lately, so I'm just now getting up to speed on this. Diane, you have a front loading/high efficentcy washer and you use 1/2 cup of the gel so does that mean that if I use it in my regular washer I would have to use more? I saw earlier in this post that aprilconnett uses one tablespoon of the powder (the middle of the 2nd page), would you keep a shake mix shaker (like Tupperware or Herbalife) near the washer & mix it with warm water before adding to the wash or just add it straight to the washer (before or after putting the clothes in)? Hmmm... I'm definetly going to have to find these ingredients. Thanks for sharing!

Tammy - the recipe that I found did not specify front loader vs. top loader - but did say 1/2 cup. That said, you typically do use less in a front loader - but I've been using the 1/2 c of the gel with no negative results. I've never tried the dry version, so I don't know about when to add or whether to mix, but I'm sure someone here has help they can offer! My next venture is shampoo! I've searched out several recipes and have all the ingredients gathered, so I'll let you know what I think and price comparisons in a week or so! Di

Can you use this recipe for laundry soap if you wash with cold water? It sounds great!

I've started using the homemade soap recipe using Fels Naptha. Which by the way if shaved and added hot water with some cayenne pepper and crushed garlic cloves. Strain the mixture and spray on your vegetables, deer, rabbits and squirrels do NOT like the taste. Just wash your veggies as usual for household use.