If you've made your own laundry soap..

[Indigo74]

Did it work well? If so, what recipe did you use?

I have all the stuff, I think. But I've seen so many recipes I'm not sure which one to try. I notice that you can make powdered or liquid too?

Any tips would be great

[London skye]

I am about to try this recipe but I can't find the fels-naptha bar soap anywhere. I think that there are a few LMs who have tried it so they may want to chime in. I like the idea of the liquid soap as we have a front load washer.

Good luck!

This is the liquid soap recipe from the Duggar's website:

Favorite Family Recipes | Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer “Super Washing Soda“ - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

[threeforme]

I have been meaning to make the Duggar laundry soap, but haven't tried it yet. Let me know how it works if you do Indigo.

Also, I'd be careful with the Fels-Naptha soap... apparently it can cause lung problems. I planned to just sub another regular bar of soap to see if that works (but I haven't tried yet).

[nananana]

I have been using it for almost 2 years now.
I use either a bar of Sunlight hard laundry soap (sold in packages of two in the laundry aisle, or 1/2 bar of Linda laundry soap.

I love it and it works well. I have turned friends and family members on to it.

[mamabear]

Originally Posted by Rachel'smommy

I am about to try this recipe but I can't find the fels-naptha bar soap anywhere. I think that there are a few LMs who have tried it so they may want to chime in. I like the idea of the liquid soap as we have a front load washer.

Good luck!

This is the liquid soap recipe from the Duggar's website:

Favorite Family Recipes | Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer “Super Washing Soda“ - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

this is what i use it works well

[flamingogirl]

I use this recipe for my HE machine. Homemade Laundry Detergent - Simple, Easy, Fast, & Effective

I use the glycerin soap from the organic section of the Superstore.

[Indigo74]

Originally Posted by flamingogirl

I use this recipe for my HE machine. Homemade Laundry Detergent - Simple, Easy, Fast, & Effective

I use the glycerin soap from the organic section of the Superstore.

that's the same recipe i have, so i think i'll give it a try.

what's the glycerin for though? i only have the washing soda, bar soap and borax.

[Cathy]

flamingogirl, have you tried essential oil in this recipe?

[mamabear]

Originally Posted by Indigo74

that's the same recipe i have, so i think i'll give it a try.

what's the glycerin for though? i only have the washing soda, bar soap and borax.

i think she means she uses glycerin soap for the soap, rather than actual glycerin. thats what i used this time i think, i cant remember lol i dont think the kind of soap matters all that much

[Carol]

I've been curious about making my own but I haven't yet. Do they mean Naptha soap as in made out of naptha like the portable stove type naptha? Kind of worrisome.

[mamabear]

I have no idea, I thought it wasn;t available in Canada. Just use whatever kind of soap you have IMO. I used the Sunlight bar one time and it's so heavily scented, I hated it. There is a laundry soap bar you can get from the Bulk Barn that I'm going to try next time.

[flamingogirl]

Yes, I meant glycerin soap...that's what it says on the package. I figured it was a good one to try b/c there's no added scents or other stuff, which is why I wanted to get away from traditional detergents in the first place.

Carol, I haven't tried essential oils yet but I think I may experiment with that once this batch runs out! Kinda fun!

[Indigo74]

OHHH!! Okay....Much less confused about the glycerin now, LOL

I've read that you can add your own essential oils to pretty much any of the homemade detergents.


I just made my first batch of laundry soap and I'm kind of puzzled. It took less than 10 minutes, cost next to nothing. So why don't people do this all the time??

And the soap works well too?

I used a bar of Ivory soap, but I've noticed the soaps in Bulk Barn and I'll probably try one of those next time.

Now I'm going to try dishwasher soap!

If this stuff works I'm never buying Tide again.

[mum_of_four]

What recipe are you using for dishwasher soap?

I have all the ingredients ready to make my own laundry soap, just waiting for my current stash of laundry soap to diminish a bit!

[flamingogirl]

I'd love to hear successful dishwasher soap recipes too!