Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Homemade Laundry Soap





Laundry Soap

1 bar Fels Naptha Soap
1 bar Dove Soap
4 c. borax
4 c. Arm & Hammer washing soda

Grate the soaps and combine with other ingredients. Use 1 tablespoon in regular loads and 2-3 tablespoons in large or really dirty loads.

18 comments:

Jennifer said...

I actually made this today! I went to the store and stocked up on lots of natural cleaners. The ingredients for this, baking soda, vinegar, etc. I spent $20, however I have lots of ingredients for all of my cleaners. It seemed to work pretty well and it smelled nice too. I can't wait to get a glass container like you have. I also want to get a container to fill with the bars of soap unwrapped. I love how old fashioned they look.

Anonymous said...

I have always been a little skeptical as if it were be woth the time verses cost on prep. But I woul dlove to try it if you think your clothes turned out nice. I spend a pretty penny on laundry soap. $5 to $6 every two weeks. I do love the smell of my soap. :)

Sugarplum Cottage said...

I'm anxious to try the powder detergent. I make the gel type. I don't know If I can find this type soap, do they have it at Walmart? I also make the cupcake plates and tea plates, they are so fun. Want to invite you to join me for Project Friday at Sugarplum Cottage. I can see your very talented. Hugs, Rosemarie

Anonymous said...

What a great idea!!!
Robin Rane'
All Things Heart and Home

Momzoo said...

I have been making my own laundry soap for a few months and I have really liked it. Keep us posted on how you like it!

kel said...

I have been making my own for quite some time and really like it. One thing I did was bought one of those little hand held turn graters like olive garden has I bought mine at WalMart for like $6 and use it for the soap much easier than the flat grater I used at first.

Anonymous said...

I have actually thought recently about doing this. Not just with laundry but through out the house.

Barbara Jean said...

Angie,
Great money saving tips, and love all the bargains on your giveaway!!

Thanks for coming by and seeing my bird nest.

Blessings on your day.

Barbara Jean

Stephanie said...

I've seen homemade laundry soap on lots of blogs, but so far haven't been brave enough to try it! Maybe when I run out of my current box...

Where do you buy the borax and Fels Naptha soap?

American Homemaker said...

The soap I got at Reams (it's in a high hispanic-populated area so I thought I'd find it there), the borax I got at Walmart and the washing soda I got at Smiths since Walmart only had big things of baking soda, but no washing soda :)

Anonymous said...

You can use half the storebought soap that the instructions use. Don't ask me how I know. lol.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I tried this a few months ago, I do love the naturalness of this. BUT I did notice that it faded my colors. =( I still use it on my whites though.
But I did make some homemade fabric softener outta water,white distilled vinegar,and baking soda. Seems to work ok....and they DONT smell like vinegar. =)
http://www.recipezaar.com/Homemade-Fabric-Softener-179890

Trisha
mividaloca79@sbcglobal.net

Heather said...

definitely let us know how you like it! does it have a scent? are you going to add a scent?

American Homemaker said...

I never use the full amount of laundry soap the package calls for either. I use probably half... has anyone tried using only a tablespoon?

And it does have a scent. My clothes smell pretty fresh and good. The Fels Naptha soap has a pretty strong scent, which is "watered down" by the other ingredients. So the clothes smell, but not strongly.

I've heard others mention the "naturalness" too. I don't know that it's all that natural. The ingredients used are chemicals, just like in laundry soap. The Fels Naptha especially has ingredients like: stain remover and fragrance... pretty vague. I'm just doing it to save money... LOL

Rachael said...

I have used Ivory soap in lieu of fels naptha and Dove. It works beautifully- and grates VERY easily :

Elyse said...

very cool. i think it would be cool to put in bottles and make pretty labels.

thanks so much for saying hi at my blog!

xo

Anonymous said...

I have been making my own laundry detergent since last May. I have not noticed any color fading. I don't use two soaps, I just use one. My recipe is 1 cup grated soap, 1/2 cup borax, 1/2 cup washing soda. I use one tablespoon per load. I am able to find the washing powder at Kroger. I have experimented with a variety of bar soaps (one bar usually yields 2-2.5 cups of grated soap).

Best of luck! I hope you find using the homemade laundry detergent as rewarding as I have.

American Homemaker said...

I only use two soaps because I doubled the recipe and am physically incapable of actually following a recipe LOL