# Natural Laundry Soap (no shredding)



## MikeInPdx

....


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## Laurie

Mike...I know I pm'd you back when you posted this.

I don't like to use lard and I know CO is suppose to be

so cleansing.  Would that be a good substitute or should

I just use Palm or Crisco(vegetable shortening).

TIA, Laurie


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## carebear

Not Mike - but CO is fine.  Probably better than the other options you list.  We like lard cause it's cheap.


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## Laurie

Thanks Carebear!!!


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## MikeInPdx

carebear said:
			
		

> Not Mike - but CO is fine.  Probably better than the other options you list.  We like lard cause it's cheap.



Yup! That's EXACTLY why I use lard....and ITA about the CO being your best substitute.

You might want to stick blend rather than stir or whisk with the CO....it will make for a smoother product.....and don't forget to run the recipe through a lye calculator for the CO....it has a different SAP than the lard!


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## ChrissyB

I made some of this and it is fantastic!! I only made a half batch, but I wish I made a bigger batch now. It works really really well.
BTW I used coconut in mine, not lard. Thanks Mike for posting this recipe.


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## MikeInPdx

ChrissyB said:
			
		

> I made some of this and it is fantastic!! I only made a half batch, but I wish I made a bigger batch now. It works really really well.
> BTW I used coconut in mine, not lard. Thanks Mike for posting this recipe.



I'm really glad you liked it! 

I like it too.....it's a recipe makeover. I found one on the Internet that was exceptionally lye heavy with dangerous ingredients. I decided to try their procedure with safer chemicals and came up with this.


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## madpiano

ok, I am imperial weight challenged...

a 1 Gallon Container - is that US Liquid Gallon or dry Gallon ?

If it is liquid gallon, this is 3.78l. I don't have a container that size, will a garden bucket do ? ( these are 10 litres or 2.64 UL Liquid Gallons) and then fill it up to 3.75l ? 

There is one thing I don't understand in your recipe:

_People with hard water will want to have it softened with borax or washing soda before adding soap. _

I have hard water. Your recipe contains Borax already. Is that enough or do I need to up that a bit ?  

Cheers
Sabine


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## madpiano

Bump ?


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## gekko62

Bump!

Anyone try this with tap water?


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## madpiano

I tried Tap water, but mine wasn't good, not sure if it was the water, but mine was very thin and kept separating. 

To be honest, in the UK even cheap washing powder is very good, so I don't think I will be trying this again


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## gekko62

madpiano said:
			
		

> I tried Tap water, but mine wasn't good, not sure if it was the water, but mine was very thin and kept separating.
> 
> To be honest, in the UK even cheap washing powder is very good, so I don't think I will be trying this again



yeah.I decided that for the dollar it'd cost to use distilled I was being ultra stingy. Started mine yesterday,so can't say yet whether I'll love it or hate it.
 I generally use frag./phosphate free green wp,which isnt cheap,so really hoping this works out!
Tried KOH liquid soap for laundry,what a pita.Not again!


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## ChrissyB

Gekko, I still use this. 
Every week or so I run an empty cycle on my washing machine with some vinegar, apparently the soap can leave a scum in the washer, I haven't found that, but like I said I use the vinegar.
This wash liquid does work, but for really greasy (DH rides motorbikes) clothes, I use half the usual amount of washing powder, and then some of this on top.


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## gekko62

Mine set up after 24hrs.Looks like a huge tub of yoghurt.  But it's not gel,bit more solid than that....weathers been cool,but if yours in Newcastle is gel Chrissy,that cant be why....same thing happened with the KOH laundry soap I did,& I think it's the washing soda.I have the powdered type,not the crystals & even tho it _says_ sodium carbonate,I'm not convinced.It's white where the crystal form is clear.
But the soap works just fine.I SB'd mine 5-6 times in the 1st 24hrs & its smooth as.Scoop it up in a cup & dissolve in a little hw--perfect 

Here is the coconut/metric version I did.....

500g Coconut oil
2 Litres cold water
92g NAOH
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
1.25L hot water
20ml orange 5x eo
5ml lemongrass eo

Follow mikes instructions.Will need SBing to break up the lumps.When it's starts to thicken,I found starting just under the surface & working down slowly worked best,doing in several spots around bucket til e'things smooth.It looks like a big tub of natural set yoghurt!  
I used a 5L bucket with lid,availlable from hardware stores for around 4 bucks
Hope this is helpful 

NB: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PROTECTIVE GEAR ON FOR THIS.THE POTENTIAL FOR SPLASHES IS MUCH GREATER THAN WITH REGULAR CP

ETA: Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou mikeinpdx for posting this technique.This formula is SO EASY & the soap is wonderful


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## ChrissyB

Good for you Gekko, glad you are having success with it.
The price of laundry powder at the moment is outrageous, they are charging twice as much for half the product.


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## MikeInPdx

Well....after making it for more than a year and trying it with various oils, I am still happy with it.  Here's what I've found on the oils.

Lard, coconut, and crisco make the easiest soap to scoop. Palm makes more of an old fashioned soft soap. All work fine. Soybean stays liquid and separates, although I used it up for handwashing dishes and it worked fine. Canola is a disaster. 

I've played with various fragrance oils too. Personally, I like the Saveonscents lemon, squeaky clean, and Downy April Fresh the best, in that order.

I also made a batch with a failed kerosene soap experiment......whoa! Don't do that.....the clothes smell like a petroleum refinery. <GACK!>


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## ChrissyB

Mike I'm glad you said you did that first, because I was probably going to give it a try!


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## gekko62

yep,thanks mike.I was thinking canola,-Ive a ton of it & have decided with all the dos talk & our very hot humid summers I dont wanna risk it in my cp anymore..ah well...  loving the coconut anyways


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## krissy

can i put this into an empty laundry soap container and shake instead of whisking?


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## MikeInPdx

krissy said:
			
		

> can i put this into an empty laundry soap container and shake instead of whisking?



You can with the soft oils....but I think it works better with the lard.


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## MikeInPdx

gekko62 said:
			
		

> yep,thanks mike.I was thinking canola,-Ive a ton of it & have decided with all the dos talk & our very hot humid summers I dont wanna risk it in my cp anymore..ah well...  loving the coconut anyways



Coconut's always a good choice.

Here's an excerpt from one of my early attempts with canola oil.....it was a hilarious disaster......that left a scum ring in the washing machine. 

"*Toasted Canola Laundry Soap*
1 lb Canola Oil that needs to be used up before rancidity sets in
Lye and Water According to SoapCalc for 0% Superfat
1oz lemon fragrance oil
A Butt Load of Borax and Washing Soda
More Than a Touch of Inexperience

Mix lye into water and set aside. Pour into oil, and blend to false trace. Add borax and washing soda at this point and blend together.

Pour into mold and cook in 170 degree oven until separation occurs. Swear, turn off oven and decide to deal with it the next day.

Next morning, pour soap glop into pot for rebatching, cook over low direct heat until mixture sticks and starts to burn in places.

Swear, add water to the pot and set aside. Deal with it later, and vow never to use canola in soap again.  "


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## Guest

This sounds great-- (the laundry soap, not the canola disaster...heehee!)  I would like to try it, but I have a brand new HE front loader machine. Is there any risk of damage to the machine using homemade detergent? Is it very sudsy? 
We have soft water here, but I have been using water from my Britta filter jog for soap. Would that be ok?


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## xyxoxy

I finally made my first batch of this last night and just wanted to check. I know it take at least 3 days... but so far I just have a 2 inch glop of something white floating on top of a gallon of water.
I've stirred several times but it just goes back to a floaty within seconds.

I did substitute baking soda for washing soda... I know they are 2 different things but I thought it wouldn't hurt... was I wrong? Or is this gonna be OK?


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## Guest

uh oh. I don't think you can substitute baking soda for washing soda-- they are completely different. Hope it works out though.


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## xyxoxy

juicybath said:
			
		

> uh oh. I don't think you can substitute baking soda for washing soda-- they are completely different. Hope it works out though.



I knew they were different but I don't think they are COMPLETELY different.

This article...
http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_bakingsoda.asp
...indicates that washing soda is slightly more alkaline (caustic) but either can be used in laundering (in this case cloth diapers) and also in this case the baking soda is preferred because it is more gentle.

Of course that means nothing for how it reacts with lard, borax, and lye.
So... we'll see what happens.


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## Guest

Why  not just grate old soap and put with the borax and washing soda?

I once used soap in my top-loading washer.
Used it for about one month--until I noticed a
"bath tub" ring in the washing machine!
End of that -- I'll clean my tub,
but I'll be darned if I will clean my washing machine too!


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## MikeInPdx

The point of the recipe is no shredding. I hate to shred up the soap. This you just have to stir together.

The baking soda won't hurt anything and it does separate at first like everyone described.....just keep stirring and stick blending for a couple of days and it will all come together.

The only way I think it would hurt an HE machine is if you used too much. It will suds up if you do. I'd start with a couple of tablespoons to 1/4 cup, see if you get a sudsing error and go from there. I know lots of folks who use homemade soap/detergent with no issue.

ETA: 1/4 - 1/2 cup vinegar in your final rinse will take care of the vast majority of the "bathtub ring"

An addendum....

If you cannot find washing soda at all, please feel free to up the borax. It will still work fine.

Don't use an oxyclean type of bleach. The sodium percarbonate releases oxygen bubbles when combined with water and can cause your soap to foam and volcano out of the container. Plus, once the oxygen bubbles are gone, it's of no use.

You can also use 1/3 - 1/2 cup of ammonia in the mix......just don't add chorine bleach.


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## heyjude

For Mike or other makers of the laundry soap,

Found both the washing soda and borax at the grocery store. Yea! Now, I "think" I have hard h20 and am not quite sure what I was suppose to do before I add the laundry soap to the washer. Please advise!  TIA.  

Jude


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## MikeInPdx

heyjude said:
			
		

> For Mike or other makers of the laundry soap,
> 
> Found both the washing soda and borax at the grocery store. Yea! Now, I "think" I have hard h20 and am not quite sure what I was suppose to do before I add the laundry soap to the washer. Please advise!  TIA.
> 
> Jude



Add about 1/2 cup borax, washing soda, or other favorite water softener (I like the White King with phosphates   ) to your water and let it dissolve before you add the soap.

If you have a front loader (I don't), add the water softener directly to the wash tub so it can mix in as quickly as possible. Keeps the soap scum to a minimum.


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## heyjude

Thanks, Mike! 

Jude


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## Vintageliving

Thanks for this recipe.  I'm boiling the pig fat right now!


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## xyxoxy

As promised I'm updating this thread with my results after my second attempt. This time went MUCH better.

On my first attempt I gave up after 4 days. I still had a glop of white foam sitting on top of most of a gallong of water and it seemed no matter how often I stirred it was not incorporating the water... at least not as quickly as it should have. It's possible that the baking soda I used in place of washing soda somehow counteracted the process... or maybe I just needed to be more patient.

I did find soda ash at the local pool supply as a 10 pound bottle of PH Increaser. It cost me $12 but should last me a VERY long time and many batches of laundry soap.

The second time around, after 3 days the soap already looked mostly incorporated and by day 4 there was no doubt. I had a full gallon of a very white something that was the consistency of flan or custard.

So far I have washed 5 loads of laundry and it seems to clean everything very well. I use white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser and the clothes come out clean and soft. I also add a few drops of a "Fresh Linen" FO that I had. I didn't like it in soap but adding it to the vinegar seems to work well.

The only caution I will mention is that it does not easily dissolve. I have a small wide mouth plastic bottle with a lid (formerly a lye container) by the machine and I scoop some "flan" into the bottle, start the machine, catch some water in the bottle, and shake hard with the lid on. Then I pour that into the machine. I'm still getting used to how much I need per load but at under $2 per gallon to make this I'm not too concerned. So far 1/4 to 1/2 cup for a normal load seems to work well.

So once again... Thanks for the recipe Mike!!
And thanks for your help along the way. This is MUCH better than shredding soap bars.


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## Vintageliving

This appeals to me much more than grating bars of soap.

What temperature is the "hot" water in making the soap?

Does the finished product need to be dissolved in hot tap water before using in cold water washing loads?

Thanks very much!


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## Deb

I just can't get the darned stuff to incorporate into the water....


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## xyxoxy

Deb said:
			
		

> I just can't get the darned stuff to incorporate into the water....



Did you do any variations from the recipe?
How long has it been?
Are you whisking it well a couple of times per day?


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## Vintageliving

I made a small batch to test the recipe, using lard and borax, no washing soda.  It took quite a few days for it to turn to a white, consistent liquid.  Did a test load of laundry.   Put white vinegar in the rinse cycle.

The laundry seems generally clean and has a nice, old-fashioned, clean-laundry smell.  The soap didn't take out any stains or spots, though.

I will make several more experiments:

1) Using more soap in the machine
2) Adding more borax
3) Adding washing soda
4) Pre-treating the stains and scrubbing them by hand more thoroughly

Am hoping to find a combination that is not so labor intensive.


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## MikeInPdx

You definitely have to pretreat spots and stains. I use my own stain sticks for that.

Also, if I have really heavily soiled clothes, I will up my usage to 1 cup, maybe even 1.5 cups in my top loader. 1/2 cup works fine for lightly soiled stuff.

A little bit of Oxy cleaner also helps in the removal of tough stuff like spaghetti sauce, fruit stains and the like.


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## anicca_kk

Thanks for sharing the recipe.   Is it ok to do it without borax?  Can't find it yet...

Thank you.


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## agriffin

*Bump*

This is great- just wanted to bump for all of our new peeps.


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## anicca_kk

gekko62 said:
			
		

> Here is the coconut/metric version I did.....
> 
> 500g Coconut oil
> 2 Litres cold water
> 92g NAOH
> 1/2 cup borax
> 1/2 cup washing soda
> 1.25L hot water
> 20ml orange 5x eo
> 5ml lemongrass eo
> .
> .



Thank you for sharing this..  Thanks to MikeInPdx too for the original post.

I have doubt about 1/2 cup measurement here.   Is this the measurement cup we use for baking?   I have a cup and it said 250ml on the cup.  

Would you be so kind to convert the 1/2 cup of borax & washing soda to gram?   It would help those without a measurement cup...

Thank you...


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## Muzhik

Two questions:

If I wanted to take the effort to mix some Fels Naptha in with this mess, would I melt it down and add it when adding the washing soda and borax?

If I wanted to use Downy Fresh Air as the scent, would I also add maybe 1/4 cup when adding washing soda, et al, or would I add it while stick blending it, waiting for the soap to set up?


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## rubyslippers

juicybath said:
			
		

> This sounds great-- (the laundry soap, not the canola disaster...heehee!)  I would like to try it, but I have a brand new HE front loader machine. Is there any risk of damage to the machine using homemade detergent? Is it very sudsy?
> We have soft water here, but I have been using water from my Britta filter jog for soap. Would that be ok?



I also have a HE front loader that was brand new when I first started using homemade laundry detergent 2 years ago. After extensive reading over the internet I came to the conclusion that it would not be a good idea to put the homemade detergent in the machine's soap dispenser because it does have a tendency to collect a gunky, thick powdery residue (this is what supposedly plugs up the line and creates a problem with the front loaders).  I just toss my detergent on top of the clothes and run the machine.  I have not had any problems using the detergent in this manner.    And no, juicybath, it is not sudsy and I also have soft water.

For any of you that may be considering using the homemade detergent you may be very surprised how clean it makes your clothes and it also washes out the synthetic detergents that are contained in commercial detergents, and leaves your clothes feeling so soft.  I have competely stopped using fabric softener because it is just not necessary.

And, on one other point.....I've not noticed any residue inside my machine.


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## nattynoo

Little bump for this thread......

Thought I'd give this a go.
Just finished putting my ingredients together in a bucket.
I used coconut oil & rain water instead of the distilled.
I live in the country (nowhere near any cities etc) & we collect our water hopefully it'll b clean enough... its all we drink...LOL.
So far it just looks seperated...see how it looks tomorrow.
Hope it works out as it seems to be very cost effective.

OMG!!!...I'm in laundery liquid heaven!!
Its only been 2 days & its ready....and its brilliant!!
At one stage there I thought it was going to fail but I kept with it.
It went thru a seperated look, then a crust type thing formed on top like lard floating on water, next it looked like yogurt set on top of water.
Today I gave it a really good whisk, came back in an hour & it had set completely. Whisked it again & I've got 5litres of fluffy cream like laundry liquid...well cream I would call it.
I've done a few loads with it.
I've got a front loader.
Used 1/2 cup per load.
There is no sudsing at all with mine but the clothes are lovely & clean.
I used eucalyptus oil for smell.
Sooooo............
THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU for this cost effective FANTASTIC recipe!!
I don't think I'll ever go back to regular detergent again.
& how cool is this for the enviroment & chemical free for my kids.


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## xyxoxy

Excellent!
Yes I've been using this for a little over a year now and see no reason to go back to buying laundry soap. This does such a great job and is so easy and cheap. A gallon lasts me well over a month and costs under $3.00 US.

Sometimes I have subbed PKO for lard and adjusted the lye amount... works just as well. I've learned that if I stick blend it incorporates faster and more evenly. But I end up with more of a custard than a cream. I scoop a little out like scooping ice cream and then shake it up in a little jar with water to dilute it before adding to the wash.

I love it.


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## 42things

my first batch set up lovely.

I was thinking of adding an EO to it at this point, any suggestions?

I'm trying my first load of laundry with this right now... 

I have very hard water and there's soap bits (scum) floating around on the top of the load.  

is there any type of fat that wouldn't do that in hard water?

thanks.


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## agriffin

42things said:
			
		

> I'm trying my first load of laundry with this right now...
> 
> I have very hard water and there's soap bits (scum) floating around on the top of the load.
> 
> is there any type of fat that wouldn't do that in hard water?
> 
> thanks.



You can try using more borax to soften the water.


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## 42things

The soap seems to work well though.

I used just over 1/2 c. in my top loader and everything is coming out nice and clean so... woot.

I decided to just use vinegar in the softener dispenser ... that seems to be taking care of the scum.


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## Zhuliya

Anyone uses your handmade soap /liquid detergent for the dishwasher?? Have you any idea if that's any good?

I've been using mine - which is basically half tallow and half olive oil CP soap liquidized with water - to clean the house (bathroom, kitchen, floors) and it's pretty good, but I'm nut sure whether I can use it for the dishes or not.

Any suggestion?


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## carebear

my suggestion is DON'T.  too much foam - it'll work it's way through tiny cracks and across your kitchen floor.  plus leave scum on some of your dishes.


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## nattynoo

I tried my coconut oil laundry soap in the dishwasher... just had to give it a try...LOL. 
I'm one of those types that has to try things for myself.
It didn't froth everywhere but left HORRIBLE soap scum on everything. It had to be rewashed.


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## rainbowkitty

I made some at the beginning of the year (a 5 gallon pail) and we are STILL using it!!  It's fantastic.  I didn't put in nearly enough scent though.  I'm wondering for those of you that scent it - how much you use?

We love this!  Keep getting people ask if I sell it..lol..


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## nattynoo

Hi Tasha.
I used eucalyptus EO (its pretty cheap from the supermarket here, oz).
Can't remember how much.
I good splash  :wink:  pretty technical amount...hehehe.
I find my washing has a lovely euco smell to it. Definitely.
I really like it.
As for the vinegar I don't know.


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## Sunny

A couple of questions for anyone who has made this before!

-I have hard water, how much vinegar should I add to the rinse cycle to keep scum off my clothes and washer? 
Or does this help at all?
Will adding extra borax help with the scum?


-How much fragrance oil should I add to this? 
Will the fragrance survive the washer and dryer? 
Has anyone tried essential oil?


Thanks, this recipe sounds really great.


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## Zhuliya

tasha said:
			
		

> A couple of questions for anyone who has made this before!
> -How much fragrance oil should I add to this?
> Will the fragrance survive the washer and dryer?
> Has anyone tried essential oil?



I always use EOs, even for my laudry detergent. I make liquid detergent because I find it easier to use (I mean, not with KOH but melting my CP soap with a lot of water) and in about 1liters of water I add 5-6 drops of lavender or eucalyptus EO. It leaves a little scent on the final dry laudry, but it is fainter and very different from commercial detergents - so of course I love it


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## ironbrewer

I made this laundry soap and it came out as a very thick gel. Is that normal, or should I add more water. I followed the recipe exactly, lard and all.


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## dubnica

I made this about a week ago and I love it.  It came out really good.  I used jasmine FO and it smells devine.  Laudry came out clean, soft and smelling so nice.  I will definitely make this again.  





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## RikRaks

gonna try this for sure! like right now, kids are off to bed, I'm off to soap...

Just made some, now to wait...... I added clean laundry FO from WSP which I used in my lard laundry bars, so yeah!


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## Bubbles Galore

Good grief, has anyone noticed that there has been 10784 views of this thread. We must have a couple of lurkers. LOL  :wink:


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## MikeInPdx

Well...the thread has been up for a long time.


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## nattynoo

10,000 views, thats insane!! I must admit when I first made mine I re read this thread several times & have posted links to it as well.
LOL..... its a good recipe!!!!


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## newbie

Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I know it's been around for a while but I just got around to trying it. It's great! I was skeptical that it would get my kid's socks clean, but it did. I made one batch without scent and am on the last leg of a second batch scented with lemon EO- can't wait for another load of laundry!!!


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## tinglingclean

*homemade liquid soap*



			
				ChrissyB said:
			
		

> I made some of this and it is fantastic!! I only made a half batch, but I wish I made a bigger batch now. It works really really well.
> BTW I used coconut in mine, not lard. Thanks Mike for posting this recipe.



Are you still making this soap, and is the CO still the oil of choice.  Looks like a good recipe, but would like some current input of it.
Thanks


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## OrganicallyYours

I've made this 2 or 3 times and I really like. It's probably a stupid question but I was wondering if your supposed to weigh the water and borax/washing soda. Each time I've made a batch I've had inconsistent result because I've measured different each time...ugh I'm an overthinker


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## tinglingclean

*laundry soap*

I have made other recipes for laundry soap, and I have always used the measuring cup to measure the washing soda and borax.  I have never seem it recommended to weigh the ingredients.
However, if I were using coconut oil, I would use the scales  to be accurate.   [/i]


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## Sunny

Hey guys. I made a video for this recipe to show what it looks like and to show that it really does work. I was scared to try this recipe for a really long time because I was afraid of wasting materials or didn't know what it should look like, or how it would work! So here is something to reassure anyone who has wanted to try this!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K9myB9yPk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K9myB9yPk[/ame]


Thanks to MikeInPDX for the recipe and you are in the credits 
If this video offends you, I'll gladly take it down.


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## tinglingclean

*Laundry Soap*

I have just made the laundry soap shown in this forum, and is it really possible for the gallon of liquid to change to a gel or whatever, when there is only 2.25 ounces of lye in the recipe,  I was wondering if that was the correct amount. Right now I have the lard on top, have been whisking it several times a day, but so far nothing has changed.
What length of time should I expect to see a change, and if that doesn't happen, would it be possible to heat the lard again, mix some more lye and water, combine and add to the remaining mix in the gallon pail.
I used I cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda, and at the end put in some lavendar EO  :?   I did boil some water about 16 ounces and added it with the hot tap water, should that have made a difference.

Hope someone can give me some advice.

Thanks[/i]


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## Sunny

*Re: Laundry Soap*

I guess it could be from the extra borax and washing soda? That is my best guess since the recipe only calls for 1/2 cup of each instead of 1 cup of each. 
I added EO to mine as well and it came out just fine. 
I don't know about adding extra lye.. I don't think I would do that. Mine came out perfectly just using the amount of lye suggested. If you add more lye it could end up being something dangerous. 
Mine took 3 days to set up. I mixed 2 times per day with a stick blender.


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## tinglingclean

*Laundry Soap*

Thanks for the reply.  I have been thinking about the water amount.  I am in Canada, and our gallon is larger than the American gallon, so perhaps the extra water has made the problem.  
I am still stick blending, and it doesn't seem to be breaking up the blob on top, but will keep at it.  This is day 4, so if something is going to happen it should be soon.
I thought if all else fails, I will scoop off the top, and use the liquid in the 
washing machine, for the extra cleaning power.
Still think a little more lye in this case would have solved the problem, but
 you are right,  it could present a monster, if I did it now.
Any more suggestions are appreciated.


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## Sunny

*Re: Laundry Soap*



			
				tinglingclean said:
			
		

> Any more suggestions are appreciated.



If this batch doesn't work out I would remake it. I would use exactly this recipe:

500 grams coconut oil
2 liters cold water
92 grams NAOH
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
1 liter hot water


when you get to the hot water only add 1/2 liter. let it set up for a couple of days and then if you need the extra 1/2 liter, add it later. I added less than the recommended amount of water and mine came out perfectly.


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## Hazel

I keep wondering - should a preservative be used because of all the extra water added in to it?

Thanks!


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## Sunny

Hazel said:
			
		

> I keep wondering - should a preservative be used because of all the extra water added in to it?
> 
> Thanks!



Maybe... Probably. You're supposed to use preservatives in regular cream soap. And this is a lot like that in texture and yes, there is a ton of water in there. 

I guess I'll watch mine to see if anything weird grows in it... I know there are things you can't see, but since I'm not putting it directly on my skin, I'm not as worried about it. I haven't tested the pH so I don't know if anything would grow in it as easily either.


----------



## Hazel

Tasha - 

Thanks for the reply. I'm interesting in trying this but I cringe every time I think of all that water without a preservative. I've got preservatives so I might try this as a smaller batch.


----------



## tinglingclean

I have come to the point where I think this experiment could be called a failure.  I have blended it so thoroughly so many times, and it still is a glob on top of the water.
I will try your method, and let you know how I make out with this one.
Do you like the coconut oil better than lard, and if so, why.?  I have no preference, but was curious.
I like the idea of adding the water as needed.  I will definitely try that.
I have made the shredded method for a few years, but wanted to try something different, and from the reviews, it sounds like this one does a good job on the clothes.
I have printed off your suggestion, so there cannot be any mistakes with the amount of water.
Thanks for taking the time to help me.  I appreciate it.  Love this site, feels like friends helping friends.
Take care


----------



## Sunny

tinglingclean said:
			
		

> Do you like the coconut oil better than lard, and if so, why.?  I have no preference, but was curious.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to help me.  I appreciate it.  Love this site, feels like friends helping friends.
> Take care



I only used the coconut because I don't have any lard.
If you wanted to use lard you can replace the coconut and use a little less lye. Here is what it would be.

500 grams lard
71 grams lye (sodium hydroxide)
2 liters cold water
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
1 liter hot water

I can't guarantee it with the lard because I haven't personally tried it!  But others say it works.

Good luck! I'm glad to help!


----------



## soapysoap

omg! thanks for this recipe


----------



## tinglingclean

thanks for the  pre-calculated recipe.  I will let you know how it turns out this time.
Just took a look at my project, and it is still a globby mess. so will skim off the top, and see what happens when I use the remainder in the wash with another soap.   Hate to waste all that product.  Scottish background!!!
Take care


----------



## tlm884

100% lard soap doesnt seem to be very cleansing. Tallow is more cleansing and coconut takes the cake! I am not sure if using lard would be a wise idea for a laundry soap. Personally I want my laundry soap to be very cleansing to keep my clothes as clean as they can get and lard just doesnt seem to have that affect


----------



## Hazel

You have to think about how lard is saponified by the lye. It is soap. However, I've read that lard soap doesn't work well in cold water so I would prefer to use coconut.


----------



## tinglingclean

*Laundry Soap*

I am on the second try of the no shredding soap recipe.  This is day 2 and it does have a white topping on it, have used the blender regularly, so will see what happens through the day.
I had not read that lard soap doesn't work in cold water, or perhaps Iwould not have used lard.  I usually use hot water  with the soap, then switch to warm/cold.
I am also beginning to think that the old method of grinding the soap (which I have made special for that) is the easier method in the long run.
Will let you know how this batch progresses.
Always appreciate all the input, so helpful


----------



## carebear

Hazel said:
			
		

> You have to think about how lard is saponified by the lye. It is soap. However, I've read that lard soap doesn't work well in cold water so I would prefer to use coconut.



I believe it doesn't LATHER well in cold water, but I think it still cleans.  Just basing that on a rather tenuous grasp of the chemistry of cleaning, though - not on experience.


----------



## Hazel

carebear said:
			
		

> Hazel said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You have to think about how lard is saponified by the lye. It is soap. However, I've read that lard soap doesn't work well in cold water so I would prefer to use coconut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I believe it doesn't LATHER well in cold water, but I think it still cleans.  Just basing that on a rather tenuous grasp of the chemistry of cleaning, though - not on experience.
Click to expand...


Maybe that's what the person meant - that it doesn't lather well, not that it didn't work in cold water. Then I think that might make it good to use in a washing machine. 

However, it's a moot point with me. I don't have lard but I do have coconut.


----------



## tinglingclean

*Non=Shredding Laundry Soap*

Hi Tasha
Well I think we have a winner.  The mixture is all gelled, nice and white, quite thick, but certainly like it says it should be.
I think I will add some more hot water, as you suggested, as it is really thick, and I think it would make it easier to pour into storage containers.
Maybe I will do a little of both and see how that works.
Thanks so much for helping me.   I did scoop off the blob on the other soap mix, I tried, and have used the remainder in the wash, and it seemed to make the clothes cleaner.  hard to tell with just using it once. at least they came out all in one piece.(that should be a good sign)
I am assuming now the mix is gelled, that is the end of the curing, and it is ready to put away.
Anxious to try this in the next load of wash.
Thanks again Tasha


----------



## Sunny

*Re: Non=Shredding Laundry Soap*



			
				tinglingclean said:
			
		

> Hi Tasha
> Well I think we have a winner.  The mixture is all gelled, nice and white, quite thick, but certainly like it says it should be.
> I think I will add some more hot water, as you suggested, as it is really thick, and I think it would make it easier to pour into storage containers.
> Maybe I will do a little of both and see how that works.
> Thanks so much for helping me.   I did scoop off the blob on the other soap mix, I tried, and have used the remainder in the wash, and it seemed to make the clothes cleaner.  hard to tell with just using it once. at least they came out all in one piece.(that should be a good sign)
> I am assuming now the mix is gelled, that is the end of the curing, and it is ready to put away.
> Anxious to try this in the next load of wash.
> Thanks again Tasha



I'm so glad it worked! Mine is very very thick too.. it has to be scooped like ice cream. But I don't have enough room in my container to add anymore water! (I made a double batch.) So I dissolve it in the warm water as my washer is filling.

I was very excited to use mine the first time. I am actually looking forward to doing the laundry right now. I'm sure that effect will wear off...


----------



## tlm884

Could you use baking soda for this instead of washing soda? I know they a different chemicals all together and washing soda is more caustic than baking soda but would it work?


----------



## Sunny

I don't know. I think if you don't have it, he says to double the borax. If you can find it, it's really cheap and there's really no reason to substitute. I thought there was no way it would be at my local grocery store and drove all over the area trying to find it, couldn't. But it was at my local grocery store, ha!


----------



## Tegan

I made it....but I have to admit...I'm a little afraid to use it!  I would CRY if my machine broke lol.

However I WILL use it.   Just a few "make me feel better and hold my hand questions".

1.  I have hard water, do I NEED to add borax extra to soften it or if I shake the soap up with some water to make it a liquid before adding it to the machine is that good enough?

2.  I have a front load HE machine...so 1/4c - 1/2c max for this correct?

3.  I add white vinegar to the softener dispenser to help with rinsing correct?


----------



## Sunny

oh dear Tegan  I think it will be totally fine - I've been using the homemade laundry soap for over a year off and on (I sneak in a load with Tide sometimes when I do my bedding cause I like the smell! otherwise just my own soap!) and nothing bad has happened to me, my clothes or my washer, haha. I was using powdered before, where I had to shred the soap bars, but this is easier.

I have hard water, verrrry hard water and a top loading washer. I use 1/2 cup of soap, which I let the water run over as I'm adding it but I still let big clumps go into the washer, I don't water it down much. Then I add 1/2 cup of regular white vinegar to my rinse cup.

I don't think you need to add extra borax, just what is already in the recipe. If you look around one day and think there is some scum building up in there, run it through a hot cycle with a lot of vinegar and you should be okay. I have done this a couple of times even though I haven't seen scum in my washer.


Then: bonus: I made up some sachets with lavender buds and calendula flowers and I put one sachet in the dryer to dry with my clothes. I drop a few drops of lavender or lemongrass or patch onto the sachets about every 5th time it goes through. Then everything smells very lightly of EO! Not strong like fabric softener but still very nice.

I made one sachet this week from the fabric that kbuska had wrapped his soap in for the last swap. That piece will make 2 sachets.


----------



## Tegan

Ok thanks!  Off to do a load of towels!

I'm curious if I can cross post this recipe on another forum, giving credit to the OP of course??


----------



## Sunny

hmmm I don't know... which other forum haha! is it a very large forum? I know he is a member of other forums too...

too bad we can't get ahold of him?!


----------



## Moonblossom

I've used plain old powdered home made laundry soap for over 5 yrs with my front loader but I just might have to try this out esp if I want to use it to rub stains.

~Teri


----------



## Sunny

Tegan, just noticed today that OP is still active on the other forum, under the same name. If you wanted to give him a holler. I'm sure he doesn't really mind you reposting his recipe and giving him credit!


----------



## Tegan

Heheheh Well....the thread I was gonna post it in kinda died out.....so I'm not too worried about it.  If someone resurrects it I will.


----------



## MikeInPdx

Sunny said:
			
		

> Hey guys. I made a video for this recipe to show what it looks like and to show that it really does work. I was scared to try this recipe for a really long time because I was afraid of wasting materials or didn't know what it should look like, or how it would work! So here is something to reassure anyone who has wanted to try this!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K9myB9yPk
> 
> 
> Thanks to MikeInPDX for the recipe and you are in the credits
> If this video offends you, I'll gladly take it down.



I just ran into your video on Youtube....it ROCKS! It is such a perfect demonstration of the whole process. I was not offended at all but flattered.

I haven't been soaping a lot lately (too much on my plate at work) but I did take some time to do some experiments. For ages, I have said to take the "cleansing" numbers on Soapcalc with a grain of salt....all soap cleans. So I decided to do an experiment to see if I was way off base or not.

I had some sweatshirts that were seriously splattered with soaping oils. I had some of my lard based recipe 0% superfat, and I have some really lye heavy stuff made with coconut oil. Pretreating the shirts and washing in CO and Lard produced similar results....both shirts ended up clean, with most of the oil removed (only some faint spots that will disappear with another wash remaining). Actually, I think the lard did slightly better....but both were very adequate.

I also compared suds levels. The coconut oil is quite bubbly when added (expected), but settled down to no suds even with 1 1/2 cups in my Whirlpool top loader. OTOH....the lard started off slow, and worked up to a rich foam by the end of the cycle with 1 cup. So, the CO would probably be a better choice for HE machines....while suds junkies with top loaders and wringer washers (yes, I still have one...LOL) would probably like the lard.


----------



## flavapor

Do you think having the oils or lard in the mix will mess with a septic system?  

I was told not to make fabric softener because it had vinegar and that would screw up the bacteria eating process in the septic tank.

I have been making the shredded type with borax and washing soda because of this, but I dont know anyone else who makes soap so I dont have anyone with first hand experience to ask.  

That soap looks nice for a general cleaner around the house too.  I bet you could add some water and use it as dish soap also.


----------



## lady_morana

*Laundry soap*

The oils are are kinda no longer an oil when chemically combined into a soap.

So there is no difference between this soap and Ivory to a septic system.

Also, has anyone tried this with Peanut oil?  I was recently given 5 gallons of used oil to clean and thought this would be a uber cheap way to make this.


----------



## MOGal70

I know this thread is an older one, but wanted to share my experience.

Two days ago I put together a quadruple batch. (I happened to have a 4 lb bucket of lard). I forgot to add the extra water at the end. And did not completly melt the lard, just softened it enough to pour out of bucket.

When I mixed it up I really thought I had messed up by not melting the lard, as I had little "curds" of lard that floated back to the top. But I just put the lid on and left it overnight. 

In the morning there was about 3 inches of soap on top. I used the sb and put the lid back on. Then in the evening I opened and thought well that looks done, I used the sb and did there was not any liquid to mix in. 

So in 24 hours it was done! I did add some extra water and EO after blending to thin it down, but don't really think it was necessary. 

I did this on the porch, so the temps were in mid 70's overnight and about 90 daytime. Not sure if the water shortage or the higher daytime temp sped it up, but I'm happy either way.

Washed my husbands greasy jeans with about 1/4 cup of soap and they came out great!


----------



## Sweetums

gekko62 said:


> Here is the coconut/metric version I did.....
> 
> 500g Coconut oil
> 2 Litres cold water
> 92g NAOH              What does NAOH mean?
> 1/2 cup borax
> 1/2 cup washing soda
> 1.25L hot water
> 20ml orange 5x eo         What does the 5x mean
> 5ml lemongrass eo
> 
> Can I leave out the orange and lemongrass EO?  I'd like to give some to my friend and she is allergic to just about everything.  She uses Washing Soda as her only laundry detergent.
> 
> Sorry for the very "Green" question?
> 
> Thanks in advance


----------



## Hazel

@ Sweetums - (like your username)

NaOH is the chemical name for sodium hydroxide. It's just faster to type. :wink:

5x (sometimes referred to as 5 fold) means the orange essential oil is 5 times more concentrated than regular orange EO.

You don't have to use scent in the laundry soap. I didn't use scent and used white vinegar for the rinse and my laundry came out very fresh smelling. I actually prefer this over powdered laundry soap.

@ MOGal70 - 

Thanks for sharing your experience. I never thought about reducing the water in the beginning. It would make it more concentrated so I could add a little less. I'm almost out so I'll have to give this a try. :grin:


----------



## MOGal70

UPDATE

I have used the concentrated batch that I made for several loads now and have found that I do have to disolve it a little bit before adding to washer, even on warm loads. I put the soap in a 16 oz glass, add some hot water, swirl a little then dump in wash. I don't try to disolve it all just break it up a little bit. 

I truly LOVE this soap!!!

I should also add that I have a front load washer.


----------



## Hazel

I already dissolve mine in hot water before adding so that wouldn't be an issue with me.


----------



## Sweetums

*Another Green Question*




Hazel said:


> @ Sweetums - (like your username):


 
Thanks Hazel.

I have a few more "Green" Questions, hence the color.  I get stumped by the abbreviations, what is CO and OTOH and OP?  Is there a place for Newbies (feels more like a Dummies) like me can look up the meanings?

Yet another "Green" Question! :  It seems to me there are a lot of people selling soap, am I wrong in thinking some of them "doctor" and use  "Melt & Pour to run a business? Or is it like Bakeries?  They all use mix and tell everyone it's scratch?  (I was a Wedding Cake Designer, hence my name.)

 can't wait to start experimenting by really making soap (for me, making my own involves lye).  My 12 year old daughter leaves for GrandMa's House (a 3 week visit) tomorrow.  That ought to give me enough time to get good at using Lye  

Does anyone here use Hot Process?
Which is easier Hot or Cold Process?


----------



## lsg

I have done both and I think cp soap is the easiest.


----------



## Hazel

Sweetums said:


> It seems to me there are a lot of people selling soap, am I wrong in thinking some of them "doctor" and use  "Melt & Pour to run a business? Or is it like Bakeries?  They all use mix and tell everyone it's scratch?  (I was a Wedding Cake Designer, hence my name.)
> *
> *Which is easier Hot or Cold Process?



CO - coconut oil
OP - oven process 
OTOH - not sure, where did you see this acronym?

You'll find info about acronyms here --> http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f16/acronym-abbreviation-definition-thread-3789/

Some people use melt and pour bases for their soap, some people make soap with lye by CP or HP and some people buy soap loaves or soap shreds and mill or rebatch for their soap. Different strokes for different folks. :wink:

I use both cold process and hot process methods and I think both are easy. I think cold process is faster because you just blend everything together and pour into the mold. Cold process produces a finer textured soap and you can do better swirls with it. I use a crockpot for hot process so I have to keep checking on it and stirring occasionally. It produces a rougher looking bar. Again, it's just personal preference.


@ MOGal70 - 

I wanted to let you know I tried a batch with reduced water like you did. Actually, I just shredded some laundry soap and melted it in water, then added the other ingredients. I was very pleased with the results. It thickened in about 4+ hours (I stirred it approximately once every hour) and then covered it to sit until the next day. I used a hand mixer to whip it and it was lovely -  the texture of cool whip. I love your tip! Thanks so much for sharing it. The reduced water really cuts the time for getting it done. :grin:


----------



## AngelMomma

Hazel said:


> CO - coconut oil
> OP - oven process
> OTOH - not sure, where did you see this acronym?
> 
> You'll find info about acronyms here --> http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f16/acronym-abbreviation-definition-thread-3789/
> 
> Some people use melt and pour bases for their soap, some people make soap with lye by CP or HP and some people buy soap loaves or soap shreds and mill or rebatch for their soap. Different strokes for different folks. :wink:
> 
> I use both cold process and hot process methods and I think both are easy. I think cold process is faster because you just blend everything together and pour into the mold. Cold process produces a finer textured soap and you can do better swirls with it. I use a crockpot for hot process so I have to keep checking on it and stirring occasionally. It produces a rougher looking bar. Again, it's just personal preference.
> 
> 
> @ MOGal70 -
> 
> I wanted to let you know I tried a batch with reduced water like you did. Actually, I just shredded some laundry soap and melted it in water, then added the other ingredients. I was very pleased with the results. It thickened in about 4+ hours (I stirred it approximately once every hour) and then covered it to sit until the next day. I used a hand mixer to whip it and it was lovely -  the texture of cool whip. I love your tip! Thanks so much for sharing it. The reduced water really cuts the time for getting it done. :grin:


 
So when you say you shredded some laundry soap......do you mean just some plain lard or coconut CP soap?  If so how much shredded soap to how much water?  I have thought about doing that as well.  Mainly because I have wondered how fast #3 would dissolve when placed into the washer.

I have 3 recipes at the ready to work one tomorrow.  #1 lard based(cream type made from scratch with lye), #2 coconut based(cream type made from scratch with lye) and #3 that is dry finely shredded CP with added Borax and Washing Soda.  I have been considering making some kind of laundry soap for a while.  But have really wondered how well it works compared to the store bought.  I usually buy the kinds that have no scent and are supposed to be gentle for allergy prone skin.


----------



## MOGal70

AngelMomma, I highly recommend Mike's recipe! I cleans very well, is very easy to make and you can leave it unscented if you choose.


----------



## Hazel

AngelMomma said:


> So when you say you shredded some laundry soap......do you mean just some plain lard or coconut CP soap?  If so how much shredded soap to how much water?  I have thought about doing that as well.  Mainly because I have wondered how fast #3 would dissolve when placed into the washer.



100% CO batch -  I shredded 16 oz and melted this in 32 oz water in my small (1.5 qt) double boiler. Mistake - next time I'll use the 3 qt double boiler.  The smaller pot was fine for the soap and water. But it wasn't big enough for the powders. Had a mess but learned a lesson.

Anyhoo, I heated 64 oz water and poured the hot soap mixture into it and then stirred really well. I went back and checked the recipe I first used and I actually didn't reduce the water as much as I though I had. I've come to the conclusion it set up so quickly because I had heated everything. The first time I made laundry soap Mike's way, it did take about 3 days for the soap to set up. 

I posted pics if anyone's interested in seeing the soap. http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f22/laundry-soap-version-mikeinpdx-s-36348/

I'll have to post back my opinion of this soap. I normally only use my laundry soap for sheets and towels. I use store bought for the clothes since my soap doesn't seem to get rid of the greasy smell on some clothes. I meant to buy some generic oxiclean to add to it but I forgot to get it. This might have helped to get rid of the odor. I'll try this soap on different loads to see how they turn out.


----------



## AngelMomma

Thank you Hazel!


----------



## Nevada

Try using Hydrogen Peroxide in leu of oxyclean.
Add after wash starts


----------



## Hazel

AngelMomma said:


> Thank you Hazel!



You're welcome!

BTW, I found 1 cup of this would clean a load of jeans and leave them fresh smelling. The load of jeans I did with only 1/2 cup still have a greasy odor.  



Nevada said:


> Try using Hydrogen Peroxide in leu of oxyclean.
> Add after wash starts



How much hydrogen peroxide would be needed? If a large amount would be required, it would probably be cheaper to buy the dollar store's generic version of oxiclean.


----------



## Moot

Can I just say again, I LOVE YOU GUYS!  I'm going to try this today, using the coconut oil version.  Thank you!!!!!


----------



## dagmar88

Are there any people who've been using homemade laundry detergent for several years?
I'd love to give it a try, but I'm worried how it would effect the colors and texture of my clothing.

Most of my laundry is white or dark/black. Do those colors stay true?
And do you use it for knitwear too?


----------



## neeners

I just stumbled upon this thread, and I have been using homemade for a few years on a front load washer.  i love the clean smell on my clothes.  we have hard water, so the inside of the washer does get scummy, but it's not too bad.  i put the washer in its own clean cycle and it cleans it right now.  I've been using the powder/grate version, but i'm thinking i'll give this method a try when i run out...

thanks everyone for this thread!


----------



## Dennis

Hazel said:


> OTOH - not sure, where did you see this acronym?



OTOH - *O*n *T*he *O*ther *H*and (?)


----------



## Hazel

OMG! It's Dennis!!!   



I'm so happy to see you back! I was browsing through the forum awhile back, saw some of your old posts and wondered where you had gone. I figured you found a new forum.


On The Other Hand sounds good.


----------



## Dennis

Hi there.

Been out of the soap thing for a little while.  There's so much around the house, under the beds, in bookcases, and now in two different college dorms as both of my loin fruits have departed until summer.  (short hijack - sorry)

Laundry soap - I've been using the Fels Naptha, Borax, Washing Soda cooked recipe for ohhhhhh, a pretty good while.  Just finished a batch the other day.  A 1.5 gallon Schwans ice cream tub (love their Vanilla!) holds one batch and lasts about 6 weeks; probably longer now that the hellions have temporarily relocated.  I have made at least 6 batches of this laundry recipe and still have the original boxes of Borax and Washing Soda.  I keep 3 bars of Fels Naptha on the shelf waiting. It's only $0.97 a bar.  It has saved me a lot of money.  There hasn't been a box of Tide in the house in ages.  I made the first batch after procrastinating long enough for my lovely, mysterious, far eastern soaping assistant and mother of my children, keeper of the cats (aka - wife) paid $16 for the last box of Tide ever to come to our home.  
If you haven't made a batch, do it.  You'll be glad.  DISCLAIMER - I am unconcerned with fabrics, water temps, etc.  All of my clothes are washed using the "bachelor method", just throw it all in and wash it.  Works fine.


----------



## Pepsi Girl

Hazel said:


> OMG! It's Dennis!!!
> 
> 
> 
> I'm so happy to see you back! I was browsing through the forum awhile back, saw some of your old posts and where you had gone. I figured you found a new forum.



Yes, I second that!


----------



## Hazel

Dennis said:


> Been out of the soap thing for a little while.  There's so much around the house, under the beds, in bookcases, and now in two different college dorms as both of my loin fruits have departed until summer.  (short hijack - sorry)



I understand. I also haven't been making much soap because I have so much now. I'm just glad to see you again.

I can't answer Dagmar's question because I only use this soap for sheets, towels, jeans - mainly things I don't care about if they fade or yellow. I have to confess I still use store bought for the "good" clothes. However, I like the store bought because it is formulated for sensitive skin and unscented.


----------



## Moot

I've made my batch of the cream soap recipe and I'm totally sold.  I've done a few loads now and love it.  In the past I've used the "Grate a bar soap, washing soda and borax" recipe for a long time.  I might like this cream soap better.  My clothes seem softer, fluffier and cleaner for some reason.  I haven't ever purchased the felts napha bar, I've just ground up my own soap scraps....I bet the napha bar would make a cleaner load of laundry?  I think all our clothes have been fine, but we really don't have anything real delicate.  Also most clothes we have are from the resale shops.  Love these recipes!


----------



## Pepsi Girl

I've been thinking about it but now, OK I'm "ALL IN BABY"!  And here's why.  Some time back I was reading a thread about cleaning up after making soap.  Somebody mentioned that she uses old towels instead of paper to wipe all the soap out in the initial cleaning phase. Then she just throws them in the washer and they come out clean, to reuse next time.  I have been using quite a lot of paper towels, so I thought OK I'll try it.  So Saturday I make soap, I then wipe all my pot , spoons etc.. off with my soaping towels, but before I start the load ...  my husband who has been deer hunting, comes in with the old sheet I gave him to wrap his  deer in.  So I think this will be a good test, did I mention I also had spilled some red mica powder, so that was on my towels, and the soap I made was "red" and white.  So now I have blood ,and red coloring plus my soaping apron which has been through a lot and is quite stained, all in my washer.  I used warm water regular wash with no added laundry soap.  I'm telling you I wish I had before and after pictures!!! Seriously everything it cleaner then I even imagined.  Even the old stains and blood came out.  I'm thinking if this new ripe soap can clean like this what will happen if I actually make laundry soap? 

Next stop Homemade Laundry Soap, O Yeah!:grin:


----------



## AngelMomma

I have been using the cream laundry soap for awhile now.  I am making it with lard.  When I first used it on a load of towels I was floored at how soft and fluffy they were!  No fabric softener or anything.  I love it and will continue using it for sure!


----------



## Pepsi Girl

AngelMomma said:


> I have been using the cream laundry soap for awhile now.  I am making it with lard.  When I first used it on a load of towels I was floored at how soft and fluffy they were!  No fabric softener or anything.  I love it and will continue using it for sure!



What do you mean by "cream laundry soap"?


----------



## AngelMomma

MikeInPdx said:


> I keep this soap on hand all the time. It takes a few days to set up but it's really easy to make and works well in soft water. People with hard water will want to have it softened with borax or washing soda before adding soap.
> 
> 1 gallon heavy plastic or glass container with wide mouth
> 1/2 gallon cold water
> 2.25 ounces lye
> 1 lb lard, melted
> 1/2 cup washing soda
> 1/2 cup borax (up this to 1 cup if you can't find the washing soda)
> Fragrance oil or essential oil of your choice (optional)
> Hot water to fill the container
> 
> Add cold water to container. Add lye; stir well (this barely gets warm because lye is so diluted) Add lard, washing soda, borax, fragrance oil. Add hot water to finish filling the container and stir well with a wire whisk.
> 
> Whisk 3 times a day or so until set up. Initially, it will start with a glob of soap on top but will set up more each time you whisk it. After three days or so, you will be left with a nice, powdery liquid that you can use in your laundry.
> 
> Add 1/2 - 1 cup for a top loading machine. Dissolve in hot water before adding to a very cold wash. Otherwise, just add it while the machine is filling. Use less in a front loader; this one WILL suds if you add too much.


 
I was referring to the recipe posted in the OP.


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## Pepsi Girl

OK I guess I lost my mind for a little while!:?


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## Hazel

Pepsi Girl said:


> OK I guess I lost my mind for a little while!:?




Such a tempting straight line but I will resist. 

I remember NancyRogers mentioning using old towels to wipe out her bowls, etc and then throwing them in the wash. I thought it was a good idea but I was concerned about unsaponified oils remaining in clothes. Of course, I don't make enough soap where this might be an issue.


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## dagmar88

Hazel said:


> Such a tempting straight line but I will resist.
> 
> I remember NancyRogers mentioning using old towels to wipe out her bowls, etc and then throwing them in the wash. I thought it was a good idea *but I was concerned about unsaponified oils remaining in clothes.* Of course, I don't make enough soap where this might be an issue.



I don't know if it has a specific name in English, but we call it "fatty lice" or "laundry lice".  It's not lice, but a build up from scum and oils in the washer where bacteria thrive. It makes your washed clothes smell very yucky.





Maybe it's less of a problem with top loaders?
Anyway, I'd try using as little soap or detergent as possible and run a hot cycle after washing those towels with superfatted soap on them.


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## Hazel

Thanks for the pic! That doesn't look very nice. I think I'll stick with my usual method of letting the soap saponify in the bowl and on the spatula. Then I scrape the soap off into a container for scraps and use to fill a soap saver bag. I just use an organza bag for mine.


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## Pepsi Girl

Hazel said:


> Such a tempting straight line but I will resist.
> 
> I remember NancyRogers mentioning using old towels to wipe out her bowls, etc and then throwing them in the wash. I thought it was a good idea but I was concerned about unsaponified oils remaining in clothes. Of course, I don't make enough soap where this might be an issue.



Go ahead Hazel I can take it!:-D

And as for the unsaponified oils I didn't think that far ahead?  So you think I should wait a day or so?

I hadn't read Dagmar's reply yet .  That's totally yuck!  So me are you saying that's from washing the towels after clean up or from using this laundry soap? I have a front loader HE?


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## dagmar88

Pepsi Girl said:


> I hadn't read Dagmar's reply yet .  That's totally yuck!  So me are you saying that's from washing the towels after clean up or from using this laundry soap? I have a front loader HE?




No, just from natural skin oils, excess detergent/soap and washing on lower temperatures often. I do my clean up like Hazel does.
I do think a larger quantity of oils would improve the chance of this slush forming in your machine if you don't run hot cycles regularly. 
Had it once and hope I'll never have it again, so I decided to wash all my bed linen, (hand)towels, cleaning rags and animal beds at 194F (whites setting?), switched to laundry powder instead of liquid detergent and drastically cut back on the amount.
Washing at lower temps is a little more economical, but leaves a lot of bacteria like e-coli intact, or even enhances growth.


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## Hazel

Pepsi Girl said:


> Go ahead Hazel I can take it!:-D



Yes, I know you can because you have a great sense of humor and would know I was just teasing you. But someone else might read my comment, not realize I was joking and think "Wow! Rude people on this forum".  

I don't remember if I mentioned this before but I always put vinegar with a little peppermint EO into the softener dispenser. I really don't know if this helps but I haven't had problems with scum build-up. Then again, I make my laundry soap with a lye excess and I don't use it for every load. I also only use warm water for washing.


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## Lilac71

I made the recipe according to Gekko's metric measurements using the CO. I'm an aussie too. Thanks Mike for the original recipe.  The only change I made to Gekko's was to use KOH for the lye at the same qty because I didn't have any Sodium Hydroxide left.  I prefer a true laundry liquid in my HE Front Loader, so this might dissolve better if some people are having trouble getting it to dissolve in their washer?  It has taken the 3 days to fully saponify whisking or SB'ing several times a day, looks similar to the photos but is a bit runnier.
I also used Eucalyptus, Orange and Lemon Myrtle Essential Oils as they inhibit bacteria and smell fresh.


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## soap_rat

I just saw the first page on this, MikeinPdx has deleted his original post, or his acccount?  There are no words there anymore....


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## Hazel

That is odd. I'll contact him and ask what happened. I'll send you a copy of the recipe so you can get started if you want. I use a variation of gekko62's recipe. Just scroll down a little and you'll see it. 

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=4479&page=2


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## DeeAnna

Yes, I also see that Mike removed several of his posts today. I'm bummed ... he's got some really neat ideas and it's sad that his contributions are now gone.

The basic info is summarized in Posts 15, 70, and 128, in case someone wants to get the original gist of this thread.


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## Dahila

I can not find Mike's receipie for laundry soap:roll:


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## Pepsi Girl

Dahila said:


> I can not find Mike's receipie for laundry soap:roll:



It's gone, for some reason.  But you might try sending him a PM .


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## soap_rat

Dahila, look at the post immediately above yours, it tells you which posts have the info you want.


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## Dahila

soap_rat I went from page one to the end there is not recipe for the soap.  It is gone. Mike edited his post some time ago and is gone.  Pepsi girl I send him pm and hopefully he will answer.  Thank you so much for answering:razz:


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## DeeAnna

Dahlia -- Mike can delete his OWN posts, but he cannot delete or alter other people's posts. Look at post 128 -- Mike's original recipe is there. Video of the process in post 70. A metric (gram) version using coconut oil rather than lard in Post 15.


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## Dahila

DeeAnna thank you so much, without you I would not find it.  Copied and saved and I will read again the thread, it does not seem difficult on video Thank you again,


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## biarine

I know this is an old post but it's interesting I wanted to watch the video posted but it unfortunately we can't view it here in uk.  I read from the beginning until the end.


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## gloopygloop

biarine said:


> I know this is an old post but it's interesting I wanted to watch the video posted but it unfortunately we can't view it here in uk.  I read from the beginning until the end.



I am in the UK and am not having trouble viewing the video? there is an option to view directly or view from U Tube, both work for me.


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## DeeAnna

The direct link to the video on YouTube is this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7K9myB9yPk&feature=youtu.be

I sometimes have trouble watching videos embedded on a webpage (like the one in Post 70), but if I go to the video directly on YouTube, it plays fine for me.


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## gloopygloop

Yes its funny I sometimes have that problem too and it works in U Tube? but this does work both ways for me and I am also in the UK wonder if its a PC / firewall thing? mmmmm.


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## biarine

gloopygloop said:


> Yes its funny I sometimes have that problem too and it works in U Tube? but this does work both ways for me and I am also in the UK wonder if its a PC / firewall thing? mmmmm.




Yes in you tube, won't work because it contain of something that can't be view here in uk.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Then you'll need to mask your location. Setting a server in another country as the proxy for your browser is one way


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## gloopygloop

biarine said:


> Yes in you tube, won't work because it contain of something that can't be view here in uk.



I don't understand why I am able to view the video here in the UK both on this forum and in U Tube?  so it can't be being blocked for any reason or any content.


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## IrishLass

For what it's worth, I live in the US and for whatever reason have lost the ability to view embedded videos here on the forum. Up until a few months ago I was able to view them perfectly fine, but after downloading the latest MS updates at the time, I was no longer able to click on or see any of the embedded videos. They appear as just a big, blank, black box on my screen with nothing in it to click on, but if I right click on the box and then click on 'view properties', it gives me the url to the video and I am able to get there from here. 


IrishLass


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## gloopygloop

How very weird, we need a techno nerd, its beyond soap making.


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## biarine

gloopygloop said:


> I don't understand why I am able to view the video here in the UK both on this forum and in U Tube?  so it can't be being blocked for any reason or any content.




I am not sure might be because of apple updates, I am using iPad.



IrishLass said:


> For what it's worth, I live in the US and for whatever reason have lost the ability to view embedded videos here on the forum. Up until a few months ago I was able to view them perfectly fine, but after downloading the latest MS updates at the time, I was no longer able to click on or see any of the embedded videos. They appear as just a big, blank, black box on my screen with nothing in it to click on, but if I right click on the box and then click on 'view properties', it gives me the url to the video and I am able to get there from here.
> 
> 
> IrishLass




Some video it's really fine IrishLass but some just a warning. Might be because of security updates, I am not sure.



The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Then you'll need to mask your location. Setting a server in another country as the proxy for your browser is one way




I will try efficacious Gentleman, thanks.


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## jewels621

biarine said:


> I know this is an old post but it's interesting I wanted to watch the video posted but it unfortunately we can't view it here in uk.  I read from the beginning until the end.




biarine, thank you for reviving this post! I had never seen it, but I now have laundry soap brewing away! :clap:


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## biarine

jewels621 said:


> biarine, thank you for reviving this post! I had never seen it, but I now have laundry soap brewing away! :clap:




You're welcome Jewels


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## angelwings2ltd

I Have been browsing thru this thread--- trying to find
the Recipe / formula for the * No Shred * laundry soap...

Can someone Please Repost the the original recipe?

Thanks!
Lady Angel


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## DeeAnna

Post 133: Yes, I also see that Mike removed several of his posts today. I'm bummed ... he's got some really neat ideas and it's sad that his contributions are now gone. The basic info is summarized in Posts 15, 70, and 128, in case someone wants to get the original gist of this thread. 

Post 138: Mike can delete his OWN posts, but he cannot delete or alter other people's posts. Look at post 128 -- Mike's original recipe is there. Video of the process in post 70. A metric (gram) version using coconut oil rather than lard in Post 15.


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## artemis

DeeAnna said:


> Look at post 128 -- Mike's original recipe is there. Video of the process in post 70. A metric (gram) version using coconut oil rather than lard in Post 15.



I don't know if it's just an issue with the newly updated app, but it's showing up for me as #122. I thought I'd mention that in case anyone else goes back and can't find it.


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## Nanditasr

IGNORE: I saw the other posts and got the answer at post #122. Wondering how to delete my post!

Hi all, I'm new to this forum. I'm looking at the first post by @MikeInPdx, but I see just "..." -- I am unable to see the recipe that everyone is referring to in subsequent posts. Would someone be kind enough to point me to another link or re-post the recipe. Thanks.


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## DeeAnna

Yep, the post numbers have changed. Go figure. Anyway, here's an update of these posts:

Mike's original recipe using lard, as quoted by AngelMomma (now post 122): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=367030&postcount=122

Adapted recipe using coconut oil and metric units by Gekko (now post 14): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=100195&postcount=14

Sunny's video of the method (now post 65): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=240327&postcount=65


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## jangmb

*Thank you*

Thank you for reviving this thread for us newbies. The questions posed and helpful hints and answers are very helpful to me. I think this will be one of the next soap making projects I will do.


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