laundry powder

[LJA]

Yes, I've dipped my toe into the arena...lol. So I'm making laundry powder....

Fels Naptha soap
borax
washing soda.

I did everything like I'm supposed to but my shredded soap is grated about the size of finely shredded cheese. Think taco bell. How can I "powder" it? I have a "questionable" food processor, but what's the best thing to use to make it powdery and how can I do this?
Thanks!

Edited to add: I figured it out. I used the blade shaped like an "s" after the fine initial grate, and now I have a powder. Man, does that Fels Naptha soap smell fresh!

 

[Guest]

There ya go . Let us know how you like it.


Kitn

 

[Lindy]

I so need to try that! Soon.....very soon.

congrats on figuring it out....

 

[LJA]

I tried it tonight, you guys. My dog came in from outside (which is practically under water at the moment) covered in mud, and slipped past me....ran upstairs and jumped on my WHITE down comforter.

Great.

It got all the mud out and cleaned it just as good, if not better, than commercial detergent. I'm not even kidding. I'm pretty impressed.

 

[michelleB]

Oh how awesome is THAT?! Don't ya just love it when you try your own stuff & see how great it is? And we're our own worst critics, so when WE get impressed over our goodies... we know we've accomplished something fabulous!

I've never tried the method you used, so I'm curious... how much borax/washing soda? I make a laundry "goop" (personal use & not sure what else to call it) with my soap scraps that I water down until it's 'snot' and I add a couple spoonfuls to the wash when it's a heavily soiled load or if I'm low on detergent. Maybe I'll add some borax & washing soda to give it a boost.

 

[Lindy]

Yay you LJA! It's good to hear how well this works because I really do want to try it and I have customers asking if I make a laundry soap...soon.... 8)

 

[LJA]

Different recipes are all over the internet (and I always preferred powder to liquid, which is why I chose the powder...plus it's easier and I'm a lazy slug ). Here's the recipe:

Grate one whole bar of Fels Naptha soap
1/2 cup of washing soda
1/2 up of borax
Mix together

Run the whole shootin' match through your food processor 'til it's very fine.

That's it!! How crazy simple is that?! Use 1 to 2 tbs. a load. I've also seen where a 1/2 cup of baking soda is added to this recipe (for what reason, I'm not sure....softness?). I might try that too. It's supposed be .5 to .7 cents a load this way.
Enjoy!

 

[AshleyR]

Cool!

Just wanted to let the others know, I have made laundry powder in the past with the same recipe, just using my own soap, and it also works wonderfully!

Instead of using the Fels Naptha soap (which I hear is loaded with ungodly chemicals!!) just make a 100% coconut oil soap (no SF) and use that in place of the Fels Naptha.

That's what I did and it works great... I have been using it regularly!

 

[MikeInPdx]

I've made it the same way Ashley does too. Good stuff.

The baking soda helps condition the water, deodorize, and make things softer. If you add a little vinegar to the rinse, your clothes will be brighter and you won't have as much buildup in your washer. About 1/4-1/2 cup will do.

 

[LJA]

Mike, when do I add the vinegar? Same time as the soap?

 

[MikeInPdx]

Add the vinegar to your fabric softener dispenser, a Downy ball, or directly into your final rinse. Helps with static too!

 

[jbarad]

I make my laundry soap with soap scraps. Melt down 2 pounds of scraps, add to about 2 gallons of water. then I add a cup of borax and a cup of washing soda. Works great It's like a powdery gel when it sets up, one scoop per wash load.

I don't even bother with the vinegar rinse and since I started using my own soap I haven't had to buy softener for the dryer once. I get ZERO static !!! Woohooo

 

[Guest]

Add the vinegar to your fabric softener dispenser, a Downy ball, or directly into your final rinse. Helps with static too!

And there's no vinegar smell on your clothes?

 

[Guest]

Cool!

Just wanted to let the others know, I have made laundry powder in the past with the same recipe, just using my own soap, and it also works wonderfully!

Instead of using the Fels Naptha soap (which I hear is loaded with ungodly chemicals!!) just make a 100% coconut oil soap (no SF) and use that in place of the Fels Naptha.

That's what I did and it works great... I have been using it regularly!

How many ounces of soap do you mix into this recipe?

 

[AshleyR]

Daniel, I use a standard size bar of soap - 2.5 x 3.25 x 1". When it's grated it's about 1 cup of gratings, with 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda. I put everything into my food processor and process it all together to make sure it's well mixed.

 

[LJA]

I've been washing with this stuff all day. I can't stop...lol. I can't believe how good it is.

Thanks for the vinegar tip, Daniel. I dunno if I'm ambitious enough to use it (lol) but if I get any kind of buildup from this stuff, I will. So far, it looks okay.

 

[Guest]

The vinegar wasn't my idea... I've never heard of using it in the wash before, was just asking Mike if it makes your clothes smell like vinegar!

 

[LJA]

The vinegar wasn't my idea... I've never heard of using it in the wash before, was just asking Mike if it makes your clothes smell like vinegar!

I meant Mike....Ugh....alzheimers, sorry.

 

[MikeInPdx]

And there's no vinegar smell on your clothes?

Not at all......at least I've never noticed it. Maybe just a hint of the FO I use to make the soap.....that's about it.

I tried it w/o the vinegar rinse, and I ended up with "bathtub ring" on my washtub and on my agitator. The vinegar seems to stop that.

 

[Guest]

I have been using homemade for awhile too. I used the same recipe as LJA, but I can't stand the smell of the Fel's Naptha. I make cp recipe and I love it.If I don't have it ground yet , I use the shreds in my front loader and it dissolves completely. I use the vinegar rinse as well . the soap really works well, and is surprising to me that we really do not need all the carp that is in commercial stuff to have clean clothes.

Kitn