Laundry Soap sans Borax?

[HomekeepingGran]

We have a clearwater system and my husband has nixed the borax in the washing machine because he has read that it will kill the grass. Are there any other good recipes for laundry detergent which do not use borax?

Please?

 

[MikeInPdx]

You can make my no shred laundry soap recipe sans borax and it will still work fine.....just add about 1/3 cup ammonia in its place.

 

[HomekeepingGran]

Thanks for your reply, Mike. How does ammonia work in its place? And I assume (perhaps wrongly) that you mean non-sudsing ammonia?

 

[carebear]

OT: but I use "sans" quite often. In fact I drive my department crazy by using it when naming files on our network drive (analysis of Italy data sans colors - or the like)

 

[HomekeepingGran]

OT: but I use "sans" quite often. In fact I drive my department crazy by using it when naming files on our network drive (analysis of Italy data sans colors - or the like)

I guess it's the stuff I read and the people I run with! I had no idea using "sans" would irritate others. But... that's the way it seems to go these days.

 

[MikeInPdx]

Thanks for your reply, Mike. How does ammonia work in its place? And I assume (perhaps wrongly) that you mean non-sudsing ammonia?

Clear ammonia is fine for this soap....you don't need the added detergent.

The ammonia works as a water softener like the borax does. A lot of the older home ec books from the early 20th century suggested ammonia for softening water that woolens were washed in, because it's not as harsh (but more stinky).

 

[lamiette512]

Ammonia soap making recipe

Hi ~ I'm new here and just read this thread.

I would love to try this non-borax detergent recipe..can one of you please provide this to me?

Also, I was thinking...could adding a few drops of fragrance oil to the ammonia keep it from being so stinky?

 

[carebear]

I think if you search for "laundry" and Mike's forum name you should be able to locate it. If not let us know.