Laundry soap

[Neve]

I'm finally getting around to making my 100% CO soap to make laundry soap. I also want to cut some to use as stain sticks.

I know it's common to have 0% superfat but I'm wondering if I should use perhaps 2% for two reasons: One, because the stain stick is held in my hands to rub directly on baby poop stained items and two, because I will be washing baby stuff in the new laundry soap - the more delicate things get washed by hand (so again, my hands are in contact with the soap) but I do throw baby blankets and some clothing into the machine.

I don't think I like the idea of any lye left in the soap because it's not for washing regular things. But I'm also not sure if a little superfat will affect the cleaning performance. Right now I use an unscented liquid detergent and it's very gentle. I would like my home made version to be gentle too, otherwise I really should keep buying the liquid one. Figured in the long run the home made variety would be cheaper.

 

[Obsidian]

0% SF shouldn't have any lye left in the soap, it just won't have any excess oils. That being said, I don't see why a 1%-2% SF wouldn't work for laundry soap.

 

[Neve]

It shouldn't in theory but how accurate is a standard kitchen scale? I'm very accurate with measuring but the scale only goes to the nearest gram.

 

[Seawolfe]

I do 0.5% SF and a nice long cure

 

[Susie]

I would not use any superfat. You don't want oils left on the cloth(or on the interior of your washer or dryer). My scale weighs grams and tenths of ounces. It works fine. Just don't use a postal scale, as it is intended to weigh a static weight package, not weighing something you are adding to.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I agree that 0% or 0.5% at the very most, but coupled with a long cure for safety. Remember that a pure co soap with next to no sf might feel like it is lye heavy just from being so very drying

 

[Ruthie]

I made mine with 1% SF because I knew the soap calculator, my scales, and the quality of the oil could be a bit off. I have been pleased with the results. That being said, I made mine with 100% lard. But I do not think that would make a difference.

 

[Neve]

What would you consider to be a long cure? I'll have to go buy another liquid detergent for now I guess. I still haven't found time to make this soap.

 

[Susie]

If you have some KOH, you can make some liquid laundry soap that you can use today. The 100% CO one with 0% superfat will be fine. Won't work for making a stain stick, but you can use a bit of undiluted paste to rub on stains. I keep a tube(I put them in half ounce tubes so I can dispense it easier) in the bathroom so I can pre-treat stains when I change clothes.

 

[Rowan]

I make a 50 percent coconut and 50 percent lard or tallow laundry soap/stain stick, with 0.5 superfat. It works well on stains. Ironically it's very kind to my skin too. I use it regularly to clean the house and don't find it drying at all and I usually do with high coconut percentages. It doesn't leave any residue. I've never tried it on nappies as I wasn't making soap at the time. Liquid soap does sound the way to go if you need something immediately, as this did need a good cure.

 

[DeeAnna]

And keep in mind that online soap calcs like SoapCalc are based on NaOH being 100% pure. Since most soapers use NaOH that is not 100% pure, the calcs inadvertently build in a few percent of "hidden" superfat even if you set the recipe superfat to zero. Check with your supplier to see if they can provide an approximate purity. And every time you open the lye container to let fresh air in, you're lowering the purity by another small but definite amount.

On top of that, Kevin Dunn has done experiments with -5% superfat (aka 5% lye heavy). When he tested the soap 11 weeks after the soap was made, the excess lye had dissipated. I (and others) made soap with up to -40% superfat (aka 40% lye heavy) early in 2014. My two batches were certainly lye heavy at first, but they were fine after 8-10 weeks of cure. I use this soap in the shower pretty much every day and it is not at all drying or harsh.

I guess what I'm trying to say is ... don't be afraid of zero superfat soap.

 

[Neve]

Ok thanks all! 0% it is.

 

[AF_SOAP]

I do -5% and never have an issue with excess lye. It goes away eventually. I still use %100 tallow for stain sticks and 50-50 tallow, CO for laundry soap.

 

[biarine]

I used 0% but I use Hot Process and I do zap test. I let them harden for a 1 month or less. But I make a lot of bar so I let them cure for months. Even I use the bar to clean my dishes and I love them it's still moisturising even though I use 0%.

 

[Neve]

Well I made it at 0% and it's hard as a rock and now in the cupboard to cure. In the meantime I'll have to grab another bottle of liquid laundry detergent. Well it's a start. I bought the Borax and washing powder stuff months ago!

 

[biarine]

@neve you use all coconut oil or you use another oil too.

 

[janzo]

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by laundry soap. Is it bars of soap you use to wash clothes etc with or do you grate it and make it into liquid detergent. The reason I ask is I am wondering how to make soap powder for the washing machine. Please educate me!,

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Aye, you make a bar soap (usually pure CO) and grate it up. It is mixed with washing soda and (in the US) borax and then used as normal. I add about 15 drops of lavender EO in to the drawer before I put the wash on, too. Oh, I also add in a bit of baking powder.

 

[janzo]

Thank you EG, have never seen that in the shops here, will have to check around the chemical companies. I only use cold water in my machine will the grated soap etc work ok in that or more optimal in warm water?

 

[AF_SOAP]

If its fine enough you can use cold water