Homemade laundry detergent question?

[Tussiemussies]

Just wondering if anyone has figured this out -- is the recipe for homemade laundry detergent made with Fels Naptha a low phosphate laundry detergent?

Thanks!:)

[BayouGirl]

I am just getting into the homemade laundry detergent but from what I understand from this link has a recipe using Fels Naptha and says it is phosphate free.
Making Phosphate-Free Detergent

Use a food processor with a shredding attachment to grate a bar of soap. Most people who make their own laundry detergent (http://www.ehow.com/way_5809392_diy-phosphate_free-detergent.html#) prefer to use Fels Naptha soap, but you can also use Zote or a bar of Ivory soap. Once the soap has been grated, add boric acid and washing soda (which is not the same as baking soda) and blend them well using a food processor blade.





Read more: DIY Phosphate-Free Detergent | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/way_5809392_diy-phosphate_free-detergent.html#ixzz2750Ox3mF) http://www.ehow.com/way_5809392_diy-phosphate_free-detergent.html#ixzz2750Ox3mF



http://www.ehow.com/way_5809392_diy-phosphate_free-detergent.html

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks bayouGirl for the information!:)

[razz]

I have often wondered about the difference between borax and washing soda and found this website that clarifies it quite well.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5498702_borax-vs-washing-soda.html
The links shown in earlier posts talk about boric acid but it is my understanding that they mean borax powder. Wonder why they use the words boric acid?

[ToomuchStuff]

Anyone do this, without a food processor? (other methods for an item I don't have, since this would probably be its only use)

[Tussiemussies]

Used to grate the soap with a food processor but The top of it broke and I think that may have part of the reason... : )

[BayouGirl]

Anyone do this, without a food processor? (other methods for an item I don't have, since this would probably be its only use)

I don't use a food processor and couldn't find my grater so I cut the fels naptha (which is rather soft, not brittle) with a knife. I sliced it in thin slices, then finely diced the slices. Then I got a cup of boiling water and put the chopped Fels Naptha in a small screen strainer and submerged it in the hot water.

The Fels Naptha dissolved easier than I thought it would. I thought there might be a few lumps which is why I used the strainer. This worked quite well but I think it would work just as well without the strainer. I had read about someone complaining about the grating and then endless stirring to dissolve it but that wasn't the case for me at all.

I recently made a few batches of laundry soap and experimented with the recipes. BayouBoy found a recipe that used Dawn dish liquid rather than Fels Naptha or a bar of soap. The recipe called for:
3 tbsp of washing soda
3 tbsp of borax
2 tbsp of Dawn dish washing liquid
1 gallon of water.

This mixes up quickly and easily with none of the grating and stirring and stirring. However the directions the borax and the washing soda both say to add a half cup of their product in addition to your regular laundry soap so I couldn't see how using LESS of their product with NO commercial laundry soap would be better. So I did mix mine with more borax and more washing soda (but not much more Dawn because I did NOT want a sudsing catastrophe). The resulting product is thinner that the mixes that have grated soap in them but that was fine with me. I wasn't crazy about a thick goopy mix anyway.

In the end I did add a little of the grated and dissolved Fels Naptha to give it a little more thickness. I had also heard that some of these homemade laundry soap cannot be stored for a long period of time or they will turn bad. So I decided that adding a capful of regular laundry soap to it would give it some of the preservatives that commercials soaps have to keep them shelf stable.

So perhaps my resulting mix was more of a laundry soap extender that a true homemade mix but I am quite satisfied with it. It works well, had a good consistency, smells good and should last a while.

While doing my research for all of this. I found this useful site : http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

This site has 10 different recipes and has recipes for making a dry powder mix as well as the liquid ones. It also has more information and answers to some common questions about the process. I'd say there is no one true recipe for it. There are many variations which you can customize to meet your needs ( no phosphate, sensitive skin, HE washer, etc).

Others also advise that you can use vinegar as a laundry softener as well as a way to eliminate soap buildup. it goes in the final rinse and washes out without leaving a smell. I haven't tried that but I have friends who have used it successfully.

Good luck with it and I'd love to hear how it all works for everyone.

Also as a bonus: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/05/original-blue-dawn-its-not-just-for-dishes-anymore.html

This website has recipes for the many uses of Dawn Dishwashing liquid including using it to make your own tub and tile cleaner, houseplant bug repellant, tool cleaner, ice packs, unclogging toilets, lubricant etc. Dawn is phosphate free, not harmful to animals.

[Tussiemussies]

Hi bayou, thank you for all the information! I have made the dried laundry detergent with Fel Naptha and it worked out very well. I have an HE washer so the Fels Naptha does not oversud. I like the dried method the best -- no more carrying heavy buckets to the basement! I used to use the wet method, it worked very well for me, it was gloppy, I
used to use some of it as a regular household cleaner.

So Dawn dish detergent is phosphate free? Didn't know that, thanks for letting me know. They have a new one out the will soak you soak your dishes with for five minutes instead of overnight, it really works good but think it would be too harsh for this as it actually peels my skin if I use it to wash my hands... I used to wash down everything with laundry detergent and vinegar, that really worked best for me. I think when I am finished with my cleaners I will make some wet detergent just for that purpose, it worked better than anything so far. Maybe I will try the dawn for bathroom cleaning and see how it works.

Thanks bayou! :) Christine

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks Bayou for the link on the blue Dawn dish washing liquid. There was a shower cleaning recipe in there that I needed and I think it will work out very well, plus I wanted a no-phosphate dish washing liquid, so this is the answer! Will still use my homemade laundry detergent with vinegar for housecleaning, that worked really well too as Fels Naptha is also a stain remover so it cuts the grease... Thanks:)

[ToomuchStuff]

Thank you Bayougirl!