Posted: 9/25/2024 10:30:48 AM EDT
|
Gents. No sure where to put this but I figured i would give this forum a shot. Does anyone here make their own laundry detergent? The wife is very sensitive to the store made stuff so I started researching diy versions. I came across a simple recipe that I recently made. Materials 1 cup of washing soda (sodium carbonate) 1 cup of borax 1 cup liquid castile soap 13 cups of water I whipped it up and tried it in the washer. I did not see much for suds being built up during the agitation phase. I filled the dispenser to the brim so there should be plenty of product in the wash. Is this normal? |
3-7-77
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
Member
Joined:
Mar 2023
Posts:
2784
EE: 0% (0)
CAN
|
Suds don’t necessarily mean cleaning power in and of themselves. A lot of the time they’re just there as a marketing ploy since people equate suds = clean. Dishwasher detergent, for example, is designed not make suds because the foam would overflow the machine. This is also true for washing machines, same problem. Since you don’t really want suds in the machine it’s probably fine as is but if it’s something you’re concerned about the best way to test it is get a white cloth or towel, make it dirty, then wash it. You’ll see directly how well your detergent is working. |
In Clown World, the only freude is schadenfreude
|
I made it for years. I found that it was not consistent. It would occasionally not clean very well. However, using it did teach me a lot about detergents. Most of them (I'm looking at you Tide) are mostly about perfume and not so much about cleaning. I'm currently using Amazon Basics detergent sheets, and I use a quarter of a sheet per load in a Speed Queen washer. The clothes are clean, and not perfumed. The home made stuff does work, but you will find a certain percentage of your clothes come out not clean, or still have a sweat odor if they were sweaty when you washed them. It is certainly cheap enough that it's no big deal to do another trip through the machine. When I had a front loading machine the home made stuff was nearly useless, so I stopped using it. |
|
Thanks. We have a front loader. So far it's doing okay. I honestly cannot tell a difference between Kirkland and the homemade stuff. |
3-7-77
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
|
In the past I made a liquid version like your recipe. I use a bar of Fels-Naptha soap in place of the cup of castile soap for a whipped version now. This process covers it: https://www.recipething.com/recipes/show/71674-moms-super-laundry-sauce I usually do a half recipe in a single quart Mason jar. IME, it doesn't need to be boiled to get everything to dissolve, just grate the soap first and use hot water. |
Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Charles Reade
|
I may be mis-remembering something or conflating this type of cleaner with another type of cleaner, but I think a key ingredient is tri-phophate-something. I seem to remember that is an ingredient that was (quietly) removed for environmental reasons. Yeah, this stuff. Not sure it's applicable to clothes cleaning, but I think I remember that it is.  
|
Tom Sawyer.
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
Tom Sawyer.
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
|
Originally Posted By tortilla-flats: I may be mis-remembering something or conflating this type of cleaner with another type of cleaner, but I think a key ingredient is tri-phophate-something. I seem to remember that is an ingredient that was (quietly) removed for environmental reasons. Yeah, this stuff. Not sure it's applicable to clothes cleaning, but I think I remember that it is. www.amazon.com/dp/B000AXE7CY |
100%-PureBlood-100%
|
My past 'research' suggests that STPP (Sodium TriPoly Phosphate) is what one would add to laundry and dish detergents to help clean in hard water in household machines. TSP produces a precipitate which is less problematic when dealing with walls/outdoors, washing from a bucket, etc. IIRC, the borax provides roughly the same benefit. |
Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Charles Reade
|
Soap seems to be working, but I get some solids forming in the mixture's bottom. They will form no matter how much I mix it with my paint mixer. Any ideas? |
3-7-77
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
Proud Member of the Leather Head Mafia
“In my opinion, the M1 Rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised” - George S. Patton
|
Wow, it's been a while. Just mixing up a batch of two whipped quarts. It's taking a little more heat to get the soap dissolved this time around. Roughly following the "no-cook" version of the original recipe on this page: https://www.budget101.com/do-it-yourself/4075-super-laundry-sauce-for-dummies/ Pre-dissolving the dry ingredients in the second 'half' of the water seems to smooth it out ~I start with three cups water divided between the two jars and then top them up before blending. Still love this stuff. |
Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Charles Reade
|
We have been making this recipe from a very old thread for years now. It doesn't suds, really, but it's the best stuff I've ever used, hands down, ans is dirt cheap. Wash your drawers We only use the dry, i made the liquid a couple times and it got chunky, which was a pain, and took up way more space. However, rhe liquid makes a great stain remover if mixed with a little water inti a thick goo, so I keep a bottle of that on hand. Buy enough to make half a dozen batches, do it all in one shot, store in a laege airtight container and you'll be set for years for less than you'd normally spend for a few months worth of commercial stuff. |
Malcolm X was right about liberals.