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OH, USA
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Posted: 6/15/2011 3:42:07 PM EDT
[Last Edit: LittleTanRifle]
[#1]
Finally made a batch of this stuff, waiting for it to cool down so I can run a couple loads through, but I had a couple quick questions.
What is the "shelf life" of this soap, once it's all cooked and mixed and whatnot? Like, can I mix up a ton of it and just store it in buckets in my basement? When would I add the essential oils? My wife wants to try adding lavender and chamomile, should we cook it in, or add it once it's cooled? ETA: 11 owned... |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 6/16/2011 3:38:39 PM EDT
[#2]
On my second batch... wish I'd caught up with this thread before I made it to add some "real" Tide or Ivory Spring to the mix.
Store mine in Hawaiian Punch 1gal containers and some Ocean Spray bottles. Yes, mine separates, but I simply shake the container before pouring out a half-cup or so. I was debating on using some natural fragrance oils to spice things up a little (and make the missus happier). |
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Posted: 6/16/2011 11:07:50 PM EDT
[#3]
I keep forgetting about this , I really need to try it.
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Posted: 6/17/2011 2:27:15 PM EDT
[#4]
I made some last night.
Used 2 empty vinegar plastic bottles to hold it once done. I used it right away because my opinion is that I probably have some soap buildup in the machine anyway so it will take a while for me to decide on what I think of it. I decided that I prefer the no smell but I am a single guy. I bought some irish spring to try out in the next batch if I decide I want something different. Reading the various boxes and comparing them to some of the other stuff I have around it amuses me how simple washing soap can be vs. how complicated it seems on the back of a tide jug. |
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Posted: 6/21/2011 11:32:30 AM EDT
[#5]
I made this up over the weekend over the disapproval of the wife. However since we have no other laundry detergent she had no option but to use it. She has now come around and likes it. Thank you all.
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Posted: 6/21/2011 1:21:01 PM EDT
[#6]
Originally Posted By CommanderBooyah:
Is the homemade soap safe for the high efficiency (HE) washers? That is a resounding YES! We have the Samsung 448 Steam Washer/Dryer and we have been using this soap for over a year. The one thing you have to watch out for is you will sometimes get chunks of soap stuck in the soap cup. Just run a load or two on hot and it will get rid of it. All HE soap is, is very low suds soap, and this soap by design is low suds. Plus, as someone who HATES fru-fru smelling laundry, it has a pleasant "clean" smell to it. |
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Posted: 6/21/2011 8:39:35 PM EDT
[#7]
well, I got the Borax at target, bought the fels naptha bars for $3 each from amazon because I didnt think they sold it at walmart, then when I went there tonight looking for the washing soda there it was for .97 a bar.
Does the naptha bar liquifiy on the warm setting? our washing machine does not get hot for some reason. |
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Posted: 6/21/2011 11:17:37 PM EDT
[#8]
Originally Posted By Sniper1444:
Originally Posted By Marty369:
Originally Posted By Sniper1444:
Originally Posted By Marty369:
Does this soap not foam up as much as normal stuff? no it doesnt Thanks! One more for you guys, I noticed tonight that some of the small batch I brought in had seperated into two layers. Shook it and it came back. I hadn't seen anyone mention seperation like I saw tonight and wanted to make sure something hadn't gone wrong. I actually see that as well sometimes. I take a paint mixer to the bucket to mix it up before I put it in the smaller bottle for the house. Side Note: Others have seen this as well so we didnt do anything wrong  sweet! Seems to work well, but the seperation had me wondering. |
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Posted: 6/22/2011 11:15:24 AM EDT
[#9]
Originally Posted By MALT0SE: well, I got the Borax at target, bought the fels naptha bars for $3 each from amazon because I didnt think they sold it at walmart, then when I went there tonight looking for the washing soda there it was for .97 a bar. Does the naptha bar liquifiy on the warm setting? our washing machine does not get hot for some reason. I used my old cheese grater to grate half the fels naptha bar up and then melted it in a pot with water on the stove. After about a day of sitting with the final mix in the vinegar bottles it solidified. But when you shake the jug it readily goes back to being in liquid form. You still do sometimes get little chunks as you pour it out. I have started just using hot water to make sure the soap is totally liquid, started doing this with some arm and hammer powder I got that had solidified into a brick. The arm and hammer would break up but I would go ahead and disolve it anyway just to make sure I did not have chunks of soap not doing their job. I think it will be fine on warm but if you are concerned about it you can just disolve it in a cup of hot water and toss that in the machine and the water level sensor won't care where it came from, it just knows it has some water in the tub already. |
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Posted: 7/24/2011 2:55:44 PM EDT
[#10]
i guess enough people finally got to walmart execs about carrying the ingredients for this soap. i was at walmart the other day and going for my usual bottle of fab, i notice bars of fels naptha across the aisle. well looky there, right next to them, borax and arm & hammer. how about that. i got one of each. i think i am gonna whip up a batch.
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Posted: 7/24/2011 6:42:02 PM EDT
[#11]
Originally Posted By MALT0SE:
well, I got the Borax at target, bought the fels naptha bars for $3 each from amazon because I didnt think they sold it at walmart, then when I went there tonight looking for the washing soda there it was for .97 a bar. Does the naptha bar liquifiy on the warm setting? our washing machine does not get hot for some reason. Is the hot water valve to the machine open? And how far away from your water heater is your washer? |
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CO, USA
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Posted: 9/12/2011 9:48:19 PM EDT
[#12]
Just whipping up another batch...
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Posted: 9/13/2011 2:07:42 PM EDT
[#13]
We use DIY laundry detergent as well. Borax, washing soda, Fels Naptha, and Ivory. We use it powdered.
It's economical, and it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 9/13/2011 4:35:22 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ModelCitizen]
[#14]
I've used this stuff for about a year now. I now mix it up at 2x the recommended concentration as I was finding oily spots on some of the clothes now and then with the original mixture. Then again, I have a big machine, so I'm not sure if that's it or what. I have no idea where the oil is coming from.
I've also started mixing in a bar of a nicely scented bar soap to the mix and about five drops of dish soap to make just a few suds to reassure my wife-unit that there's really soap in there. You know: See a duck, smell a duck, it must be a duck. ETA: Could the "oily" spots be soap residue? |
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Posted: 9/26/2011 2:27:04 PM EDT
[#15]
Tag, gonna try this out soon.
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Posted: 2/7/2012 10:11:01 AM EDT
[#16]
BUMP-To add this has been working really great for me and the wife for the last year or so. Saved a lot on detergent and it keeps even my nasty-ass work clothes clean.
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Posted: 2/7/2012 3:04:36 PM EDT
[#17]
Great thread. I will gather up the ingredients my next trip to Reno. I'm thinking powder might work for me better though? Time will tell. Any idea what to store the liquid in? I've just used the ideal jugs for targets few weeks ago.
M |
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Posted: 2/7/2012 6:47:37 PM EDT
[#18]
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5 gallon plastic buckets. Anything, really, long as you have a top that seals so no accidents occur. |
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Posted: 2/16/2012 10:16:36 PM EDT
[#19]
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap?
TIA M |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 2/16/2012 10:48:30 PM EDT
[#20]
So just a little story of my soap making. Made some for the wife and I and had been using it a couple months. A good friend of mine who has 3 kids and does a lot of laundry asked me for the recipe. I gave it to him next thing i know his wife is known as the detergent lady in my town. She sells it by the 5 gallon bucket every weekend in her yard sales and has a line of like 200 customers. That keep coming back for it. Btw just to let u know how much she is making profit wise. She sells it for $30 a bucket and it is cut in half so they put it straight into the wash from the bucket. OMG
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WA, USA
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Posted: 2/17/2012 3:28:51 PM EDT
[#21]
Originally Posted By emt80:
So just a little story of my soap making. Made some for the wife and I and had been using it a couple months. A good friend of mine who has 3 kids and does a lot of laundry asked me for the recipe. I gave it to him next thing i know his wife is known as the detergent lady in my town. She sells it by the 5 gallon bucket every weekend in her yard sales and has a line of like 200 customers. That keep coming back for it. Btw just to let u know how much she is making profit wise. She sells it for $30 a bucket and it is cut in half so they put it straight into the wash from the bucket. OMG Don't forget to ask your buddy for your cut of the profits! 
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Posted: 2/28/2012 1:04:56 PM EDT
[#22]
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M do I have any proof? no but its far less harsh than off the counter laundry products. so I would guess no worries maybe even less than commercial products. also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. |
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Posted: 2/29/2012 11:58:59 AM EDT
[Last Edit: RogerBall]
[#23]
Originally Posted By MDS:
Great thread. I will gather up the ingredients my next trip to Reno. I'm thinking powder might work for me better though? Time will tell. Any idea what to store the liquid in? I've just used the ideal jugs for targets few weeks ago. M I still buy bleach for the whites. I just keep the bottles and peel the labels off then refill with this recipe. (I make sure they're clearly marked with magic marker) |
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USA
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Posted: 2/29/2012 12:21:23 PM EDT
[#24]
I'm shocked this thread isn't in the archives, since it was started in 2009.
Great information. |
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Posted: 2/29/2012 12:51:07 PM EDT
[#25]
I think its because it some good info to have.
although not a huge expense laundry detergent at $10-15 a jug gets put to shame in cost per year when doing it yourself. add in families with multiple kids and saving probably runs in the hundreds per year |
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Posted: 2/29/2012 4:15:22 PM EDT
[#26]
I made a batch of this soap in the powdered version using zote bar soap. The zote bar soap can be purchased at the 99c store for
59c a bar. I got the 20 mule team borax for $4 a big box, and the arm & hammer washing soda for around $4 a good sized box. It seems somewhat economical, but I suspect the liquid version will be even more economical. I want to try that next, and I also want to try other soaps, like the fels naptha, or ivory. Clothes seem to come out as clean as they did using our old detergent, which was fairly cheap as well. We used to get a 2.5 gal bucket of powdered detergent from smart & final for about $13, which lasts 6-8 months in our house. The nice thing about that was the buckets it came in are really nice, and we use them as waste baskets and for storage. They are really heavy duty rectangular buckets with handles and water tight lids. Gonna try the liquid version of this and see how it goes! I'd also like to add some scent, will try some different oils and see how that goes. |
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Posted: 3/8/2012 2:49:23 PM EDT
[#27]
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. came back to post a follow up made my second batch and the hand crank cheese grater from Walmart died seized up and broke... keeping a eye out for a non plastic version if I can find one |
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Posted: 3/8/2012 4:13:44 PM EDT
[Last Edit: mcnizzle]
[#28]
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. came back to post a follow up made my second batch and the hand crank cheese grater from Walmart died seized up and broke... keeping a eye out for a non plastic version if I can find one I had been using my wife's pampered chef cheese grater, which worked great. I couldn't find it for the last batch I made so I just used my good chef's knife and sliced the soap real thin then diced it up. It works best if the soap is kind of cold when cutting. ETA: For those on septic I switched to this because of problems with regular detergent. This stuff is very low suds and is ok for septic in my experience. |
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Posted: 3/8/2012 4:46:43 PM EDT
[#29]
Originally Posted By mcnizzle:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. came back to post a follow up made my second batch and the hand crank cheese grater from Walmart died seized up and broke... keeping a eye out for a non plastic version if I can find one I had been using my wife's pampered chef cheese grater, which worked great. I couldn't find it for the last batch I made so I just used my good chef's knife and sliced the soap real thin then diced it up. It works best if the soap is kind of cold when cutting. ETA: For those on septic I switched to this because of problems with regular detergent. This stuff is very low suds and is ok for septic in my experience. does she know this yet? 
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Posted: 3/8/2012 8:14:00 PM EDT
[#30]
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By mcnizzle:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. came back to post a follow up made my second batch and the hand crank cheese grater from Walmart died seized up and broke... keeping a eye out for a non plastic version if I can find one I had been using my wife's pampered chef cheese grater, which worked great. I couldn't find it for the last batch I made so I just used my good chef's knife and sliced the soap real thin then diced it up. It works best if the soap is kind of cold when cutting. ETA: For those on septic I switched to this because of problems with regular detergent. This stuff is very low suds and is ok for septic in my experience. does she know this yet? No, but she never uses the damn thing and I make sure I rinse it out real good afterward. |
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Posted: 6/3/2012 5:03:01 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Sierra5]
[#31]
Bumping a good thread
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Posted: 6/4/2012 8:01:02 PM EDT
[#32]
Originally Posted By mcnizzle:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By mcnizzle:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
Originally Posted By MDS:
Any insight into Septic tank worries with this soap? TIA M also to add walmart sells hand cranked cheese graters for stuff like parmesan cheese for 4 bucks or so fels naptha bar fits it perfect and it grates it up in like 30-45 seconds. came back to post a follow up made my second batch and the hand crank cheese grater from Walmart died seized up and broke... keeping a eye out for a non plastic version if I can find one I had been using my wife's pampered chef cheese grater, which worked great. I couldn't find it for the last batch I made so I just used my good chef's knife and sliced the soap real thin then diced it up. It works best if the soap is kind of cold when cutting. ETA: For those on septic I switched to this because of problems with regular detergent. This stuff is very low suds and is ok for septic in my experience. does she know this yet? No, but she never uses the damn thing and I make sure I rinse it out real good afterward. Well, it is soap after all! 
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TX, USA
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Posted: 7/23/2012 5:12:46 PM EDT
[#33]
Have been using this for the past 4 or 5 months I guess. Seems to do the job its supposed to do.
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Posted: 10/27/2012 4:07:31 AM EDT
[#34]
Bump
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 10/29/2012 2:39:01 PM EDT
[#35]
will be making my 3rd or 4th batch tonight
have started cutting mine 30% store bought to 70% DIY gain just a little bit of scent that way. |
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Posted: 10/29/2012 4:41:34 PM EDT
[#36]
Just saw this thread for the first time and I have a question - do you really just use a teaspoon of the powder mix for a load of laundry? I don't really want to mess around with cooking up a batch of the liquid stuff but the powder looks do-able.
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Posted: 10/29/2012 4:54:27 PM EDT
[#37]
Originally Posted By bigrob88:
will be making my 3rd or 4th batch tonight have started cutting mine 30% store bought to 70% DIY gain just a little bit of scent that way. I haven't bought any regular detergent in months now. I think in August I bought a small 9 load bottle at the dollar store and I'll add a little occasionally when I have something that's extra dirty, but I still mix it with my homemade stuff. Rest of the time, it's only the homemade. |
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Posted: 10/30/2012 10:22:49 AM EDT
[#38]
Originally Posted By Bones45:
Just saw this thread for the first time and I have a question - do you really just use a teaspoon of the powder mix for a load of laundry? I don't really want to mess around with cooking up a batch of the liquid stuff but the powder looks do-able. I've seen a bunch of other recipes for this same soap where people are saying to use 1 tablespoon of the powder mix. I was having issues with sweat stains not washing out of my husband's undershirts, so I bought a new batch of undershirts and started using 1 Tbsp., and so far they're staying white. I also pour in 1 cup of vinegar with the wash because it is also supposed to help with stain removal. |
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Posted: 1/8/2013 10:06:17 PM EDT
[#39]
Bump so the thread doesn't go to archive.
Also because I needed it today to make more soap! |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 1/8/2013 11:27:15 PM EDT
[#40]
I found Zoot bar soap at my Big Lots for a buck a bar.I bought all they had,10.
They are larger bars,honestly they are the size of a brick. 
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Posted: 1/9/2013 8:52:29 AM EDT
[#41]
Me and the Sammich maker have been using this for a few years now. No complaints on getting my nasty-ass work clothes or her nice 'office wear' clothes clean. She uses it to spot-treat bad stains. It even gets my little man's play clothes clean, too. For those who want a little 'scent' to it, grate up a little Irish Spring soap in with it.
Sammich maker approved!
Redman |
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Posted: 1/9/2013 10:20:24 AM EDT
[#42]
still have about 8 gallons on the shelf from last batch.
pro tip: if you are the type to not measure stuff when cooking etc... please do measure your detergent. neither the wife or I are the measuring type but we ran through the previous batch in a hurry and I couldnt figure out why went back to measuring and I figure we were using about double what we should have 
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Posted: 1/9/2013 12:27:11 PM EDT
[Last Edit: joemama74]
[#43]
We've been making our own soap and I've got tons of little scraps and shavings leftover, so I won't even have to buy the bars next time. But I got like 4 gallons still in the garage.
We're trying to perfect liquid castile soap, we added too much water to our first batch, so we need to try again, but once we get this down, we'll be into our own shampoo and household cleaners. I also tried the wood ashes last week to make the potassium hydroxide for truly homemade soap. Problem is that you really have to eyeball it and watch what you add, because you don't know the actual percentage of lye you're working with. After boiling for several hours, I ended up with too much oil and had to chase it back the other way with regular sodium hydroxide, then it set up in a hurry and I had more than a gallon of quickly thickening soap that was the consistency of vaseline. I packed it into molds, but it's more like rubber after a week of curing. I've read that this was a side affect of using the wood ash. I may have to remelt it and add salt. It does soap, but doesn't lather well. |
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Posted: 1/9/2013 3:27:57 PM EDT
[#44]
Wife and I do the same thing. We do the dry route. Grind up fel's, borax and washing soda using the food processor. I use mine just like that, I like the smell of Fel's. My wife adds a lavender scent to hers. Works great and cheap as hell. We also tried to do home made liquid hand soap...not such a great success there
. Consistency of long stringy mucous. Anyone got a good recipe for hand soap that works well in the pump dispensers?
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Posted: 1/9/2013 4:18:48 PM EDT
[#45]
Originally Posted By HeartsAndMinds:
Wife and I do the same thing. We do the dry route. Grind up fel's, borax and washing soda using the food processor. I use mine just like that, I like the smell of Fel's. My wife adds a lavender scent to hers. Works great and cheap as hell. We also tried to do home made liquid hand soap...not such a great success there . Consistency of long stringy mucous. Anyone got a good recipe for hand soap that works well in the pump dispensers?Did you whip it up well with an immersion blender? |
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Posted: 1/9/2013 7:05:06 PM EDT
[#46]
Originally Posted By HeartsAndMinds:
Wife and I do the same thing. We do the dry route. Grind up fel's, borax and washing soda using the food processor. I use mine just like that, I like the smell of Fel's. My wife adds a lavender scent to hers. Works great and cheap as hell. We also tried to do home made liquid hand soap...not such a great success there . Consistency of long stringy mucous. Anyone got a good recipe for hand soap that works well in the pump dispensers?We do the dry route too. At the recommendation of a different site, I've added 1 c. baking soda with the 1 c. of borax and 1 c. of washing soda. It's supposed to help prevent stains. I've only used it like that for 2 months, so the jury is still out on whether it helps or not. |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 1/15/2013 2:06:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: 3DD3]
[#47]
The zote soap has a great fragrance for those interested, making a batch or 2 today.Also add the Zote into cold water
before you mix it with the dry stuff.I used a grater and put it into the sink and it all dissolved off in the sink soaking.This before the hot water mix on the stove must be the 66% fat content? |
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Posted: 1/15/2013 5:41:20 PM EDT
[#48]
.
Anybody else adding a little TSP to the mix? About 1 tsp to a load in the washer. I've found that it is improving results. Also been adding it to the dishwasher. Glasses appear cleaner than before. We have hard water here and I do have whole house filtration and softener. |
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Posted: 1/15/2013 6:54:09 PM EDT
[#49]
Originally Posted By kar98k:
. Anybody else adding a little TSP to the mix? About 1 tsp to a load in the washer. I've found that it is improving results. Also been adding it to the dishwasher. Glasses appear cleaner than before. We have hard water here and I do have whole house filtration and softener. TSP? |
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Posted: 1/15/2013 6:56:09 PM EDT
[#50]
Trisodium phosphate is a cleaning agent.
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