Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Laundry Soap


I was so skeptical of this stuff.  Not any more... I've seen old stains come out. And my whites are brighter. And it's not that I was using shoddy detergent before. 

Grate one bar of Fels Naptha Soap into a kettle of hot water.  Let this dissolve.



Ok, I so could not find Fels Naptha soap the first time I made this and I used Ivory.  It was fine.  This week when I made it for the second time I did have the Fels Naptha soap it was much harder to grait. (I found it at Shady Maple Grocery Store in the laundry section)


Mix one cup of borax and one cup of washing soda in a 5 gallon bucket with warm water. 
Add the dissolved bar of soap and hot water to the bucket, stir it together, and fill the rest of the bucket with hot/warm water. 

Let it sit over night and it will gel.  Stir it up and  you are ready to do your wash!
I sit the bucket on a table that is beside my washing machine and keep a big handled mug there to scoopt it out with.  My friend Christine pours hers into emtpy detergent containters.  Whatever floats your boat.  Then you and your washer have to figure out how much to use.  I think I use about a cup per load. 

I found the Borax at walmart with the dryer sheets maybe?
The Washing Soda was harder to find.  Dutch Way in the laundry section.
They sell buckets near the lawn and garden at walmart if you don't have one.


Some people use a recipe similar to this one but they keep all of the ingredients dry... I might try it that way someday.  I kind of prefer liquid as general rule though... I think I've heard that some people use their food processer to make sure the bar of soap is grated very fine... I suppose you could do all three ingredients together in your food processer? 

It took me a while to get over having to use my grater and my kettle with a huge bar of soap... the Ivory was grosser in this way as it was more slimy.








10 comments:

  1. AAARGH! i have to try this! i keep hearing of people doing it but....

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  2. Thanks on the tips where to the find the ingredients. I'm almost out and wanted to try it. Whatever were you doing down at Shady Maple?

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  3. Thanks for posting! Now I know where to go for stuff, you saved me so much time:-)

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  4. My grocery store (Yoder's) has all the ingredients in their laundry detergent aisle.
    Not to brag or anything. (=

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  5. Hope you are doing well. I am sorry about your grandmother. My mother and I came to the viewing yesterday. Your little guy looks like a real sweet heart. I also make my own laundy soap. Dutchway carries Fel Natha soap. Goods store also carries it, but it is a little cheaper at Dutchway.

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  6. It's funny that you posted this. A message board I'm on had a topic about this just last week and i saved all the info so I could make my own. I'm glad you mentioned where you found everything. It saved me a bit of time. i can't wait to try it after hearing such rave reviews.

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  7. Jo, it looks like we are using the same recipe! Love it! I just can't imagine myself buying detergent anymore. This is sooo easy and works! I was hearing about this from other people and thinking they were nuts.. :) not so! Tina

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  8. @Dorcas, I was at Shady that day we ran to Lancaster for Mom and Dad. So we stopped there for groceries.

    @Jennifer, I am sorry I missed you yesterday! I can't seem to find fels naptha at dutch way. I should request it at Myerstown.

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  9. I use this all the time since I have skin allergies to regular laundry soaps. I thought my mom was crazy when she started making her soap but now I make my own! Thanks for posting. :-) -Sabrina

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  10. I got an email months ago and still hadn't taken the time to try it. Saw your post, went to Yoder's Country Market and purchased all 3 ingreds. in the laundry aisle, and am now off to my kitchen to make it. Can't wait to see if I like it.

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