I knew how excited you would be regarding making your own laundry detergent! I have a few other things I wanted to add. These additional tips and tricks should answer your questions!
Within minutes of yesterday’s post, my phone rang. A friend asked me, “so does it really work?!”
I will admit. I was hesitant. However, I can promise you it really does work! I started using this detergent when we still were using diapers. You know how stinky pants can get when sitting in a stinky diaper. So, that is when I instituted my scientific check. “The sniff test”. I knew how much those pants stink going in. When they come out? No “stinky” smell. There have been times that I’ve had to wash urine soaked sheets twice. However, I’ve had to wash them twice in “regular” detergent too.
The “scientific” method works because there are no perfumes in this detergent. A regular detergent can mask clothes not really being clean. You smell the perfume in the detergent. When your clothes are cleaned with your homemade detergent, your clothes will just smell clean. They will not smell like “wildflowers on a mountainside.” That being said, the detergent smells divine when you make it.
Does it work in HE washers?
First, let me establish that I will not be held responsible for any washer malfunctions. However, I fully believe that this detergent is completely safe for HE washers. The reason HE washers need their own type of detergent is because they use such little water. Therefore, they need a very low sudsing detergent. This detergent does not create any suds. Thus deemed safe for HE machines. Go ahead. Happy dance!
How long does it take to make?
I timed it. I make 2 batches at one time. It took a little less than 10 minutes. It really depends how fast you can grate.
How do you store it?
I store mine on top of my dryer in a small plastic tub with a lid. I believe it is an old plastic ice cream container. This is why I love the powder formula. It take up no room!
Where can you find the ingredients?
The Fels Naptha and the Arm & Hammer washing soda are in the laundry aisle. The Borax is in the cleaning aisle! I have not been able to find Fels Naptha soap anywhere except for Giant grocery store. Walmart and Target do not carry it either. If you are local, go to Giant. Otherwise, you will have to look in several stores before you find it. I simply buy 10 bars at once. 
Can you use your food processor to grate?
I would not recommend using your processor to initially grate the soap. Fels Naptha is really hard. I fear it could damage your processor. That being said, I highly recommend using your food processor to combine the ingredients once your soap is grated. The finer the soap pieces are, the easier they will dissolve. They need to dissolve to clean. You don’t have to use a food processor or a blender, however I do highly recommend that simple extra step.
Do you have to let your detergent dissolve in water before washing?
No. At least I don’t and I have never read anywhere that you need to. I do usually add my detergent 1st and then lay my clothes on top. It will prevent soap particles hiding in the folds of your sheets and pants. Obviously, this works different in front loading machines.
Is it safe for baby’s skin?
Again. I do not want to be held responsible for a wierd rash outbreak. However, this detergent should be fine for baby. It is probably best because there are no other chemicals or perfumes added. Obviously, one could be allergic to borax, Fels Naptha or washing soda. I would venture that most are not and this formula will be OK to use.
Does this have any fragrance?
I talked about this above. The detergent smells good, but you will not have the same in your face smell a regular detergent gives you. I suspect you could add a few drops of essential oils to each load. However, I think that is one more step and one more cost you don’t have to have. For me, I am willing to give up the fragrant smell for the cost savings. Besides, my clothes sit in the laundry basket too long to enjoy the “mountain fresh” smell.
That’s all I have to share right now. I may play around with this recipe a bit. I have read that you can also use Ivory bar soap in place of the Fels Naptha. I want to experiment to see how well it works. It would decrease the price of the detergent even more!
Now go. Go, go go! Go get your detergent made!
Just wait to you see how easy making your own yogurt can be. Your life will change I tell ya.
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I have a friend that makes hers with Ivory, and absolutely loves it. She won't use anything else. I have also heard that you can use any bar soap you want to make this, which will affect the smell of your detergent. And yes, I have friends that add essential oils to get the good smell of a "regular" detergent, but that's when they make homemade liquid laundry detergent.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! I'm so glad Ashley pointed me in the right direction. :)
awesome! thanks for the scoop on ivory! yea, i agree. I think the essential oils would be easiest to use with homemade liquid detergents.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Ashley told you about my blog!! I'm glad you are enjoying it...it's great to have you here!
I am so very looking forward to the yogurt post... organic is about $5 for 750g up here in Canada! Even the "regular" stuff is around $3-4 on sale. Sad, really.
ReplyDeleteI actually stopped making this a month or so ago, because I bought Purex detergent for 99 cents (on sale + coupons). However, I want to get back into the habit of making it. I found the Fels Naptha soap at Shurfine and somewhere else ... I can't where remember right now! They don't have it at Weis? I also considered buying a cheese grater (like the one they use at Olive Garden) because I will admit that grating the soap was not the greatest. I keep waiting for one to go on clearance at Target (that is when I broke down and bought a cherry pitter). :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I cannot believe how the cost of laundry detergent has gone up. I only purchase it when the store is running a real deal and I have coupons. I also cannot be married to a particular kind, I buy whatever is on sale at the time. Some I like and some I don't. By making your own, you know what you have and by avoiding the store bought kind, you don't feel like you got ripped off! :)
ReplyDeleteTessa, you can just grate it and throw it in a blender if you don't have a food processor. I don't know if that kind of cheese grater would work. I have one. they are very small and you would have to break the bar into smaller pieces which might be hard to do since it's so hard.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I still buy regular detergent if I can get it for $1 or less.
I make mine with Zote brand soap that I find at my local Hispanic grocery. A bar is cheaper (0.99) and twice as big as Fels Naphtha and has optical brighteners that keep the clothes from getting dingy. I think it works as well as any store bought detergent. I cut it into little cubes and put it in my cuisinart with no problems. Also keep an extra bar in the laundry room to rub on as a pretreater.
ReplyDeletewow Sara...that sounds like a great deal. I have never heard of Zote. I will have to keep my eyes opened for it now!
ReplyDelete