Comments on: WFMW – Laundry detergent test

By: Theresa

Theresa — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:12:50 +0000

Thank you for posting your results. I’m going to buy the ingredients and try it out this weekend!!

By: Runningamuck

Runningamuck — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:51:14 +0000

You made it sound easy enough I really want to give it a try! I have a big ol box of Borax I bought for a science experiment that I have tons left over. Tomorrow is errand day so I’ll pick up the rest of the ingredients and get to work. Thanks for giving me the friendly kick I needed. =0)

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:36:23 +0000

My HEB (grocery store) will order things for me if I make a request. You might try that, Julie. Also, I’ve made the laundry detergent using grated homemade bar soap. Very nice. Don’t forget that you can add a drop or three of essential oil for a nice fragrance. –Suzanne

By: jana

jana — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:04:34 +0000

I have been making this recipe for about 6 months..I am expecting my tenth child and have LOTS of LOADS of laundry..I have been very happy with this recipe. I use Ivory soap and I myself could not find washing soda..My next door neighbor (also chemistry/physics teacher) pointed out to me that washing soda was the same thing as the Oxyclean stuff but the Oxy stuff just as the ingredient which is the Oxy in it..I buy a bucket of the off brand Oxy clean stuff at my local dollar general store for $5.00 and it works very well. As for the dingy whites..even with store bought detergent, if I don’t bleach my whites every so often they look dingy also–Jana

By: MotherHen

MotherHen — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:47:17 +0000

Hi Julie,
Sorry about the washing soda. I can’t imagine why it would be so expensive. It’s cheap here and in all the grocery stores. How odd.
Thanks for the info about the whites. We don’t bleach our laundry because of skin sensitivities. And it’s alright with me if they don’t come out shiny-bright. We don’t wear much white anyway.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:27:35 +0000

I SO want to do this but NO ONE in my area carries the Washing Soda. I can order it but will cost $12 per box and that seems a bit high to me. I sure wish I could find that washing soda!!

BTW…to keep those whites white it is a must to wash in HOT water and if you use bleach add a cup to the wash. My grandmother owned a laundry and my mother worked there for years. All the whites were washed in the hottest water possible and that is why they came out so white.

By: MotherHen

MotherHen — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:35:57 +0000

Wow! That’s super Keeley! I’m glad to know I did it the right way.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:54:55 +0000

I am so glad you like the laundry detergent. I have been making my own for a while and I have been pleased. I even use it for cloth diapers and they come out clean!
I figured up the cost per load of my detergent and it is a little less than 4 cents. I will buy store detergent if I can get it for less than 4 cents per load.

By: Keeley

Keeley — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:34:18 +0000

Oh my good gravy!!!! Waddya know, that’s where *I* got my recipe for laundry detergent as well. =) I love Crystal’s blog.

I’ve been using the laundry soap for over a year. I have discovered that a the full bar of ivory makes a MUCH nicer laundry detergent than the Fels.

The fels smells gross, and is MUCH harder to grate. The ivory smells yum and is WAY easier to grate. The laundry detergent itself also much nicer to deal with.

I also think it cleans better. After using three batches of homemade laundry detergent with the fels (1/3 bar each time), my whites were pretty dang dingy. Whereupon I used some super strong store laundry detergent for a while and it cleaned them up.

Now, however, I’m using laundry detergent made with ivory and it’s working fine. I’m certainly happier with it than the detergent with the fels.

By: Curvaliscious

Curvaliscious — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:48:18 +0000

You can also make powdered detergent which is SO much easier to make than the liquid stuff. 1 cup washing soda, 1 cup borax, 1 bar of laundry soap, grated.

1 tbsp per load, 2 if its heavily soiled. You can also add a cup of oxyclean but I add it separately.