# I Made Laundry & Dishwasher Detergents Today!



## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

I know this has got to be so routine for the rest of you good folks, but I'm just pleased as punch with myself for making both laundry & automatic dishwasher detergents today!

Laundry Detergent (Powder form):
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Oxy Clean
1 bar Fels Naptha 
Even gave it a spin in the food processor to make the Fels more fine

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent (Powder form):
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Kosher Salt
4 pkts of Lemonade Drink Mix (unsweetened)
1/2 cup White Vinegar as the rinsing agent

Haven't tried the laundry detergent yet, but the dishwasher is running as I type. Can't wait to see how it turns out! :bouncy:


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## wildhorse (Oct 22, 2006)

Sounds good let me know what you think I am planing on doing the same.


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

Have run a couple loads of dishes through the machine and while I admit it's not as good as the commercial detergents, the savings are great enough for me to put up with the occasional 'touch up' on a pot or utensil. I'm figuring I just need to make sure I get the bulk of the food crud off the dishes/pans before I put them in to wash and we should be good to go.

Haven't tried the laundry detergent yet since I had been caught up, but should have enough for a load by tomorrow. I'll be back once I've tried it out.


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## sewderf (Jul 22, 2011)

Try Vinegar in the rinse aide. Works great.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Glad to read this. I just bought my supplies tonight to make laundry detergent. I used some from the neighbor and needed much less in my HE washer. I thought the clothes felt like they were cleaner...as sometimes I think they still feel a bit soapy. Now I don't need to do a second rinse= $aving$

-scrt crk


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## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

I bought Sun Dishwasher detergent at the .99 store and added TSP to it, just a very small amount, 1/2 teas per load. I only use 25% of the detergent that I used to use per load and the dishes come out better. They took TSP out of dishwasher detergent in January. It works better than Cascade.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The TSP might be the trick to dishwasher detergent .... why did they remove TSP from the detergents???


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

TSP contains phosphate. I believe that is the reason it was removed from detergents.


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## misaliss (Mar 15, 2011)

I am interested in making a liquid dish washing soap (I wash in the sink...no dishwasher!) any suggestions?


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

You can grate up bar soap such as Octagon or Ivory bar soap and melt it in hot water. This mixture does not suds up like dish detergent and may leave a film on the dishes if you have hard water. Or you can make your own liquid soap. You will need Potassium Hydroxide. Just google liquid soap and recipe to find the instructions.


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

What is TSP?

I forgot to update on how my home made laundry detergent is doing...in a word GREAT!

I have seen vids on YouTube on how to make liquid dish wash soap, but I couldn't tell you off hand. I'm willing to bet there is a thread in this forum that will have the recipe & directions though.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

TSP is trisodium phosphate Here is the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on TSP.

I know when we had lead based paint that was cracking in an older home we rented, I had to wash down any painted surface daily with a solution of TSP.


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

Hey, sounds like if I added TSP to my home made dishwasher powder, it might give it the boost it needs. Is it available at most hardware stores?


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## PJJIN (Sep 6, 2008)

misallis, hope this helps! 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge0CLqtbdAY&feature=share[/ame]


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Pam in KY said:


> Hey, sounds like if I added TSP to my home made dishwasher powder, it might give it the boost it needs. Is it available at most hardware stores?


I found it either in a hardware or big box store.


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## TNnative (May 23, 2004)

Pam in KY said:


> Laundry Detergent (Powder form):
> 
> Automatic Dishwasher Detergent (Powder form):


How much did each of these recipes make? A friend wants us to get together and make the wet version of the laundry detergent but her recipe makes 2 5 gallon buckets. I don't have room to store it.

Curses on a small utility room!!


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

TNnative - each recipe makes about 3-4 cups of powder and only takes a few mins. The hardest/longest part is grating the Fels-Naptha for the laundry detergent...and that can be done in a food processor in a flash. Will probably take you longer to wash the food processor when you're finished. lol

If *I* can do this - ANYBODY can do it.


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## TNnative (May 23, 2004)

Thanks Pam. I'm looking forward to trying this. 

If we were to add TSP to the dish detergent, how much would you add to the batch?


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

I saw where Packedready, (a member here from California) was using 1/2 teaspoon per load, so off the top of my head, I'd add 1 cup to the original recipe. That will take make the total amount for that recipe at 4+ cups I believe. I haven't been anywhere to look for TSP, so let me know if you find it and what it's brand name is. I can't wait to try this.


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## northstitch (Jul 28, 2011)

I bought the stuff to make the laundry soap today. How much will this save me? I spent $16.86 at Fleet Farm on the supplies. I see the oxyclean is the most expensive part @ $9.29 for 6 lbs. How much do I put in a load of laundry ? I was also wondering if anyone adds vinegar to the laundry for hard water ?? If so how much ?? I am excited to try this. Wow, I don't think I ever looked forward to doing laundry before, LOL !!


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

If you use a front loader washer, use 1 Tablespoon per load
If you use a top loader washer, use 2 Tablespoons per load

Hard Water: Front loader 1.5 Tablespoons per load
Hard Water: Top Loader 3 Tablespoons per load

As far as how much does it cost per load? I've brought out all the supplies and my trusty kitchen scale so let's see...

1 Box Washing Soda is 55oz @$2.12 = 8oz/cup = 6.875 cups per box = $0.30 per recipe
1 Box Borax is 76oz @$2.98 = 3.5oz/cup = 21.71 cups per box = $0.14 per recipe
1 Tub Oxiclean is 96oz @$9.29 = 7.5oz/cup = 12.8 cups per tub = $0.73 per recipe
1 Bar Fels-Naptha is 5.5oz @$0.80 (1 grated bar per recipe) = $0.80 per recipe
(24.5oz per recipe = $1.97)


Front Loader Soft Water .5oz = 49 loads of wash = $0.04 per load!
Front Loader Hard Water .8oz = 30.6 loads of wash = $0.6 per load!
Top Loader/Soft Water 1oz = 24.5 loads of wash = $0.08 per load!
Top Loader/Hard Water 1.5oz = 16.33 loads of wash = $0.12 per load!


A 63 load box of Tide (since I have to use a little more with hard water, I really only get about 50 loads) costs me $0.27/load.

Hahaha - looks like an algebra problem doesn't it! :nerd:


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## pamda (Oct 14, 2004)

TNnative said:


> How much did each of these recipes make? A friend wants us to get together and make the wet version of the laundry detergent but her recipe makes 2 5 gallon buckets. I don't have room to store it.
> 
> Curses on a small utility room!!


Save some laundry soap jugs and pour the homemade in them. They store easy. I have all the stuff to make mine just have some store bought to use up first. And I have an addiction to the scent of gain saop to get over..lol. I think the rising cost of things will cure the addiction. Wow! Also, if you want the oxyclean to add..Dollar Tree has an off brand that works really well. A small container for 1.00 is awesome when it's a product that actually works.


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## MontanaKJ (Aug 10, 2009)

If you are still seeing food particles on your plates/utensils with this recipe try adding more salt to the recipe for the abrasiveness. Also, if possible, get citric acid instead of using the lemonade mix. - It's sold in bulk at many grocery stores now.


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

pamda you could use homemade and add 1/2 tbls gain per load 1 box of gain would last a long time then


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

I finally picked up some TSP from Home Depot today, so going to add some to my dishwasher recipe and see if that improves things. As an afterthought - I don't have enough dirty dishes to make a full load! Oh how sad my life has become to wish for more dirty dishes. Guess I'm gonna have to eat more. :icecream:


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## Hazmat54 (Aug 10, 2010)

A couple of questions. What kind of food processor will grind up the Fels Naptha? Is only a tea spoon or table spoon enough? The dry powder I use for laundry now (Tide) has a big old scoop in it. Do they sell me just a bunch of inert filler? I do all of my laundry at a laundermat (their spelling) a block from my house.

Scott


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## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

The TSP really works for me, it will work in laundry also.


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

Hazmat54 said:


> A couple of questions. What kind of food processor will grind up the Fels Naptha? Is only a tea spoon or table spoon enough? The dry powder I use for laundry now (Tide) has a big old scoop in it. Do they sell me just a bunch of inert filler? I do all of my laundry at a laundermat (their spelling) a block from my house.
> 
> Scott


Hi Scott! I would imagine any food processor should be able to grind up the Fels Naptha; of course you'll want to cut the bar into smaller pieces before putting it in there...maybe a couple 1" pieces at a time. As an alternative, you can also use a regular cheese grater and skip the food processor. 

If you were hand washing your clothes you would just rub the bar of Fels on your wet clothes and start scrubbing, but since this is machine washing, the Fels alone wouldn't be enough to get the job done, hence the borax & washing soda (and Oxyclean & TSP if you wish). 

I kept my Tide scoop that came in the last box I bought and only fill it 1/3 full ...or 1/2 full if I've got a really grubby load to wash.


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## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

My Cuisinar Food Processor instructions say not to grate parmassan cheese because it will damage the blade or motor. The soap is about as hard.


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

The last batch of detergent I made, I used a regular cheese grater - just to try, and then ran the grated Fels through the food processor to make it even finer. Worked a treat.


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