# Homemade laundry soap/fabric softener use with frontloader HEs



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Okay- I got a lot ALOT of Laundry soap from freecycle- I am guessing a yrs worth - because someone was not happy with a HE and took it back and they didn't want to use the HE in their regular washer- nuts I know - whatever I gladly took it - I have the Front-loader HE washer and dryer- 
I want to make my own soap though for when this is gone- 
can you please give me pretty much dum dum directions? how to you use it in the front-loaders and how do you make it- ? What is your fav recipe for it... oh and when you all say you use vinegar for fabric softener.. do you literally put it in the little fabric softener drawer ? Or do I need a downy ball thingy?


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## andabigmac (Jan 10, 2011)

I like making a dry powder rather than a liquid because I hate the mess of it. I use a bar of Kirk's Castile soap to 1/2 cup borax and a 1/2 cup washing soda. If you use a bigger bar of soap just use 1:1:1. I cut the soap into chunks and then grind it in my food processor. Add the borax and washing soda and whirl it for a few more seconds and voila, you have laundry soap. Put it in a container and use 2-3 tablespoons for normal amounts of dirt and vary it accordingly for more or less dirt. I suggest putting a damp towel over the food processor to keep the dust down or you can grate the soap with a cheese grater. I've never had a problem with it clumping in my front load washer. 

I just pour vinegar in the fabric softener drawer. 

Nice score on the freecycle laundry soap!


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## KyMama (Jun 15, 2011)

I prefer the dry detergent also, but since I have a septic tank I use the Duggar family recipe:


4 Cups - hot tap water
Â½ Cup Borax
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Â½ Cup Borax

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.​
Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.​
Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)​
Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.​
Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.​
Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
Front Load Machines- Â¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)​
And I put my vinegar mix in the little drawer. Because I like my clothes to have a bit of fragrance I mix a little Snuggle in the vinegar. It is about 1/8 softener to 7/8 vinegar.

HTH


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