# AAAARG!! It did it again!!



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I made another batch of the laundry detergent. It did the same thing!! Something's going on that I just don't get. Seems as it cools, one or more of the ingredients drifts to the top and then hardens!! Am I supposed to be stirring it constantly as it cools to keep it from separating out like that? I'm wondering if it's the Fels Naptha as it's the ingredient that floats? Would it be better to use another soap? HELP!!

The instructions I had were 1/3 bar of the Fels Naptha, 1C each of Washing Soda and Borax. Shred/grate the Fels Naptha into a pot with the Washing Soda and Borax. Add at least a gallon of water and heat until melted. Let cool and pour into a container. 

Is there a better fool-proof recipe out there? 
Catherine


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## ya-ni-sa_song (Nov 23, 2009)

Sorry to hear that you are having problems. I have used this recipe for a number of years without a problem. I copied it from the Duggar family website but it is available elsewhere on the net. When I fill the dispenser (an empty laundry detergent bottle) I add 1/2 cup of baking soda and a few drops of orange blossom essential oil.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
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)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Wish I could help, Catherine, but I've never made that type of laundry soap before.

(that won't stop me from making suggestions though) 

Make sure the Fels Naptha is grated finely.

Melt the Fels Naptha in a gallon of simmering water before adding the Washing Soda & Borax. When adding the Washing Soda and Borax, add a gallon (or two) more water).

Sounds like the water is getting too saturated with all the ingredients and separated .... 

Divide what you have in half and add a gallon of boiling hot water to each. Stir well, let sit to gel.

Question, is what is under the hardened stuff on top gelled at all?


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks for your suggestions. As it was cooling, a 'jell' formed and floated to the top. I kept trying to stir it back into the rest of the water. This 'jell' continued to float to the top and solidify no matter what I tried. What's on the top, and pretty solid, is white. The water mixture underneath has a light yellow and fels-naptha smell. Now I'm wondering if it's the washing soda and/or borax that solidified on the top. Time for experimentation!! I'm going to melt small batches of each to melt and cool. Then perhaps see who the culprit is. If they stay liquid when cooled, I'm going to mix them together to see if I get a reaction! With this batch, first I'm going to try stirring it all to see if I can get the chunks to blend back in with my soap mixing stick. If that doesn't work, I'll try melting it back down and then diluting it with more hot water. Right now the ingredients are in one of my big stew pots, probably a gallon and a half. 

Stay tuned... I'll let you know what my experimentation does. If it fails, I'll try the Duggar family recipe, too. If THAT fails, I'm going to assume it's some sort of reaction with our well water and try just adding the ingredients dry... go back to store bought!! Geepers!!

Catherine


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## dancemama (Feb 20, 2009)

I think that the recipe that you are using may be wrong the recipe I use is 1/3 bar of Nels soap and 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup washing soda. perhaps the extra borax and soda make it more solid. the above reciipe works for me very well. good luck!


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

MullersLane's advice is spot on. Add more water and reheat.

Your recipe is just like mine except the soap is melted in the water first and then the other ingredients are added. I also use more water then it calls for (or it would be too thick to pour).

Some separation is normal. I use my old laundry soap containers and give a little shake before using. And I don't really wait until it cools (unless I am worried about it). Just pour in the container. I have literally brought a cup full to the washer and put some in when I was in a hurry.

The first recipe I tried had you melt the grated soap in 4 cups water and then when the other ingredients were added you also added a gallon of water, and brought it to a boil. Now I melt in a gallon of water and add another gallon with the other ingredients.

In theory any one of those 3 ingredients would clean your laundry by themselves - so don't worry too much about it. You can add a little more of one or a little less of another and still get your clothes clean. I do it all the time esp if I am low on one ingredient.

The only time I had real problems was when I tried making it on a really rainy day - it never gelled so a few days later I added more soap.

Thin your soap out and it should work fine.


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## RVcook (Mar 29, 2008)

If the liquid isn't working out for you, why not just use one of the powdered formulas that has been posted? That's the one I use and have never been disappointed. 

It sure seems like you're going to a whole bunch of extra work for something that would be easy to use in powdered form..._scratching head..._

RVcook


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## braidsandboots (Jan 7, 2010)

It's really normal. Just squish and squish until it becomes more liquidy. I just pour mine directly into gallon plastic jugs and they gel in there. They often seperate like you described. I just shake and shake until it is pourable. It's normal for them to seperate and be super thick. If you have it in a bucket. Put your arms in and start squishing the top part in with the water and it will eventually mix in. I've done it 4,339 times now. 

Now that recipe is pretty concentrated for how much washing soda and borax is in it. I do a whole bar of Fels, a cup each of WS and Borax in three gallons.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2010)

If you add some orange oil it will help to suspend the soap as it is a natural solvent. You will need to experiment with the amount a little to get it right.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I use one of those micro blade graters for the soap, it makes it extremely fine.


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## Ladyhen (Aug 28, 2004)

ya-ni-sa_song said:


> Sorry to hear that you are having problems. I have used this recipe for a number of years without a problem. I copied it from the Duggar family website but it is available elsewhere on the net. When I fill the dispenser (an empty laundry detergent bottle) I add 1/2 cup of baking soda and a few drops of orange blossom essential oil.
> 
> Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
> 
> ...



This is the recipe I use, too. It does gel, but I've never had it solidify on me.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks to all of you for your help. I ended up scooping out the hard stuff and adding more water and heating then cooling until it had enough water that it kept suspended, then added it all back to the original solution. All is well with the world again!!  - Catherine


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