# Homemade laundry soap question



## barnyardfun (Mar 26, 2005)

For those of you who make your own laundry soap....do you and anything to make the laundry smell better??

I have been making my own laundry soap but I am just not thrilled with the smell of the laundry. I mean it's clean but it just doesn't have that fresh smell you get from store bought detergent.

Can you add essential oil or something to get a scent?? :shrug:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have added essential oils to mine before. But, I also really like the clean fresh soap smell.


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## doulanobles (Aug 15, 2006)

Can you share your recipes of homemade laundry detergent? I make my own cold process soap but haven't made any for laundry. I'd appreciate any recipes!


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

1 bar Zote soap
1 cup baking soda
1 cup 20 mule team borax
essential oil -right now I'm using a lemon scent
Grate the zote soap and put into a boiler, cover with water (I never measure this-it's probably about a quart of water) Turn on low and stir freq. till dissolved.
Place baking soda and borax in 5 gal bucket. Dissolve with 1 gal. of warm water. Once soap is dissolved add to bucket, stir and fill with water. I use warm water. You may need a whisk initially to make it stir in well together. I then add some scented oil to it (sorry don't measure that either), stir well and place in jugs. 
As you can see this makes 5 gal. so you'll need several jugs to store it in.
Also the orig. recipe stated to using "washing soda" not baking soda. I couldn't find that in my area so, like a lot of others I've heard about, I use baking soda. It does fine. Clothes are clean and the smell is not overpowering like commercial brands. Also it is a LOT cheaper. As you can imagine washing for a family as big as ours (12) takes a lot of detergent. 
Hope this helps- I've also read of others who substitute their homemade soaps and it does fine.
tyusclan momma


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

barnyardfun said:


> I have been making my own laundry soap but I am just not thrilled with the smell of the laundry. I mean it's clean but it just doesn't have that fresh smell you get from store bought detergent.
> 
> Can you add essential oil or something to get a scent?? :shrug:



One of the reasons I started making my own because was because I hated the scents in the store bought - Just walking down that aisle in the supermarket makes me feel ill...
It never smelled fresh to me, just overwhelming. The longer I go without using them, the more they bother me.

The Good Home company makes some wonderfully scented products. 
I like the fresh grass fragrance, but it's not "all natural". 

Here is my recipe for Once a Year Laundry Soap:
(will last up to 1 year if you do 5 loads a week)
1/4 cup clay powder
2-3 tsp fragrance
13 cups borax
12 cups baking soda
2 cups sodium lauryl sulfoacetate***


*** (safer than sodium laurl sulfate, natural product from coconut - I buy mine online and use it in most homemade cleaners. Works GREAT, lasts forever because you need so little. Example, a sprayer of all purpose cleaner needs about 1/4 tsp)

Mix clay with essential oil. Add remaining and mix well in a 2 or 3 gallon pail. Use 1/8 cup per load. 

This looks really pretty if you line a galvanized pail with a muslin bag and then decorate with dried flowers or ribbon - then Hang an attractive scoop off the side. Tractor supply sells small sized pails that are great for gift giving.

I keep Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and an oxygen bleach on hand 
for when I have VERY dirty loads. I also make sure to pretreat stains when using homemade soaps.


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## MERRYMEDIC (Nov 24, 2005)

Are these laundry soap recipes considered natural and will it hurt my plants that I plan to use my grey water on? I am new to this and I am looking for natural soaps for my home use. Thanks


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Are you sure it's "baking" soda and not washing soda? I didn't know you could use regular baking soda. Doesn't the baking soda nuetralize the mixture too much?


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I used baking soda once instead of washing soda, and it didn't do a very good job of getting the clothes clean. I find my washing soda at Publix, as the Target, Winn Dixie and Wal-Mart don't carry it here.

I don't like adding scents to my laundry, to me it seems they are just a cover up - to me if they are clean then they don't smell. I feel my laundry smells best when it has been hung on the line, but I don't do that much in summer (at 85-95% humidity it doesn't dry well) or winter. Had all my towels out on the line the other day and a neighbor who came over questioned me about it thinking my dryer was broken. You can't see my house from the road so no one except the children who come over usually see it.

dawn


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## minnikin1 (Feb 3, 2003)

Karen said:


> Are you sure it's "baking" soda and not washing soda? I didn't know you could use regular baking soda. Doesn't the baking soda nuetralize the mixture too much?


The baking soda in the recipe I use gets odors out of the clothes, and 
conditions the water. It's not the cleaning agent. 
The sodium lauryl sulfoacetate is the cleaner, and it's ph is 6.3, very near 
neutral. (For everyone who has forgotten - ph 7 is neutral)

I like it better than using soap in the cleaners because it doesn't leave residual soap scum. 

Here's a little info I found about the 
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, which is a natural product: 

Derived from coconut and palm oils; a safe, skin-friendly surfactant (foaming agent) for both skin and hair. This mild plant derived surfactant creates a rich, luxurious lather that effectively removes surface oil, dirt and bacteria, without stripping or drying sensitive skin. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is also hydrophilic. This means it is attracted to water, which enables it to dissolve more readily in water, thus providing superior rinseablility.

Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate vs. Sodium lauryl sulfate
Although an ingredient's name may sound similar to another, it does not mean that the molecules are similar with respect to shape, size, performance or even function. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate sounds similar to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, however, the two molecules are quite different from each other. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a large molecule ingredient. Large molecule ingredients are considered to be mild, gentle, and non-irritating, as they cannot penetrate the skin. In contrast, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a small molecule ingredient, and is capable of penetrating the skin, which can increase the occurrence of skin irritation.


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