# I love my cloths soap!! Cheap and it cleans great!



## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

I make my own cloths soap, to save money originally but I'll never go back to premade soap again.

First the recipe which I have experimented to get the way I like.
For 1 1/2 gallons of cloths soap I use:
A big pot.
1 cup of washing soda.
1 cup Borax.
1/3 bar of any bar soap. I use all natural coconut oil soap)

Fill pot with water add ingredients.
Grate the 1/3 bar of bar soap so it melts better.

Then just boil it all till its all liquid. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
The consistency when totally cooled and settled, about 24 hours later, is that of lumpy soap.

Pour into jug. I use an old left over soap jug from the store bought soap.
My jug is 1 1/2 gallons so if the mixture doesnt fill it, I just add more water to fill.

Now the soap is different. It doesnt have those great chemical sudsing agents or perfumes added. It doesnt have chemicals so the consistency is all creamy and even like store stuff.
Its watery with small creamy chunks. As it sits it gets thicker and chunkier and needs to always be shaken before you pour a cap full into your washer. ( The cap full is whatever size that big soap jug from the store holds. I think its close to one cup.) 
Sometimes water needs to be added to the jug and shaken up cause it gets to thick after a few days and its hard to pour.

Now, the thing that has me hooked, besides the savings...
I was paying 6 dollars for junky generic store soap for 1 1/2 gallons.
My soap cost me 2 dollars for 1 1/2 gallons!

But, the clean is the best. With the store soap, if I forgot a load of laundry in the machine over night, the next day it stunk! 
Not anymore. It smells as clean as if I took it out right after the machine was done!!!

My cloths dont smell like perfume anymore. They smell like just totally clean.

With mini farming and working with animals it sometimes took several washes to get some nasty animal odors out of cloths, like buck goat pee. 
My soap takes out the odors in one washing.

I found the soap dissolves animal odors of many kinds.

I also use my soap mixed with some vinegar for cleaning floors. I add 1/2 cup of my soap and a 1/4 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water and my floors are clean and odor free!

For washing cloths you can add vinegar or bleach for odors or whiteness. Never mix vinegar and bleach!

And its environmentally friendly!!!


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## BasicLiving (Oct 2, 2006)

Thank you for sharing that recipe! I'm going to try it.

Penny


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

BasicLiving said:


> Thank you for sharing that recipe! I'm going to try it.
> 
> Penny


I didn't have much faith in it. It took awhile for me to find the right measurements of ingredients that work for me.
Its cheap and easy, I came into this experiment looking for disappointment not a good thing!! LOL

I am glad I tried it even though I didnt think it would be worth it because even if I had money to burn, I wouldn't go back to pre-made.


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## busybee870 (Mar 2, 2006)

i make it with fels naptha, havent tried it with regular bar soap


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

I've done this with fels naptha and regular soap. I just grate the soap into hot water and let it dissolve. Then I would add the borax and washing soda along with the hot soap water into a five gallon bucket. It would gel overnight. I would just give it a stire occasionally. Sometimes I would add an essential oil for fragrance - like lavender oil. I always did a whole bar of soap - we do a lot of laundry around here!

Niki


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

With my homemade laundry soap I noticed my clothes are really soft too. Even my jeans.

Heather


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## busybee870 (Mar 2, 2006)

are you using home made bar soap or store bought?


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

I use my home made soap.

Heather


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## Chickadee_42us (Jan 24, 2003)

What do you all mean 'washing soda'?


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## Fryegirl (Sep 16, 2006)

I don't bother with dissoving the soap in water. My recipe is:
1 bar Fels Naptha, grated
1/2 C Borax
1/2 C washing soda

Mix together and spoon out two T into the wash. For really dirty loads, I use three T.

Works fine and use can keep many washes worth in a smallish plastic container


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Chickadee_42us said:


> What do you all mean 'washing soda'?


Its washing soda. Thats what its called and whats on the label.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Fryegirl said:


> I don't bother with dissoving the soap in water. My recipe is:
> 1 bar Fels Naptha, grated
> 1/2 C Borax
> 1/2 C washing soda
> ...


I tried that but I wash in cold water. Very cold.
The soaps dont dissolve for me.


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## Fryegirl (Sep 16, 2006)

I sometimes wash in cold water and haven't had any problem. But, my water is pretty soft which may nake the difference.


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## House faerie (Apr 29, 2007)

I make and love the liquid version of the soap as well. 
The 'washing soda' is a ph balancer, you can find it w/ the pool supplies etc. if you can't find it in the washing section.

My challange is that I have a well and there is a lot of iron... nothing seems to prevent or lessen the yellowing. I don't have a softner.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Borax is used to soften the water .....


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

House faerie said:


> I make and love the liquid version of the soap as well.
> The 'washing soda' is a ph balancer, you can find it w/ the pool supplies etc. if you can't find it in the washing section.
> 
> My challange is that I have a well and there is a lot of iron... nothing seems to prevent or lessen the yellowing. I don't have a softner.


I have a lot of iron too and a softener and I use the iron reducing pellets and nothing works. What you have to do is buy a chlorinating system. It's really the only effective way to get it out. I take all my lights, jeans and whites to the laundry mat, that's how bad it is, one wash and they are yellow.

I plan to buy a chlorinating system (yeah, when I have and extra $1200 plus!)

Bethany


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

I started making myown powder recipe for my front loader and I love the way the clothes come out. Once I go thru all my fabric softener I will use vinegar. The one thing i have noticed is how clean my clothes are. We noticed the difference right away!


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Does the soap in the OP work in a HE front loader? 

Hotw, could you post your recipe for the powder soap, please?


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

I grate a bar of lye soap(I make my own) I use 1 cup of the grated soap mixed with 1/2 cup washing soda & 1/2 cup of borax, mix thoroughly.I always mix it up everytime I take powder. I use 2 tablespoons a load.If there isn't a lot of soil I use only use 1 tbsp. Keep in a tightly sealed container.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Thanks! I'm gonna have to try this.


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## NicoleandBrian (Feb 1, 2006)

We use the powder recipe with fels naptha, washing soda and borax. I haven't had a problem with the cold water. I just put the soap in first, then let the water fill a couple inches before putting the clothes in. If there happens to be a clump of powder, I swish the water around before adding clothes. I love it!


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## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

I can find borax in my shoprite but not washing soda.
Can you tell me a brand of washing soda or where you buy it?

Thanks, I am dying to try it!!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

used2bcool13 said:


> I can find borax in my shoprite but not washing soda.
> Can you tell me a brand of washing soda or where you buy it?
> 
> Thanks, I am dying to try it!!


Our baking soda, washing soda, and borax are all Arm&Hammer brand from the grocery store in the city, a Pick and Save Store.


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## elliemaeg (May 1, 2005)

I make my own liquid soap also and I use Ivory as the bar soap and I really like my home made laundry soap. Like others, I feel it smell good, gets my clothes clean and saves money.


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## farm mom (Oct 10, 2006)

I'd like to also know if it works in a front loader? Most "regular" detergents get way to sudsy in the front loaders and they don't work. I would be absolutely thrilled if it worked fine for our front loader, sounds like a great recipe!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

farm mom said:


> I'd like to also know if it works in a front loader? Most "regular" detergents get way to sudsy in the front loaders and they don't work. I would be absolutely thrilled if it worked fine for our front loader, sounds like a great recipe!


There are no suds with homemade cloths soap since no sudsing agents are added! Thats most commonly the turn off, people want suds.
So if suds are a prob in a front end loader, I would think homemade soap would take care of that.


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## shelljo (Feb 1, 2005)

I use the "dry" version in my front load washer. No problems for me!


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

used2bcool13 said:


> I can find borax in my shoprite but not washing soda.
> Can you tell me a brand of washing soda or where you buy it?
> 
> Thanks, I am dying to try it!!



arm and hammer makes a washing soda. that's what i use. i can't help with a supplier though. my local grocery store carries what i need.


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## farm mom (Oct 10, 2006)

Yeah!! I am going to try it. Anything to save some money and clean better. With six kids and a farm we go through a lot of dirt. Thank you!!


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Does anyone use this with diapers? I use cloth diapers and have read to stay away from all natural and free and clear detergents when washing them. I'm not sure why, but I'd love to use this on my diapers. Has anyone done this? If so, would you recommend using just 2 T. (dry mix) per load of soiled diapers?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Just my opinion, but I do NOT use soap in my laundry, I use detergent.

I do use my HogWash soap for pretreating and soaking stained items BUT IMHO, detergent is far better at getting out the grease and oil from clothes than soap is. It's one of the reasons I use my homemade soap on my skin ... because it DOESN'T strip away all the oil ... but for my clothes I do want it to.

When detergents came out in the last century, housewives celebrated because their clothes no longer had the yellow dingies that occur with constant use of soap ....


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## dixiegal62 (Aug 18, 2007)

I would love to try this tide is getting very expensive. I have never seen washing soda around here though.


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## Nesser (Aug 21, 2006)

I also had a problem finding washing soda...But found this... 1-800-524-1328. Call them give them your zip code and they will give you a store in your area that sells them  

Nesser


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## ilovetodig (Apr 15, 2007)

I use baking soda as I haven't been able to find washing soda and it works just great. I use Fels Naptha and also Zote. I can't tell any difference in the two other than smell. I need to know a good place I can order lye to make some homemade soap. There is no store in our town that sells it. Too many druggies.


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## longhorngal (Aug 4, 2005)

I can't wait to try this! I cringe everytime I lay out $6-7 for detergent that doesn't last a week around here. Thanks so much!
Cara


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

When I use the dry version it does not seem to melt, I find soap flakes in my wet clothes.
When I use the wet or gel, I have no problems and agree that my laundry is cleaner.

I did not like the smell of the soap, but once I added essential oil, just a dozen or so drops, different scents depending on my mood I have loved it.


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## meleahbee (Nov 21, 2007)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Just my opinion, but I do NOT use soap in my laundry, I use detergent.
> 
> I do use my HogWash soap for pretreating and soaking stained items BUT IMHO, detergent is far better at getting out the grease and oil from clothes than soap is. It's one of the reasons I use my homemade soap on my skin ... because it DOESN'T strip away all the oil ... but for my clothes I do want it to.
> 
> When detergents came out in the last century, housewives celebrated because their clothes no longer had the yellow dingies that occur with constant use of soap ....


I wonder if it would make a difference if you used a different kind of soap.... for instance, I have some really hard, harsh soaps made from beef tallow only that dry out my skin so much it squeaks! (this is from when I first started soaping....) I wonder if I used those in it if it would cut the grease..


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

meleahbee said:


> I wonder if it would make a difference if you used a different kind of soap.... for instance, I have some really hard, harsh soaps made from beef tallow only that dry out my skin so much it squeaks! (this is from when I first started soaping....) I wonder if I used those in it if it would cut the grease..



the one that works the best is actually made from 100% coconut or 100% palm kernel oil with 0% superfat, sweet orange and rosemary EO, borax & washing soda 

the high lauric fatty acid (in the PK & coconut) is what cuts the oil on your skin and grease from your clothes

Since tallow and lard are pretty mild oils (milder than even palm oil), they don't work as well on clothes.

For the PK or coconut laundry soap to be effective, they also damage the fiber in the clothes so their life expectancy is less.

I'll continue with my detergent using my homemade laundry soap as a pre-stain treatment


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## longhorngal (Aug 4, 2005)

I made some a couple days ago and have to say I like this stuff very well so far. Did just the powder with my own soap in it. I'm using 1/4 cup b/c we have rock hard water. I've washed everything from pastels to my dirty tennis shoes and everything came out very nice. Smells wonderful-I have some "country clothesline" fo that was in the soap I put in it. 
When people are saying they have dingy whites from this are they not using bleach? Even w/commercial detergents if I don't bleach our socks look awful.
Anyway, until I see something I don't like this is my new laundry soap.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Has anyone tried using citric acid in your homemade clothes washing soap? I have a recipe for dishwasher detergent that uses citric acid and it works great. It uses dry ingredients though, so I don't know how citric acid would work in a liquid.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

linn said:


> Has anyone tried using citric acid in your homemade clothes washing soap? I have a recipe for dishwasher detergent that uses citric acid and it works great. It uses dry ingredients though, so I don't know how citric acid would work in a liquid.


I havent but thats because I'm cheap. 
I started the cloths soap adventure simply because of money.
Citric acid would add to much cost for me, so I dont add anything except the bare bones.


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## ilovetodig (Apr 15, 2007)

linn, would you share your dishwasher soap recipe? I have been hoping I could find one and would really appreciate it. Thanks.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Sure, I would be glad to share it. Here it is:

In a plastic container with a firmly fitting lid, mix: 
1 cup borax (20-Mule-Team Borax, available in any supermarket) 
1 cup baking soda 
1/4 cup salt 
1/4 cup citric acid 
30 drops citrus essential oil--lemon, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, or a mixture 

Put all of it in the container, shake it up. 

To use, put a Tblsp. or so into each cup of your dishwasher.


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