# Homemade Detergent



## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

I have the Borax, Washing Soda and Ivory Soup. I couldn't find the Fels-Naptha soup. I have a question for those of you who make your own homemade detergent. Does this fade colored clothes? I'm just curious if I'm going to ruin the colored ones. Since DH and I are retired, most of what we wear doesn't really matter, but I do wash a few things I don't want to fade.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

I haven't had any problems with fading. I took particular note when I washed our dark items and couldn't detect any issues.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

jmtinmi said:


> I haven't had any problems with fading. I took particular note when I washed our dark items and couldn't detect any issues.


Thank you.


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## LWMSAVON (Oct 8, 2002)

Country Lady said:


> I have the Borax, Washing Soda and Ivory Soup. I couldn't find the Fels-Naptha soup. I have a question for those of you who make your own homemade detergent. Does this fade colored clothes? I'm just curious if I'm going to ruin the colored ones. Since DH and I are retired, most of what we wear doesn't really matter, but I do wash a few things I don't want to fade.


I have been making powdered soap for well over 8 years I guess... I have never had it fade my colored clothes. 

I use Zote soap with mine. Find it at Save-a-lot or any hispanic grocery store as it's a hispanic laundry soap.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

LWMSAVON said:


> I have been making powdered soap for well over 8 years I guess... I have never had it fade my colored clothes.
> 
> I use Zote soap with mine. Find it at Save-a-lot or any hispanic grocery store as it's a hispanic laundry soap.


I'll see if I can one nearby. Thanks.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I found Fels Naptha at Fred Meyer in the laundry det. section. The only thing I don't like about the homemade soap is that it doesn't take out "dog smell" or other offensive smells from the fabric. Has anyone else had this problem?


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

I found Zote works better at getting the smells out. I also let the clothes soak for a while after the washer fills before running the rest of the cycle to help get rid of the smell. We battle the stinky sweat smell often and the Zote version does a better job.


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## LWMSAVON (Oct 8, 2002)

COSunflower said:


> I found Fels Naptha at Fred Meyer in the laundry det. section. The only thing I don't like about the homemade soap is that it doesn't take out "dog smell" or other offensive smells from the fabric. Has anyone else had this problem?


for really problem smells try using a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of baking soda in the wash load as well. It works as a deodorizer.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

I've made up my first batch of homemade detergent, but it seems I have to use a lot more in the washer than the recipe says I should use. Does anyone else find this is true? Is it suppose to suds any in the washer?


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## 3ravens (Mar 16, 2006)

If you are getting suds, you are seriously over-soaping!!  Don't go by suds, go by how clean it gets the clothes.


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## LWMSAVON (Oct 8, 2002)

Country Lady said:


> I've made up my first batch of homemade detergent, but it seems I have to use a lot more in the washer than the recipe says I should use. Does anyone else find this is true? Is it suppose to suds any in the washer?



It does not suds up. It's not the suds that do the cleaning anyway.

The store bought stuff has lauryl sulfate in it which pretty much causes the sudsing in the store detergents. 

Your clothes are still being cleaned with the soap as the clothes swish against each other in the water.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Thank you. I was trying to make it look like store bought detergent.


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## whiskeylivewire (May 27, 2009)

Can someone please give me the soap recipe? I want to try this....


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## Narshalla (Sep 11, 2008)

This is a link to another thread, to a liquid soap recipe. If anyone has a recipe for homemade powdered detergent, I'd like to try it too, please!


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2009)

COSunflower said:


> I found Fels Naptha at Fred Meyer in the laundry det. section. The only thing I don't like about the homemade soap is that it doesn't take out "dog smell" or other offensive smells from the fabric. Has anyone else had this problem?


I wash smelly or otherwise yucky clothes in some of all that gallons of free Dawn dishwashing liquid I keep accumulating. It does a fantastic job of getting smells and grungy stuff out.


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## grayson6 (Feb 8, 2007)

I was using my recipe for over a year. Maybe 2. No fading, and I used Lever 2000. Just because that's what I had. I used it until I started a fire this past Father's Day. I only have 12 inches of counter space beside my stove. Stove was full of hot pans from breakfast. Counter and other burners busy so I placed the borax and washing soda on the back burner. I was trying to hurry up for church. My hubby and oldest child went on to volunteer. I was melting the soap in my hot water. Then go get hair dried. But... came out and smokey. I turned on the wrong burner. The powder kept putting it out for a little bit. But the boxes were still on fire. So I used the fire extinguisher and boy that was a HUGE mess to clean up!!!!


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Oh No!! I've reached the point in life where I need to keep my mind on only one thing at a time. When I get too much going, I do some stupid things. I've made 2 batches of homemade detergent with Ivory Soap. I've ordered some Fel's Naptha Soap which I'll use for my next batch. I have no complaint about using this detergent and it is so much cheaper. Cutting cost in little ways add up eventually.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

Narshalla said:


> This is a link to another thread, to a liquid soap recipe. If anyone has a recipe for homemade powdered detergent, I'd like to try it too, please!


Recipe Zaar has a recipe for dry laundry detergent. That is where I found mine


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## WebSpinner (Oct 11, 2009)

Would these be considered 'organic' or eco-safe for a grey-water system? I am trying to do good by the environment and to my health....


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

I use my homemade soap in my liquid laundry soap (because I had lots of it and I'm cheap, lol). It works great. And yes, I believe that plain soap, Borax and washing soda would be safe for a grey-water system. No phosphates.

I use very little of the liquid at a time, like 2 Tbsp, and run multiple loads through the water in the wringer washer before I switch to rinse water...I do have to change out the rinse water a few times as the later washed clothes have more suspended crud to rinse out, but the clothes come clean nicely with it. I use the liquid version because I wash in cold water and it is already dissolved. Just wish I could use it in the automatic machine in the house, but soap isn't recommended with hard water (builds up a grey crud). I use filtered water in the wringer washer.


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