# Laundry Soap



## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

I made this a few months ago and it gelled up nicely. So last night I made another batch but it doesnt seem to be gelling at all. The soap is semi solid on top of soapy liquid in the bottom. 

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted. 
Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved. 
Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed. 
Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel). 

I used fels napa (spelling is wrong I know) and increased the borax/soda to 3 cups as our whites were coming out dingy and the colors were also. 

Any idea of why it would not gel like it is suppose to?


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## Clementine (Dec 21, 2006)

I use 2 bars of soap to 4 gallons of water, and 1/2 cups of each of the powders. You are making a very concentrated version, but that shouldn't affect the gelling.

One thought, when you added the 2 gallons of water, was it hot water or cold? It should be hot or very warm. I used cold, straight out of the tap once, and the soap turned more solid again. I got out my big canning pot and heated the whole mixture on the stove until the soap had dissolved again. It then gelled nicely.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

every time i make it it turns out like your bad batch. i started using my handheld blender to mix it up a bit. at least that breaks up the solids to smaller parts, lol. i use at least 3/4 cup per load, but i like the results. i try to use real detergent for greasy or oily clothes, but for normal laundry, i like using the homemade stuff. i can use 2 or 3 times the amount of homemade stuff if i need to and still save a bunch of money.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

For dingy whites a Japanese friend of ours turned us onto using Baking Soda along with the laundry soap...she also adds white vinegar to the rinse cycle.


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

Thanks Ladies =)

I did laundry today with it and it seems to be working just fine. I did mix it all together with boiling/hot water. It still hasn't gelled but thats ok. I didnt like the slimy look of the other batch anyway lol!


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I seem to remember a batch of mind doing something similar. I used the stick blender on it and mixed it together well, then poured it into an old liquid laundry detergent bottle. I just shook it up good before each use and it worked fine.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

My recipe is similar. Last week I made two batches. One gelled and one didn't - Like you I have no idea what went wrong. They do seem to be working though.


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## Monk (Oct 15, 2008)

I've made it twice now and neither batch has "gelled". It has turned into sort of a chunky slime with small chunks about the size of marbles. It seems to work just fine. I couldn't find the Fels Nethpa soap, so I used Ivory. 

What I want to know is where I can find essential oils for scent.


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## Clementine (Dec 21, 2006)

The great thing about this laundry soap is that is works just as well whether or not it gells perfectly. You can get the oils many different places. Craft and hobby stores usually have some, many health food store carry them. I've seen them at specialty stores as well. I usually get mine online from a company called mountain rose herbs.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I leave mine dry.
2 cps Borax
2 cpd Washing Soda
2 cps Oxiclean 
I bar of soap.. I used Dr. Bronner's Citrus soap.

I just leave it dry and drop one TBS for a light soil load and 2 TBS for the heavy loads.
Works like a dream and I don't have to fuss with the whole melting thing....


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## kandmcockrell (Oct 10, 2008)

do you grate the soap?


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I either grate the soap or sliver it and than melt it.

Last month I came across some Zote soap and since I had heard so much good stuff about it I bought all they had. I don't like it for laundry soap all that much. Before that I was using octagon which I really liked for laundry soap.


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## Clementine (Dec 21, 2006)

Someone on here had a great tip about microwaving the bar soap until it gets big and then crumbling it up. I'm going to try that next time I make it. I hate grating the soap.


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## FUNKY PIONEER (Sep 20, 2005)

I use my grater on my cuisenart to grate it up. It takes less than 30 seconds. ;0)


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## KayJay (Oct 3, 2006)

I also just do the dry, but I don't use the OxiClean. I use one grated bar of Fels Naptha, 2 cups borax, and 2 cups washing soda. I store it in an old ice cream bucket with the lid, and use one heaping tablespoon (I actually use an old measuring spoon lol) per load. It works well on even very dirty stuff, though I do usually add another 1/2 - 1 TBSP. for things that are greasy. I also make sure to shake up the container to remix it each time I use it since some of the components like to settle to the bottom.


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## morgansrgr8 (Oct 14, 2008)

Does it matter what kind of soap you use? I just made a batch of tallow soap so have lots of olay bars we wont be using.


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2008)

chickenista said:


> I leave mine dry.
> 2 cps Borax
> 2 cpd Washing Soda
> 2 cps Oxiclean
> ...


That's the recipe I use (with Fels Naptha for the soap). Works great and the clothes don't get dingy.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

morgansrgr8 said:


> Does it matter what kind of soap you use? I just made a batch of tallow soap so have lots of olay bars we wont be using.


No it doesn't really matter. Some people use fels naptha, some zote, some Ivory. I am allergic to ivory, and fels isn't avail around here so I used octagon or any other old fashioned bar.


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