Why add smell? I guess if you really wanted some, just use a scented soap although I understand Zote has a scent and even Fels Naptha has a scent too.

I love the homemade stuff because it has no scent. I collect the empty laundry jugs from the recycle bins, and washing them out....the smell of some of those brands is horrific! I couldn't imagine walking around smelling like that.

For the same reason I dislike fabric softeners. Love plain old vinegar.

We buy Sunlight bars here in Canada, and it has a nice lemony smell. The whole jug of liquid detergent just smells "fresh".

I also detest the smell of laundry detergent, fabric softeners and soaps. However, someone once posted here that they put some lavender oil in their homemade laundry soap and I bought some to try. I got it from the health food store. It's not edible, it's just essential oil of lavender.

MMmmm, lavender oil sounds lovely!

Ok, be honest now, is this homemade stuff any good, does it get everything clean and odor free? what is your recipe, I may give it a try. I can't stand the smell of fabric softener and DH can't cant the smell of clothes not softened, I am at wits end and need to try something new.

I can't even go down the laundry detergent aisle at one of our grocery stores because of the scent of some of them. I've never made the homemade stuff, but I'm gonna have to give it a try.

JoannFL...I thing the homemade stuff works just as well if not better than store bought. I too am a "no smell" person and use a downy ball with vinegar for a fabric softener (sometimes I use too much vinegar and we smell slightly like pickles for a week..oh well). I use the powder stuff. I made it last spring (One batch), and still have a little less than half left. I use 1 tbsp per load!

Vickey-MN

I agree with most of you about the scent thing.One reason I like the home made soap is because there is little/no scent.Just a nice clean smell.I used Zote in mine and it does have a slight scent but after it is mixed with everything else there is very little left.
"Ok, be honest now, is this homemade stuff any good, does it get everything clean and odor free?"
Yes,yes and yes! We have 18 month old babies and their clothes are always fresh and clean smelling.I have been using the soap for about 6 months and love it.My son and DH work on cars and can get pretty smelly and this gets out that smell too.Sometimes for nastier loads I will use a little more soap than called for.It doesn't make any suds so it won't harm your washing machine.I was amazed the first time I used it.I filled the washer,put in the soap and clothes and when it started agitating I couldn't believe how dirty the water got in just a matter of seconds!LOL
This stuff costs less than a jug of commercial stuff to make and is well worth it.If you haven't tried it,you should.If you don't like it,give it away to a homeless shelter or battered women's shelter.I'm sure it would be appreciated.Even if you don't like it and have to throw it out,you still haven't lost much,other than your time.You can always use the remainding Borax and washing soda as a booster with your regular laundry soap.

Homemade Laundry Soap:
1 bar Fels Naptha,Sunshine or Zote soap.This is a big bar of soap.About twice the size of a regular bar of soap.Some people use Ivory so I guess that would work if you can't find one of the others.I used Zote.
4 C. hot water
1 C. Washing soda(not baking soda)
1/2 C. Borax
Grate the soap with a box cheese grater or cut into small pieces with a sharp knife.Add the soap to the 4 Cups hot water in a sauce pan and heat over med. heat,stirring constantly until all the soap is melted.
Fill a large plastic container (kitty litter pail or paint pail)half full of hot water from the tap and add the soap mixture,borax and washing soda.Stir until the soda and borax are thoroughly dissolved.Fill the bucket the rest of the way with more hot water and mix thoroughly.Cover the container and let it sit overnight.Next morning the mixture will be a thick gel.Stir the mixture with a stick to break it up.It will still be kind of lumpy but don't worry about it.It will still do the job.Pour equal parts of gel and water into a container (an old laundry detergent container works fine).Shake before each use.
Use 1/4 C. for front loading machines.I just put it in the tub with the clothes instead of into the dispenser.
1/2 C. for top loading machines.
I use a little more per load if the load is extra soiled.
Can also be used full strenth as a pre-treater.

We have been using the homemade stuff for about six months how. It lasts so long we are still on our first batch! I think it is so much better that bought detergent. It's better for septic tanks, too, because it's very low to no suds.

in your reipe you talk about pail how big, is 5 gallon too big?

Yes, a five gallon bucket is just right. I am on my 6th batch. Of course I share with my 3 daughters and a Granddaughter. I don't dilute my soap when I put it in my containers, I just use half the amount. I am doing laundry today.

Sue

Like Big Baby, I have been using mine like forever, and still have plenty.

I LOVE that stuff.

Moni

Another question.... Is it ok in the new HE machines?
I have no idea where to find those soaps, fells, sunshine or zote. I remember seeing fells years ago but not now. What store do you buy them at, are they in the laundry detergent isle? Thanks

I've had the stuff for a while, but I just got around to making my first batch last night.

While it LOOKS great this morning, I can't imagine how just one little bar of laundry soap, 1/2 cup of borax and a cup of washing soda can effectively clean approximately three trillion loads of laundry (rough estimate, based on the mass number of bottles of detergent in my laundry room!)

I'm looking forward to trying it - I figure you can't all be wrong!

:)

Joann-Fels is at Publix on the top shelf in the laundry aisle, Zote is in a pink and white pkg at Kmart on the top shelf in the laundry section. I made my last batch with a 1/2 bar of Fels, and a 1/2 bar of Zote. That way I get the best of both soaps.

I found all of my ingredients in the laundry isle at Meijer. You may have to ask someone that works in your grocery. I have even grated up some odds and ends of bath soap and added to mine at times. Works great.

Sue

Ifound all of mine except the soap at Wal-Mart and that I got at the Ace Hardware store here. They carry everything..even food.

I first saw the recipe on tv a year ago. A mom with 4 little kids was talking about it on one of the morning shows.
She swears it cleans better than the commercial stuff.

I tried it, and have been using it ever since. Hubby loves his darks now, because they look nicer and don't have any grey soap areas. I've always used liquid on the darks, so don't know why the other liquid detergents would leave a soap scum, but they did.

Our towels, polo shirts, jeans etc are softer. Everything smells clean, not perfumy.

I remember when Stoneybaloney tried it, she wrote here that her hubby was cutting down trees and it took all the grass stains and tree sap out of the jeans. She was very impressed.

We love it. I gave a bunch in jugs to all the other family members at Christmas.

I called publix this morning and just got back with my bar of fels. I had already bought the other stuff on Thursday to make some liquid hand soap, now I'm waitng on my scent to make it. I sure hope this works.

Wow! This sounds awesome. I just got some ERA at BJs yesterday but I will not let that stand in my way! I have a bar of fels-Nasptha soap that I bought just because I found it in the grocery store... reminded me of my Gram. I even have a Fels-Naptha soap grater that my Gram used to grate her soap way back in the very early 1900s. My Mom used it to grate cheese which is how I still use it today...silly us. This sounds like a fun and useful project...thanks, Gang!

sooey

From what I've been reading the liquid soap can get really goopy, and it sounds like your not suppose to put it in the HE washer dispenser but in the tub. Is that correct? Well, I have about decided to make the powder. Which one do you like better?

Judging by how long it took the grated soap to melt in the pot, I'm wondering if the powder would leave little bits of gooey soap on the clothes in the washing machine?

I have been making this stuff for a long time.I make the liquid and have never had any trouble with it. I think I will stick with it and no scented oil.Thanks

Judging by how long it took the grated soap to melt in the pot, I'm wondering if the powder would leave little bits of gooey soap on the clothes in the washing machine?

I think that might be a valid concern, Nicole. And it doesn't "melt" as well in hard water, which I have. I think I will stick with the liquid form.

Joann, my front loader calls for the "HE" detergents, and I put the homemade liquid in the dispenser in the top. No goopiness there. The water fills thru the dispenser & thus rinses out the dispenser. I would think if there is a problem with it not all getting out of the dispenser into the wash tub, it would happen regardless of if the detergent were liquid or dry.

Since the hot water on my washing machine isn't working, I guess I need to know if this works in cold water?

The only time I've found unmelted soap on my clothes is when I've overloaded my washer (sometimes I'm too lazy and two loads are one). Otherwise I have no problem with the soap disolving, and I wash in all temps. If it does worry you, you can make the powder, and just disolve the tbsp you need in hot water before adding...then you won't have the amount of soap sitting around.

I'm using the dry form. I have found that on a dark rug I washed, that there were specks of semi-diluted Fels on the rug. It was washed in warm water, because of a non-skid backing. I haven't noticed it on other loads.
I will now try to heat up some water in the microwave, and dilute it before adding to the washer. I've tried adding the soap as the washer is filling, to help the dilution along too.

From my experiences...

It works in HE front-loaders, both in hot and cold water.

We have a septic so the fact that it doesn't create suds is a plus.

I put it in the soap dispenser and haven't had any problems with it getting "goopy" or residue build up.

I use lavender essential oil in mine because I like the scent of lavender. DH has a stressful job and I figure the scent probably helps calm his a$$ down LOL.

I use a stick immersion blender to mix up the grated soap bar and hot water while it's "cooking" on the stove. This method works great and keeps the liquid from separating later on.

I use the paint stirrer attachment for the drill
to stir it in the 5 gallon bucket before I dilute
it.