If your favorite store also carries Arm & Hammer laundry detergent, just ask the manager to order you some Super Washing Soda.

You can make homemade lye from wood ash, just do a Google search for information.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Arm & Hammer Laundry Products

Hmmm...there's plenty of it on the shelves here (Jamestown, NY) It's with the fabric softeners at my supermarket.

Thanks for the idea about ordeing it, That will be much cheaper than the $15 shipping charge from Soapsgoneby.com. I looked at making Lye, but that just looks kinda scary. Too bad I do not live in New Jersey, I guess us Arizonans do not know how to do laundry:) j.k.

I live in the Silicon Valley in California and have had the same problem finding washing soda. I've described washing soda as both readily available and, at the same time, not carried in every store.

I've found it at local, not national, grocery chains (Nob Hill, a CA chain), local familiy-owned groceries (Cosentino's, which has a total of 3 stores and a produce section to die for) and sometimes, but not always, at drug store chain stores (such as Rite Aid, Walgreens, Longs). If you have any local chains or family-owned groceries that differentiate themselves by providing great customer service and selection, you might find it there or find them willing to order it for you.

I'm not surprised that big chains don't carry it. Their strategy seems to be offering a limited selection of brands and products; if the brand or product you want doesn't consistly fly off the shelf everyday, they don't stock it. This appears to be a profitable business strategy, but there's much less variety in the products on the shelf. I rarely shop at Safeway anymore because they usually don't have the brands I like, if they even carry the product I want.

CMC

Washing soda is sodium carbonate aka soda ash which is often sold in bulk as a pool chemical. I'm not sure if there might be some difference in processing that makes the Arm & Hammer more appropriate for laundry, but that A&H website link says that it's simply 100% sodium carbonate so chemically there should be no difference at least. Just FYI!

I usually use pH-up AKA sodium carbonate to raise pH in my pool. The product sold for pools is the industrial grade, as is many pool chemicals, whereas the A&H product is more refined to make it a #1/consumer grade product.

Try calling the store before you go. I have 2 grocery stores about four miles apart near my house. They are the same chain but one carries the washing soda and one doesn't. I don't know why, but if you call around you might find it.

Call this phone number 1-800-524-1328 and have the UPC code 33200-03020. The service will ask for your zip code and then tell you places in your area that sell the item. I believe this service will locate most items if you have the UPC code number. My area said the Kroger store.

They had it a Kroger $2.25 for a large box compared to about $10 with shipping on the net.

I remember Bluing, a deep blue liquid you would add to the rinse water. It made whites literally "glow". Maybe radioactivity? I haven't seen it in stores in 10 years, maybe longer.

The company that made Red Devil lye stop making it. However, there are other brands of lye available. My father found lye at Ace Hardware.

Smith's in Las Vegas has it for $2.49 for a 3 lb box. I don't know if you have Smith's in Phoenix, or another Kroger family store.

Albertsons will order items they do not have in the store for you. You could try that.

I use Bluing all the time. It is a lot easier on your whites than bleach. They still make it. Mrs Wrights brand. I have no problem finding A&H washing soda in the grocery store.

I found A&H Washing Soda at the Acme (after striking out at Walmart, ShopRite, and the local hardware store). It was with the bleach in the laundry aisle. Acme is marketed here (south Jersey) along with SavOn drugstore, and is owned by Alberson's. I use it for my pool, and the washing soda is less than half the cost of the pH Plus the pool places sell.

If you have any WINCO stores nearby, this is the only store I can still get it from in my area.
Hope this helps.

Lowe's sells lye under the name Roebic Crystal Drain Opener. You can get lye at other stores including WalMart sometimes - look in the plumbing section for crystal drain openers and make sure the only ingredient is 100% sodium hydroxide. You can also buy it online but in quantities larger than 2# you will be assessed a HazMat shipping fee.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roebic Crystal Drain Opener

ebay...great source

So what is so great about the washing soda? I've never used it. Is it as good as STPP?

Washing soda is sodium carbonate. It's used as a cheaper filler in different things. Works as a part of homemade laundry detergents. The cheaper Oxi cleaners use it mixed with the sodium percarbonate to make it cheaper. It has its uses and is different than STPP (Sodium TriPolyPhosphate). If you have powdered laundry detergent, odds are that it contains washing soda. So it's just another option out there.

The information posted by John above is the best way to find it. The manufacturer will tell you who has sold it in the last 90 days.

Stores in my (urban) area that used to carry it have slowly stopped. Shelf space goes to products with the highest net margins and washing soda doesn't seem to pull it's weight around here. I understand things are different in rural areas or in neighborhoods with older demographics who grew up with WS or at least know what it is.

on line

I called the number John gave above (800-524-1328) and spoke to a Church & Dwight agent who was able to tell me that Kroger in North Texas carries washing soda and Homeland in Oklahoma. I live over 50 miles from either of those stores so the agent told me that the company has a product club where you can have the item shipped to you in regular intervals (weekly to every 6 months), no club fees, you pay product cost of $3.99/box (can order 1-100 boxes per order), $2.50 handling (no shipping cost), and tax (for 4 boxes I paid $1.50 tax). The total for my order of 4 boxes was $19.96. You can also call and change the amount or frequency at any time and cancel the club subscription with no penalty.

I also called the #. Very helpful... they gave me all of the stores that sell it near me and their phone #s to check if it is stock. The company will also waive the $6 shipping charge if you buy 3 or more boxes at $3.99 a piece.

Also, in case anyone else is wondering I asked about their seemingly random message that instructs you to hang up if you are having a medical emergency. Turns out some people, when ingesting products that they are not supposed to, will call the company # on the box before an ambulance :)

Ace Hardware sells washing soda. I don't think they regularly carry it in their store so you probably have to buy it online and have it shipped to the store for pickup. It is $3.79/box.

The link takes you directly to the Ace's washing soda page.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ace Hardware Washing Soda Page

I just called the Church & Dwight phone # above and spoke to a very nice lady and ordered 3 boxes of washing soda. She said it had been pulled from most stores because it was such competition for laundry detergents, which made me want to try it all the more. No store in my area carries it any longer. If you call, you may have to wait for several minutes as I did, however, it takes only a few minutes to order after connecting with them. They waive shipping fees of $6.00+ for 2 or more boxes and the cost is now $4.50 per box.

IFB âÂ" Buy cheap Front Loading Washing Machine that is free from any defects, view our reviews and prices. It uses less amount of detergent, electricity and gives a better wash than any other machine with portable washer dryer.
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Here is a link that might be useful: IFB Washing Machine

go to Alice.com You can get arm & hammer super washing soda for 2.99 a box!

Here is a link that might be useful: Super Washing Soda

you can make washing soda out of baking soda

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2011/01/homemade-washing-soda.html

i also found some at walmart hiding on the bottom shelf.

I found washing soda on amazon.com. I go there whenever I am looking for a hard-to-find household item.

Here is a link that might be useful: Washing soda at amazon.com

I bought a 50 lb bag of soda ash lite (washing soda) at Agway for about $35.

I have seen Arm & Hammer Washing Soda in Walmart.

In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada the ingredients required for making homemade laundry soap (Borax, Arm & Hammer super washing soda, Sunlight yellow bar soap) can be ordered by calling the Manager of the Laundry Supplies at Loblaws (Rideau and Nelson Street location) or Trudel's Home Hardware in the Bytowne Market and they will special order these items in. UPC codes for Washing soda -- call Arm & Hammer toll free to obtain this. Posting this message October 30, 2013, as I called these outlets this week.