To those of you who have been using these "home made" detergents, are you experiencing any odor, mold or mildew issues? The reason I ask is because castile soap builds up into a gooopy, gel-like gunk if not properly rinsed. This could potentially cause problems in washers. Every home-made product I've tried - from detergent to fabric softener - has proven unsatisfactory. Either the products don't clean well, they risk building up in my machine or on my clothes or they just don't work. Price is not the only consideration, which is what appears to be driving this homemade laundry movement.

It can absolutly clean but there are requirements.. A wringer washer and lots of very hot and soft water. And much more of each ing. Than what the recipe calls for. This is how laundry was done before synthetic detergent came along. The soap needs grated and enough of it used to work up a nice amount of creamy lather about 2 inches of suds will do it.. it requires very hot water and very soft water...it also requires quite a few deep water rinses all in hot to very warm. It just can't do the job in the recommended amount on the recipe and it should never be used in a FL machine. The soap is going to cause a build up of scum in the washer and on the washer parts which will require a machine tear down to clean, this stuff will destroy your machine But if all the requirements can be met you can be successful with clean and heavenly soft clothes...just isn't happening with that online recipe.

It's doable and the right blend would not gunk up your washer. Fels and Zote would because they are blended to be skin safe. The basis of many detergents is indeed a soap. Sodium coco anything is saponified coconut oil. It's oil reacted with sodium hydroxide lye. That's soap. Washing soda and citric acid = sodium citrate. D limonene ($3 a liter) heavy duty degreaser (orange essential oil is 90% d limonene) often listed as citrus extract. Zeolites and sodium silicate - crystal cat litter ground fine or some of the eco friendly tsp. Add a bit of grapeseed extract for antioxidant properties. Just made a batch of Biokleen powder :). The DIY crowd just needs to think bigger. Edited : left out a few ingredients :) Sodium sulfate is a cheap filler. It does nothing. It's only real use is as a laxative as it binds so well with water. Laureth 7 - secondary surfactant. It makes bubbles but doesn't actually clean anything. It's there so you see bubbles and are happy. Cellulose gum is listed as a chelator. It's a thickener, a starch. Used to thicken liquid soaps and foods. More filler basically unless your water is too thin....

Oh, I'm sorry you took this personal. This is exactly what I didn't want. So I'm sorry Chloe. I wasn't demeaning you, I wasn't criticizing you..I was critiquing the homemade laundry soap, not you. I've watched this over and over again on these forums someone gives an opinion and whamo someone takes it personal. Much of what I've said is fact ( no Elmer I'm not posting a link) some is common sense.. Tap water...not everyone knows bacteria will grow in it, yet its a fact..not an opinion or a maybe it will..it will. The other products well just read the labels...go to all the mommy blogs and read the reviews, all of them... I open my mouth and someone always is ready to let me have it..why is that. Sit back and watch people wash clothes in bacteria...would you sit back and not say a word if you knew that may very well be a breeding ground for bacteria... Chloe, I know mothing about your laundry practices, or your clean clothing, but I do know something anout this homemade laundry soap.. Chloe, I'm very sorry you felt targeted, and demeaned, I truely did not want you to feel this way. I only wanted to educate somewhat will you please accept my apologies.