Good stuff! I have to make a batch tonight.

"I guess that is one good thing to say about it"

What don't you like about it Bengardening?
It's all I've been using for 2 years now. Several members here use it regularly.

It also makes great carpet cleaner. With 3 cats, 2 of them being long-hair and leaving "gifts" on the carpet, it takes the stain right out.

I know if I do some research I can probably find the recipe for your homemade soap but was wondering if someone can stear me in the right direction. I have been using Charlies soap, not unhappy with it, just not happy with the smell. I hang most of my clothing and even in the summer when it's hung outside, I still find the smell to be too much. I also have 11 cats, not too many gifts left on the carpets and I use baking soda and borax monthly to keep them fresh but I do shampoo them 2-3 times a year.

Here it is...

1 Fels Naptha bar soap (Sunlight for Canadians)
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
4 cups hot water

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan of hot water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap is melted.

Fill a 5-gallon pail half-full with hot water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Add more hot water until the pail is full.
Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

The next morning it will be a gel-like consistency.
Dilute the gel 1/2 and 1/2 with water in a laundry jug.

Use 1/2 cup for top-load machines and 1/4 cup for front-load. (I just fill the cap on the laundry jug)

Thank you for taking the time to put that up, I will definately take advantage of this. Washing soda? I know I've seen that in Amish country and some websites. Is this a common item I might find in the stores?

Washing soda is in a blue box made by Arm and Hammer.
You should be able to find it near the Borax.
Here in Canada it's found in grocery stores and Walmart and called So Clean.
Around here Borax is getting scarce to find, so I've stocked up.

I find the washing soda at Ace Hardware stores.

Moni

thank you. I will be on the look out.

two.25acres-I make the soap all the time and was using Zote bar soap.It is pink and doesn't have much of a fragrance,just kind of a clean smell.I wasn't able to find the Zote last batch I made so I bought Fells Naptha.It has a lemony fragrance and I like it much better.I think someone mentioned that you can use just about any bar soap but I have never tried anything but the Zote and Fells Naptha.
I have a hard time finding washing soda.haven't found it at either of the wal marts here in months.Got it last time at one of the Kroger stores but it's gone now.You can order it online if all else fails.LOL Be sure you get Washing soda.I have noticed a lot of the stores here carry the huge boxes of baking soda placed with the laundry products.NOT the same.Has to be washing soda.

ok, thank you. I use Fells Naptha, haven't come across Zote but have seen it in my Lehmans non electric catalog and the washing soda as well, just don't want to have to ship. I will check out our Woodmans, they carry the Borax and the Fells Naptha.

I have found if you don't like standing and stirring your soap and 4 cups of water for a long time, just put the four cups of hot or warm water in your pan and dump in the grated soap and let it set maybe a half hour, then turn on the heat and stir and you won't have to stir it long at all. Of course I grate mine with my food processor and do up several batches at a time and store them in sandwich bags and then make up some when I want. I made two five gallon buckets of it yesterday to give to one daughter and my granddaughter.

Sue

we found the fels naptha soap at a small town grocery store. Ok I will admit I used baking soda. My daughter went on line and looked up the difference and it said that you could use it but might have some problems. We are going to use this batch like this and next time use washing soda. On the site she was on it said that with the washing soda it will cause the clothes to wear out faster I think. It said that if you do not have really dirty and oily clothes it will work just fine and my daughter has been using it and it works just fine. JASDIP I think I will like it and I said that because some people on here seem to find fault with it and I was making a good point about it. Sorry. I probably said that wrong.

Is the recipe for the dry version of the soap similar?

ole joyful

Homemade Laundry Detergent (from Southern Plate)

■4 Bars Laundry Soap (to yield 12 cups of soap shavings)
■6 Cups Borax (this is roughly one box)
■6 Cups Washing powders (this is roughly one box)
Grate soap using cheese grater. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Place in sealed container and measure out two tablespoons for each load.

I have it in the Non-food recipes already. It's at the bottom of the page, click on the heading.

Here is a link that might be useful: Non-food recipes

Here's 10 recipes for powder and liquid. Additives can include diswashing detergent with enzymes, oxy type cleaners, baking soda, water softeners (Calgon), STPP, scents or more.

BTW, in Canada washing soda comes in a blue box. In the US it's in a yellow box. Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda". Fewer places carry it now but it's still around and usually will be with the additives like Borax, oxygen cleaners and the like. It's sodium carbonate, aka soda ash. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. If you can't find it in the grocery/department stores, you can also buy it in the pool chemical departments at home improvement stores, pool supply places and the like. Often it's much cheaper than in the other stores. Another example of things marketed to different people, at different prices.

Some do use baking soda in place of the washing soda but many don't think it works as well. It's not the same, but it makes a different formula. Baking soda works well as a deodorizer. Would be a bit of an offset if you're looking for smell.

BTW, around here Kmart carries both Zote and Fels Naptha. Some like one better than the other. Some save soap slivers and use them. Ivory Soap is often recommended too.
10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Here is a nice stack of different homemade laundry detergent recipes I’ve collected over the years. Do they work? Yes, I’ve had good luck with them.

Tipnut's Homemade Laundry Detergent
At the time I was using homemade detergent, we had a relative who was in trade school living with us. Every day he was mechanic grease from head to toe�"the clothes cleaned up nice!

Making your own laundry detergent is a discipline and it’s not for everyone, but it definitely saves money�"sometimes just costing pennies a load!

First Some Tips:
For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.
Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.
Although several of the recipes have the same ingredients, the measurements are different�"some contain a higher soap to water ratio. Test and see which works best for your laundry needs.
You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed�"shake before use.
Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil�"that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it�"just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.
10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Recipe #1

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).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar
Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)
In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent �" Recipe #4

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated �" you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe #5

Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap �" grated
1 cup Washing Soda
In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
Set aside to cool.
Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)

Recipe #6

2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin
Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
Use 1/2 cup per full load.

Recipe #7

2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 �" 2.5 gallons hot water
Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
Use 1 cup per full load.

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time�"not washing soda)
Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent �" Recipe #9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)
Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Recipe #10 �" (Powdered)

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
Mix well and store in sealed container.
I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.
Liquid Detergents Note

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).
Optional

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil

Here is a link that might be useful: Tip Nut (also has a lot of comments on it)

A few nights ago one of the TV channels - on a news segment -featured the recipe and showed how wrthwhile it was and cost saving also some institutions are using it (wish I could remember the who and what)

I haven't made it in a long time but I do have all the ingredients. I think I will make some today. One thing about it is once you buy that box of Borax and the soda, your good to go for lots and lots of batches.

Thanks for getting me in the mood to make some....I'm going to try Marilyn Sue's hint of soaking the soap for awhile.

I like the 'dry' and it does a good job. Sometimes I throw some Oxyclean in with the detergent. I was grating the soap on a hand grater, but DD has an attachment on her Kitchen Aid to grate, so I buy the Fels Naptha and send it home with her and she grates me up a bunch.
Our tiny, local grocery store sells the Fels Naptha, Borax and the Washing Soda and the owner says she has people that come to this area to visit relatives and they stock up on the Fels Naptha as it's hard to find in some areas.

I've made both but now I just make the liquid since I like to use it as a pretreater too. Just don't let the clothes sit for long after you pretreat as it can fade them. I use Ivory. I do grate it in the food processor. I boil the water, dump the soap in and stir a few times, let it simmer and stir a couple times and it's done quite fast. I just moved everything into the kitchen today as it's time to make some more. My last batch was made in September. There are only two of us but we have 8 cats and a dog and do a fair amount of laundry from their beds and covers and such. In any case, almost six months and it cost me probably seventy five cents to make the batch. We also find that we don't need to use fabric softeners any more. We use those balls but no softener and the clothes stay nice.

Just one final hint-in my washer and dryer, I no longer use any fabric softener. I have three old tennis balls I throw in the dryer. Makes a racket but leaves towels and jeans and evereything nice and soft. I think I can find washing soda around here. I'll try making a batch.