Yes, it can be used. I have two HD machines and I use it all the time. I have been making Jasdip's recipe for years. It does not have high suds. I have a washing machine upstairs and one down.

Sue

I used it for years too. Delayed washing here, till I had a chance to find my grater (didn't... had to buy one) and make the detergent. Now I have clean clothes, but wondered about that new to me washer.

Thank goodness it was cleaner than under the fridge. LOL

Still can't believe all the dirt/filth I find here, but am making progress.

Moni

Thanks for responding Sue! You'd use less in your HD washer of course. It's about 2 tbsp if you make the liquid.

I make a 5-gallon pail of liquid that I use to replenish my detergent jug. I also make it in powder form that I use for whites.

Jasdip - Is the recipe around here? I don't remember seeing it.

I use my food processor to grate up my bar soap, much easier than doing it by hand. I do several bars at a time, putting each grated bar of soap in a sandwich bag and storing it till I am ready to make more laundry soap.

Sue

Original question - 16 hours ago.

Satisfactory answer - 7 hours ago.

To get answers, around here, all one need do ... is ask. Replies come quickly.

But ... please remember ... not to wash your dirty linen ... in public.

o j

My food processor was among the stuff that didn't make it to Florida, thus a food grater had to do it. But at least it is easier to store, and does not need electricity. :)

Moni

Do you think this home made soap is better then store bought? I know your saving money but just how good is it? Please share your recipe. does it have a strong smell? I hate certain smells in my clothes.

JoAnn I used it all the time, before my Florida adventure, and I still had the ingredients.

Blfenton, it uses borax, washing soda and the Sunlight laundry bars. Fels Naptha (sp) for those in the U.S.

If you know someone who has a box of washing soda and borax, maybe you could borrow 1 cup of soda and 1/2 cup of borax. Instead of buying whole boxes, in case you don't care for it. Grate 1 bar of Sunlight (they come in pkg of 2).

If you're making liquid, dissolve the bar soap (don't use Dove, Ivory, etc, they have oils in them) in a pot of hot water on the stove. Use a bar of laundry soap. I've also used a big bar called Linda, it's an Italian laundry bar, when I couldn't find Sunlight.

Pour the melted soap into a bucket and add more hot water. Stir in the borax and washing soda and add more hot water till full.

Store overnight. The next day it will be gelled. You can use it as is in the washing machine, or dilute it 1/2 and 1/2 with water in a jug. It lasts a loooooong time.

I also make it in the powder form and keep in a plastic honey bottle and use 2 tbsp in the machine. (regular machine, less in HE)

Thanks. I'm going to note this. I have an HE machine (which I don't like but,,,,) and I'm not happy with how things are becoming really dingy looking - especially my no-long er white running socks.

I may have mentioned this before, but I bought a bread machine at a barn sale for 3 dollars and I put my grated soap and water in it and run it till it is heated and all mixed up. I don't have to stand and stir it that way. I keep that machine in my laundry area.

Sue

how much will this make?

It makes a 5-gallon jug of liquid. You can cut the recipe in half to make a smaller container.

The powder is a baggie. 1 1/2 cups of powder plus a grated bar of laundry soap.

I'm trying Persil granular. I am currently using up a bit of leftover Tide granular as well, but I can see the difference in whites. (Two tablespoons of Persil in my front load washer.)

Regardless of the detergent, I use 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the 'softener' compartment to neutralize any soap left in the clothes.

I don't like liquid detergents in my washer or dishwasher. I just threw out some liquid Cascade Complete. Used Cascade Complete granular last night. The stained tea ball came clean!

(I suppose Persil must have some horrible, non-green ingredient! Not sure I want to know...)

I make a powder detergent - I use about 2 cups of grated ivory soap, 2 cups of washing soda, 2 cups of baking soda & 4 cups of borax. I mix it all up with a big spoon in a 5 gallon container & use about 1/8 cup per load in my top load HE washer. I use Woolite for my & DH's dark dress clothes & regular Woolite for my handwash items. I do about 6-8 loads per week and the 5 gallon container lasts about 6 weeks.

I use only the powdered homemade version. I make about 2 batches a year and store the powder in clear plastic storage containers that I get bulk nuts in from Costco. It costs me less than a large bottle of Tide for a whole year's worth of laundry -- and I am not having to toss plastic detergent bottles. (They don't recycle them here yet.)

I use a 5 ingredient version that works well for my semi-hard water and a front loading washer. It has Oxy-Clean so it keeps my lights bright. It does not leave any white residue on darks, no oil marks on synthetics, does not suds up, and leaves no scent on clothes.

I mix the following in a 5 gallon pail. Don't inhale the powder mixture while mixing it up. Store the dry powder in plastic containers. I use only one rounded tablespoon for each load.

1 box Borax

1 box Washing Soda

5 lbs Baking Soda

3 lbs Oxy-Clean (or generic substitute)

1 grated bar of Zote (or two bar Fels Naptha, or two bars Castile Soap) If the soap bar is allowed to dry out in advance, it grates much finer. I cut up the Zote soap in 4 parts to air dry. I use a hand crank rotary Mouli shredder to grind up the soap.

If you want to spend a little more but save some effort you can buy the soap flakes. Zote is one brand. Also, if you let the bar soap dry out a while before using, it'll grate more easily (so I'm told). One addition to the "recipe" that I would add is some enzyme equipped automatic dishwasher detergent. When I used to use a non-enzyme detergent I'd add some to the laundry and it made quite a difference.

Here is the recipe I saved at The KT Gathering Place non-food recipes