Comments on: Homemade Laundry Detergent FAQ

By: chrissy

chrissy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:36:09 +0000

I make my own laundry soap w/ liquid castile.
I use
*1 cup baking soda,
*150 drops Grape Fruit Seed Extract
*1/4 cup liquid Dr. Bonner’s Castile soap (I use baby mild and use it on my baby clothes.)
*1 gallon water

Shake before use and add 1/3 cup per load.
I skipped the borax and washing soda and such cause I wanted to pipe my water out to my grass!! yay!

By: Irked

Irked — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:03:59 +0000

Look, I just priced borax at Winn-Dixie and it cost $3.99!! No other store around east podunk carries it. Winn-Dixie has re-modeled and now they think they are Publix, and are too snooty to carry items for the common man. No Fels Naptha, Kirks, washing soda. But by the time I could purchase everything to make my powdered soap, it will cost more $$$ than buying regular.

By: AmyB

AmyB — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:26:01 +0000

Baking Soda (the same kind you use to bake with) is used to soften hard water. I use about a quarter-cup per load, but I haven’t started making my own detergent yet. I have to use up what I already have here on hand!

By: Corrie

Corrie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:02:56 +0000

I make recipe #1 and have been using it for over a year now. I absolutely love it and can make a batch in about 15-30 minutes. Less time then it would take me to run to the store and buy soap and drive back home. I have turned several other people on to it as well. The fact it is low sudsing is great for all of you with the HE washers.

One tip I would like to add is start the recipe out with 1 gallon of boiling water. Dump that into the bucket and add your Borax & washing soda. Then bring your quart of water to a boil and melt your soap. Pour that into the bucket with the already disolved Borax & washing soda. Stir then add in your last gallon of water. It’s so much easier this way. Everything disolves and mixes nicely.

Another tip is using a potato peeler on the soap. Especially the Fels Naptha. I have tried the Salad Shooter which does work but I found that I preferred just using a paring knife. Today I made a batch and tried the peeler and was shocked. It was extremely easy and made finer pieces that melted so much easier. I peeled down to the “core” then used the knife to finely chunk up the rest. Melted in about half the time.

I tell everyone about this detergent and how good it is. We spend about $1 a month on detergent. Can’t beat that. The clothes are very clean and honestly all three ingredients were things I was using to boost the store bought detergents. I have added Borax or soda for years. And have used the Fels Naptha as a stain remover. So to me this was a win win.

By: Corrie

Corrie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:48:36 +0000

I have made both but prefer the liquid. It really depends on what you currently use and what kind of washer you have. I have a front loader and find the liquid is a little easier. I also prefer it because everything is melted and I don’t worry about the soap not disolving when I wash in cold. It’s all about personal preference.

By: Corrie

Corrie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:43:43 +0000

My first 2 batches of detergent was made using the Clorox OxyClean as a substitute for the Washing Soda. Yes, it is basically the same but there is a different reaction. Those batches were messy and foamed up. It expanded in the detergent bottles and made quite a mess. Not a good first experience. When I finally made it with plain washing soda it was amazing at how much cleaner and easier the process was. So be careful with the other because it doesn’t quite react the same. As it foams it literally doubles in size.

By: Shellei Walker

Shellei Walker — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:26:18 +0000

Hi-
I use recipe #10 with the following variation- 1 cup each powdered ingredients ( washing soda, baking soda and I add borax) mixed up with 1 cup Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile- once mixed I add 1 cup white vinegar. After foam has died down I dissolve it all with 2 quarts boiling water than dilute this mix with 2 gallons hot water – all in a 3 1/2 gallon bucket. I used about a half cup of the mixture per load.
This solution works so well for me- I used it to wash towels and sheets my dog gave birth on – not expecting the stains to go but be clean enough to give them back to the dog- but they are spotless!

By: tabadaba

tabadaba — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:44:42 +0000

wow there are so many great tips here. I think i’m going to try the powdered this weekend

By: Marie

Marie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:45:37 +0000

Whether or not you can safely use the resulting grey water, or some diluted homemade detergent, in the garden for watering or pest control depends on the ingredients in the original bar of soap, and how much of the washing soda you used. The antibacterial ingredients and other additives in many bar soaps such as regular Dial may harm or kill plants. The washing soda contains sodium which can actually keep the plants from absorbing enough water.

By: Pamela Dort

Pamela Dort — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:46:09 +0000

Many have asked about the toxicity of Borax.
Here is a site for an October 2003 health risk study done on Borax

http://www.etimineusa.com/pages/msds_penta.html

Here is the inform from section 3 (Hazards Identification) from the study:

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW
Borax pentahydrate is a white odourless, powdered substance that is not flammable, combustible, or explosive, and has low acute oral and dermal toxicity.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS
Inhalation is the most significant route of exposure in occupational and other settings. Dermal exposure is not usually a concern because borax pentahydrate is poorly absorbed through intact skin.

INHALATION
Occasional mild irritation effects to nose and throat may occur from inhalation of borax pentahydrate dusts at levels greater than 10 mg/m3.

EYE CONTACT
Borax pentahydrate is a mild eye irritant.

SKIN CONTACT
Borax pentahydrate does not cause irritation to intact skin.

INGESTION
Products containing borax pentahydrate are notintended for ingestion. Borax pentahydrate has low acute toxicity. Small amounts (e.g. a teaspoonful) swallowed accidentally are not likely to cause effects; swallowing amounts larger than that may cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

REPRODUCTIVE/DEVELOPMENTAL
Animal ingestion studies in several species, at high doses, indicate that borates cause reproductive and developmental effects. A human study of occupational exposure to borate dust showed no adverse effect on reproduction.

POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS
Large amounts of borax pentahydrate can be harmful to plants and other species. Therefore releases to the environment should be minimised.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE
Symptoms of accidental over-exposure to borax pentahydrate have been associated with ingestion or absorption through large areas of damaged skin. These may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, with delayed effects of skin redness and peeling (see section 11).